Whisky Review: The GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch 12

d around 100,000 casks. I’ve got to know all the distilleries in Scotland very well.” It is thus my privilege that Dr. Barrie’s GlenDronach Cask Strength series is the first time I try to identify what a master blender is curating through a series. Here at The Whiskey Wash, we received a sample of The GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch 12, which Dr. Barrie notes “offers connoisseurs a deep insight into the distillery’s signature character, by bottling at the whisky’s natural cask strength, as was the custom before the turn of the 20th Century.” The whisky is richly sherried after aging in Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks, and though there is no age statement, my previous experience with The GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch 11 lead me to expect the dram to be smooth, in defiance of the blistering 58.2% ABV concentration. Where I thought Batch 11 was phenomenal, Dr. Barrie truly hit it out of the park with Batch 12. A darker expression than Batch 11, the dram pulls flavors of cacao, cigar box, and malt along with the rich blackberry pie from the sherry aging. I’m grabbing one, and I’d advise you to do as well. We review GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch 12, matured in Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks before being bottled at 116.4 proof. (image via The GlenDronach) Tasting Notes: The GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch 12 Vital Stats: No age statement. Matured in Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks. 116.4 proof (58.2 ABV). $104.99/700ml Appearance: Pale orange with a red hue. Nose: Mince pie overlays thick coffee and iodine. Dark notes of cacao flutter in between buttery oils that float off the glass.