Glendronach 9 Years Old 2011 (Hart Brothers)

A Glendronach of a 9 year old chosen by Hart Brothers, distilled in 2011, at 56%. Glendronach is a richly sherried Highland single malt from the Valley of Forgue, built on full bodied spirit and Spanish oak. It was the last distillery in Scotland to fire its stills with coal, converting to steam only in 2005. It passed to Brown Forman, owner of Jack Daniel's, in 2016 as part of a 285 million pound deal.

Taken gently through wash and spirit stills, shaping a rich Highland body with real weight. It was fully matured in an Oloroso sherry butt, the wood deep in the rich spirit. In these extractive early years the oak gives vanillin as vanilla and lactones as coconut over orchard fruit and a dark sugar. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and a soft coconut over the fruit. The casks are picked closely, the wood matched to the rich Glendronach make.

At its natural 56% it is rich and chewy. Orange, raisin and a treacle edge, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. Dried fruit and a treacle sit behind the spice. It finishes long, full and fruity. This is a full bodied Highland single malt of real richness.