GlenDronach 20 Year Old Octaves A Sherry Lover's Whisky

GlenDronach 20 Year Old Octaves is a whisky which first saw time in sherry casks before being finished in smaller Pedro Ximenez Sherry Octaves.
Follow The Whiskey Wash on Google News

Follow The Whiskey Wash on Google News to get our latest reviews and guides delivered straight to your feed.

Like Conversation
reading time

Glendronach OctavesBarrels and casks used in the world of whisky aging can come different sizes, depending upon the needs of the distillery. One such type is known as an octave cask, described by the GlenDronach distillery, as being made “made from staves of a previously used sherry butt and is approximately one-eighth the size of a butt.” It is to this cask style Master Distiller Billy Walker turned recently as part of the aging process for the just released GlenDronach 20 Year Old Octaves expression.

The Dalmore Concludes Cask Curation Series with $47k Madeira Cask Edition

READ THE STORY
GlenDronach 20 Year Old Octaves, according to the distillery, was distilled back in September, 1994 before being aged first in sherry casks. Final maturation before bottling was then done in Pedro Ximenez Sherry Octaves, resulting in a Scotch which saw a greater amount of interaction between cask wood and the spirit in its last few months.

The 20 year old whisky, given the small casks sized used to finish it, is an extremely limited release of just 371 bottles. Though GlenDronach did not mention a price, I’ve been seeing a few online for sale for at least $500. Official tasting notes for this fascinating Scotch are below from the distillery.

Appearance: Rich, red maple leaf in dark amber.

Nose: An intense concentration of chocolate fondant, candied ginger and glacé cherries, all perfectly balanced with a warming grind of black pepper, rich oak spices and a slight touch of liquorice.

Palate: Full-bodied sherry characteristics give dark molasses, enriched Christmas cake, sour plum syrup and delightful cigar box spices. A subtle combination of dark espresso and a nutty dryness gives the finish tremendous depth.

Finish:  A rare combination of heavyweight sherry Octave maturation and robust rich Highland whisky characteristics capturing the darkest depths to the most delicate spice.

Signup now to make sure you don't miss out on the latest whiskey news and deals.

By Signing up, you accept and agree to our Terms of Services and you acknowledge our Privacy Statement. The Whiskey Wash is protected by reCAPTCHA, and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Signup now to make sure you don't miss out on the latest whiskey news and deals.

By Signing up, you accept and agree to our Terms of Services and you acknowledge our Privacy Statement. The Whiskey Wash is protected by reCAPTCHA, and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Nino Kilgore-Marchetti

Nino Kilgore-Marchetti is the founder of The Whiskey Wash, an award-winning whiskey lifestyle website dedicated to informing and entertaining consumers about whisk(e)y globally. As a whisk(e)y journalist, expert, and judge, he has written extensively about the subject, been interviewed in various media outlets, and provided tasting input on many whiskeys at competitions.

All Posts