Glendronach The Sevillian Room

This official Glendronach, at 43%. Glendronach is a rich Highland malt from the Valley of Forgue, near Huntly. It was bought in 2008 by Billy Walker's BenRiach company, who rebuilt it as a heavily sherried single malt. It passed to Brown Forman, owner of Jack Daniel's, in 2016 as part of a 285 million pound deal.

Distilled in copper pot stills, for a weighty make built to take active Spanish oak. A marriage of Pedro Ximenez, Oloroso and Palo Cortado sherry casks held it, deep and dark in the rich make. Carrying no age, soft vanillin and dried fruit suggest a fair spell in active oak. The full spirit deepens with time, the cask drawing out its darker register. Maturation runs slow and even in the traditional dunnage warehouses on the Forgue site. Years in oak deepen the spirit to a darker gold, the body growing rounder and more resinous with time.

At an approachable 43% it is soft and fruity. Baked apple, honey and a dark chocolate, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. Dried fruit and a treacle sit behind the spice. The close is rich and dark, fruit over a warm spice. This is a rich Highland malt of dried fruit and chocolate.