Glendronach, a sequel tasting


August 31, 2017

Glendronach, a sequel tasting

Just because we weren’t completely done last time. I told you, there are many, many single casks everywhere.

Glendronach 19 yo 1995/2015 (55.1%, OB, Whisky Nerds, oloroso sherry butt, cask #2380, 628 bottles)

Colour: coffee. Nose: another one that’s very ‘old-Macallan’. Prunes, raisins, honey, dried figs, milk chocolate… Then bergamots and kumquats, and a smidgen of dried porcini. With water: raisins and that new pack of Camels. Mouth (neat): rather sweet, with some honey, some pepper, some oranges, and a wee fizzy filling of ginger tonic. Perhaps a tad raw, this one. With water: a wee tad Fanta-ish. Finish: medium, with more ginger tonic and Fanta. A little soapy earth in the aftertaste, perhaps. Comments: good, but may lack polish and roundness. For the hipflask. SGP:561 - 80 points.

Glendronach 23 yo 1993/2016 (53.3%, OB, for China, oloroso sherry butt, cask #388)

Colour: deep amber. Nose: our Chinese friends have got some good ones, it seems. This one has tinned peaches, raisins, honey, maple syrup, ripe mirabelles, and once again, notes of Sauternes. Did anyone add any Sauternes indeed? With water: a few teas and plums. That works. Mouth: wonderfully creamy, with some Cointreau, drops of ginger liqueur, pink pepper, and cocoa powder. Classy Glendronach from a very prolific vintage. . With water: gets a tad drier, which isn’t abnormal. Some cinnamon and more plums. Ripe greengages. Finish: medium, and more chocolaty than expected. A little caramel, fudge, and verbena in the aftertaste. Comments: a sweeter one again. SGP:651 - 87 points.

Glendronach 11 yo 2003/2014 (54.8%, OB, for Aroma Taiwan, Pedro Ximenez puncheon, cask #4002, 687 bottles)

A younger one again. Colour: amber. Nose: a little raw, a little kirschy. Eaux-de-vie, then butterscotch and a feeling of new oak. Touches of coconut, then more raisins and tobacco. A little grenadine. With water: cigarettes, oranges, fudge. Mouth (neat): honey and ginger tonic! Another one that’s a little fizzy, and frankly Fanta-ish. With water: oranges, Perrier, fudge. Feels carbonated – almost. Finish: medium, a little grassier. More Fanta in the aftertaste. Comments: fine but perhaps a little too raw and hot for me. Not quite my preferred style of Glendronach. SGP:551 - 79 points.

Let’s insist…

Glendronach 11 yo 2003/2014 (53.9%, OB, for Aroma Taiwan, Pedro Ximenez puncheon, cask #4008, 678 bottles)

Colour: amber. Nose: rather similar, but this one’s got more fudge and butterscotch. A little rounder, with more raisins as well. Dried figs and sultanas. With water: as often, a little earth and a little mint are coming out. Mouth (neat): indeed, more to my liking than cask #4002, even if it is a little spritzig too. Did they add Aperol this time? With water: Fanta! Or Schweppes Lemon? A funny Glendronach for sure, but I wouldn’t say it’s totally up my alley. Finish: medium, with some ginger and more Schweppes over orange juice and sultanas. Comments: a really funny pair, those two 11s. I liked this one a notch better. SGP:651 - 80 points.

Glendronach 19 yo 1993/2012 (58.1%, OB, oloroso sherry butt, cask #467, 613 bottles)

Cool, oloroso is back. Colour: deep amber. Nose: back to civilisation, with tobacco, dried flowers, leather, orange zests, and those dried porcinis that are rather frequent in these oloroso-ed Glendronachs. A rather perfect nose again. With water: have I mentioned sultanas? Mouth (neat): very good, creamy, with honey and bitter oranges, and, surprisingly, some green curry and some grapefruit. So, it’s a rather zestier one, with a lovely pungency. With water: oranges and honey, plus raisins and stewed mirabelles. Or jam. Finish: medium, creamy, easy, rounded, perhaps a little less full than expected. Comments: all very fine. SGP:651 - 86 points.

Glendronach 21 yo 1995/2016 (54.6%, OB, Pedro Ximenez puncheon, cask #1523, 684 bottles)

Colour: dark amber. Nose: coconut! Then raisins, dried litchis, quince jelly, and our friends the mirabelles. Perhaps whiffs of rose petals, no? With water: doesn’t change much. Whiffs of fresh oak and cinnamon? Mouth (neat): the creaminess of some Cointreau and the spiciness of ginger liqueur. This combo works, though, thanks to some mirabelles and juicy ripe peaches. With water: perfect, this baby swims very well. I used to write ‘this whisky swims like Mark Spitz – or Shirley Babashov’ but I’ve noticed that no one ever remembers either Mark Spitz of Shirley Babashov. Philistines! Finish: medium, rounded, sweet, and very jammy. No off-PX this time, I find this all good. Herbs in the aftertaste, lemon balm… Comments: very happy with this one. Mind you, after, what, around 25 Glendros, this is really becoming hard work. But the end is near… SGP:651 - 87 points.

Glendronach 20 yo 1995/2016 (54.9%, OB, oloroso sherry butt, cask #1709, 673 bottles)

Colour: amber. Nose: yes oloroso is superior – how many times have I written that? Dried figs, touches of earth, sultanas, chocolate, cappuccino, and hints of natural soap. With water: grasses and herbs. Always welcome in any proper malt whisky that doesn’t want to become, err, say whore-ish. Mouth (neat): excellent! Rich yet firm, with prunes, dried figs, honeydew, more liquorice than in all the others, and a thin slice of cinnamon cake. Very good, and I love this peppery feeling that keeps it elegant and ‘nervous’. With water: I’ll say it, it’s a Macallany one again. You know, the older 18s, early-to-mid 1970s vintages, A.K.A. the better ones. Finish: rather long, slightly floral and honeyed. Verbena and grapefruit in the aftertaste, always a great signature in any greatly balanced malt whisky. Comments: I’m glad and happy (now that was worth it, S.!) SGP:561 - 90 points.

Now remember the name’s reputation was built on the early 1970s vintages (yes, just like at Ardbeg’s) and while many younger vintages were and are great, the quintessential Glendronachs remain, in my opinion, the 1971s. So just to give you an example, let’s have one last bonus…

Glendronach 39 yo 1971/2010 (49.4%, OB, oloroso butt, cask #489, 541 bottles)

Colour: amber-coffee. Nose: oooh, please call the anti-maltoporn brigade as soon as you have a minute. Honey and jams. Dozens of honeys, and dozens of jams. And lilies, honeysuckle, beef stock, tamarind, a box of cigars, and just a little manure. Amazing nose, this kills all the younger ones, instantly. But let’s not make a big deal of all this… Mouth: this explains why we used to say that Glendronach was a Macallan killer. Not sure it still is, but this kind of juice sure sent many Macs back to whisky school. Amazing sherry, with walnut wine, stewed strawberries, maraschino and even a drop of good Amarone, then marmalade, fruitcake… And all the rest. Didn’t we write we’d keep this short and sweet? Finish: long, and perhaps a notch less entrancing than expected. Loses on point, there! A little dry oak, liquorice, cinnamon, cloves… And less fruits. Truckloads of chocolate in the aftertaste. Comments: no, really, it was brilliant. Which makes me think, maybe should we try some proper Macallan again? Agreed? So watch this space… SGP:561 - 92 points.

(Thank you Derek and Keith)

Check the index of all Glendronach I've tasted so far