Glendronach 30 Years Old 1990 Cask #9333

Glendronach from the distillery, a 30 year old, from 1990, cask 9333, at 50.5%, 696 bottles in all. Glendronach is a Highland single malt whose founder was an early champion of sherry cask maturation. It was founded in 1826 by James Allardice, said to be the second man in Scotland to take a licence after the Excise Act of 1823. It passed to Brown Forman, owner of Jack Daniel's, in 2016 as part of a 285 million pound deal.

The spirit was run slowly off the spirit still, for the rich, sherried make Glendronach is known for. A Pedro Ximenez sherry butt held it, drawing the rich spirit on over the years. Ethereal and fragile, the decades draw it to a resinous, waxy depth of dried fruit, treacle and old oak. Years in oak deepen the spirit to a darker gold, the body growing rounder and more resinous with time. The casks are picked closely, the wood matched to the rich Glendronach make.

At a natural 50.5% it is full and rich. A rich orchard sweetness and dark sugar, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. A dark chocolate and a soft oak give it weight. A deep finish ends on dried fruit and a dark chocolate. This is Glendronach's deep, fruity Highland style.