Glendronach 9 Years Old 2002

This official Glendronach, a 9 year old, from 2002, cask 4522, at 57.8%, 317 bottles in all. Glendronach is a deep, dark Highland malt of dried fruit, chocolate and spice. It was bought in 2008 by Billy Walker's BenRiach company, who rebuilt it as a heavily sherried single malt.

The spirit was drawn from a thick, heavy wash, for a weighty make built to take active Spanish oak. It was matured in a Virgin Oak hogshead, the wood working deep into the malt. Young and extractive, the cask sheds vanillin and toasted sugars over the full, fruity spirit. The casks are picked closely, the wood matched to the rich Glendronach make. The full bodied spirit takes active wood well, carrying its dark sugars through the years. Active first fill sherry wood drives the maturation, the cask deep in the malt. The wood frames the spirit without ever stripping the full Highland body.

Bottled at a cask strength 57.8%, it is deep and concentrated. Orange, raisin and a treacle edge, with a vanilla, coconut and a sweet spice from the cask. A baked apple and a warm cinnamon lift the middle. A deep finish ends on dried fruit and a dark chocolate. This is a dark, fruity Highland single malt.