Scotch

GlenDronach 12 Year Old

$47.95

OVERALL
RATING

Whisky Review: The Glendronach 12 Year Old Modern Classic

by Phil Dwyer
March 15, 2024

Tasting Notes:

About:

A modern classic of sherry cask Scottish single malt. A whisky that was once lauded as the best in its category, but has had a fall from grace in the last few years due to new ownership and some odd marketing decisions. But it’s still a big seller amongst sherry cask styles.

Appearance:

Burnt Orange

Nose:

Golden raisins, chocolate orange and hazlenuts. Classic Glendronach. Some heavier, stickier notes of maple and pecan in the back. Left for long in the glass it becomes almost like pineapple.

Palate:

A sweet start of powdered sugar that quickly morphs into some welcome barrel spice. It’s fully of malty biscuit notes and more fresh pastry and dried apricots.

Finish:

Spicy and bigger than the nose would give off, but still pretty welcoming and easy going for a modern classic sherry cask.

Comments:

A wave of sweetness at the outset, powdered sugar, which soon transforms into warm barrel spice. Next, satisfying notes of malted biscuit. Freshly baked pastry, warming. Finally, delicate flavours of dried apricots emerge, adding a subtle fruitiness to the mix. The overall impression? Tasty!

The GlenDronach Distillery, nestled in the valley of Forgue in the eastern Highlands of Scotland, was founded in 1826 by entrepreneur James Allardice, making it one of the first licensed distilleries in Scotland. Allardice, along with a consortium of local farmers, was instrumental in establishing the distillery and its reputation for producing top-quality scotch whisky.

Under Allardice’s charismatic leadership, GlenDronach quickly gained fame, especially among the London elite. Despite facing challenges such as a disastrous fire in 1837, the distillery has maintained its commitment to traditional methods. Until 1996, it was one of the last distilleries in Scotland to heat its stills directly with lumps of coal.

Today, GlenDronach is helmed by Dr. Rachel Barrie, whose decades of experience in the industry have helped to re-establish GlenDronach as a quintessential Highland single malt.

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