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| Hello, that is certainly one of our (virtually) day by day tastings. Santé! |
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January 19, 2022
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| GlenDronach Distillery (picture GlenDronach) |
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Appears to be like like GlenDronach 50 yo is the discuss of the season and we’re extraordinarily proud and blissful to have the ability to strive it right now. However first, as we love to do and even when that is going to be probably the most hackneyed cliché, let’s construct a stairway to heaven. Effectively, I doubt it may be an elevator to hell (one more cliché that is worn to the fullest, we’re specialists at WF). By the best way, as GlenDronach solely dropped direct firing in 2005/2006, solely the brand new 12 and the Hart Bros. have been ‘steamed’.
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Glendronach 12 yo ‘Authentic’ (43%, OB, +/-2021) 
We have final tried the 12 in 2017, so time for certainly one of our periodic critiques… Color: deeper gold. Nostril: whiffs of pencil shavings at first, then a rising triple-secness (!?) coming with the same old walnuts and bitter almonds. That is all effectively and good, with the pencil shavings going an increasing number of in the direction of cedarwood, which was to be anticipated. New cigar humidor, marzipan, orange zests… Frankly, that is beautiful. Mouth: comparable, on extra cedarwood, bitter almonds, amaretti, then cracked pepper and a bit of juniper and caraway. Prunes and sloe. A bit oak-led however that is all positive on this context, because the distillate is fairly large within the first place. 43% is an ideal energy right here. End: fairly lengthy, with much more bitter oranges and almonds, caraway, pepper. Recent oak once more within the aftertaste. Feedback: firmer and fewer raisiny than I remembered it, and spicier. Actually to my liking, provided that the oloroso half appeared to have the higher hand (over PX), even when it was within the minority.
SGP:451 – 85 factors. |
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Glendronach 9 yo 2011/2021 (56%, Hart Bros., for Excessive Spirits Netherland, first fill oloroso butt)
I am unsure these very positive folks have something to do with Nadi Fiori’s ‘Excessive Spirits’. Hart Bros all the time bottle uncommon whiskies; they’re by no means boring, I’d say. Color: deep gold. Nostril: and certainly this isn’t boring. A variety of steel polish, silverware and copper, previous weapons, then shoe polish and low dregs, uncooked cocoa, demerara sugar and dry molasses, previous cash, Kahlùa (espresso liqueur), black rum… I like this. With water: chestnuts and pinecones, glutamate, Maggi, walnut wine… Nice old-school sherried nostril. Mouth (neat): bell pepper, cumin, artisanal liquorice, chewing your black cigar, sipping your ristretto and licking your English shoe polish. Drop that final half. With water: wonderful, extra on liquorice and tobacco. Pretty thick bitterness (Underberg, artichoke liqueur, uncooked chocolate…) End: it is is even a bit of refreshing, fairly some feat. Bitter oranges and a great deal of chocolate within the aftertaste. Feedback: an amazing little ‘monstrous’ sherried drop at simply 9. Did I write ‘uncommon’? I am certain you could possibly dip sushi into this, with success.
SGP:462 – 87 factors. |
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Maybe a number of older official single casks from our containers?…
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GlenDronach 13 yo 2003/2016 (52.3%, OB, Pedro Ximenez sherry puncheon end, cask #4034, 696 bottles) 
Ouch, a PX end. I keep in mind why these have been remaining within the containers for thus lengthy… Color: amber. Nostril: frankly, that is very okay, naturally, and even these notes of Bolognese sauce are humorous, and the geraniums, and the tomato leaves, and the grass… Some muddy raisins or one thing would are inclined to steadiness that. Gunpowder. With water: positive. Outdated earthy vin doux, Rivesaltes maybe. A bit hen inventory. Mouth (neat): the Hart Bros. kills it. Bitterish leaves, stems… However then once more, there is a good spiciness as effectively, all clove-driven. As soon as once more, water will inform. With water: will get inexperienced, leafy, artichoke-y. Eggplant gratin with not a lot white sauce. End: lengthy, leafy. Acidic espresso, maybe. Seville oranges within the aftertaste, that is higher. Feedback: I’ve by no means been an enormous fan of this model. It is me. Oloroso all the best way, anytime.
SGP:361 – 81 factors. |
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GlenDronach 13 yo 2004/2016 (58.1%, OB, for Asian Palate Affiliation, Pedro Ximenez sherry puncheon, cask #6628, 647 bottles)
One for Taiwan. Color: Nostril: a liquid Mars bar, roughly. Plus cigars, espresso, hazelnut liqueur, miso… Coal briquettes within the basement. With water: cedarwood and as soon as once more these miso-y, glutamate-y notes. Parsley. Mouth (neat): good, agency, punchy, spicy. Like these touches of Chartreuse, with drops of ginger liqueur and simply citrons. A bit tighter and rougher than the 2003. With water: will get very grassy and liquoricy. End: lengthy and much more on liquorice. Somebody will need to have thrown a number of lozenges into this fats puncheon. Feedback: was it a ending or was it not a ending? Maybe not one for subtlety, however I prefer it.
SGP:461 – 85 factors. |
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GlenDronach 13 yo 2003/2016 (56.2%, OB, HNWS Taiwan, Oloroso sherry puncheon, cask #5949, 710 bottles) 
Oloroso, hurray! Color: amber. Nostril: I discover this so vastly superior. All roasted nuts of the creation, the best sweets, the liveliest coffees and the nicest Cuban cigars. To date, so good. With water: glazed chestnuts and touches of spicy oak, plus rubber and a field of pencils. Mouth (neat): beautiful bitter oranges and ginger, chestnut honey and a few type of insane myrtle and sorb cordial. Would are inclined to develop into fairly aggressively spicy after simply 5 seconds, having stated that. Massive pepper. With water: positive however the wooden’s a bit of loud and bitter. End: lengthy, grassy and bitter. Higher than it sounds, however it’s not one for Sundays. Feedback: I used to be having deep hopes however the bitterer facet took over. Nonetheless excellent. The principle downside is that we have tried the older, much less ‘oaked-up’ official ‘Dronachs.
SGP:361 – 83 factors. |
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GlenDronach 12 yo 2004/2016 (54.1%, OB, for CC Taiwan, Oloroso sherry butt, cask #349, 653 bottles)
Do not our pricey associates in Taiwan love their very heavy sherry? Hope this isn’t one other lazy ending, having stated that. Color: gold (hey!) Nostril: there, bravo, barley (wow!), bread (extra-wow!), quinces and mirabelles (no feedback), pastries… And, drum roll, panettone. If there’s ever a Noah’s Ark of gastronomy, I hope panettone shall be on board. Oh and your really. With water: superior barleyness, ales, desserts and nougats. Walnuts would remind us that in spite of everything, it is a sherry cask. Mouth (neat): this tells you that GlenDronach is a good distillate and that it would not obligatorily want the heaviest sherry casks. The previous officers from 30 or 40 years in the past have been telling us the identical factor. Pretty orange cake. With water: wonderful. Bitter oranges, ginseng, ginger, white pepper, nutmeg. Good, maybe has it develop into a bit of powerful now. End: lengthy, fairly on walnut desserts and spicy liqueurs. Feedback: the sherry cask has been most well-mannered this time; I imply till we added H2O.
SGP:461 – 87 factors. |
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The 50 yo is getting shut…
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GlenDronach 13 yo 2003/2016 (55.8%, OB, for Taiwan, Oloroso sherry puncheon, cask #5950, 699 bottles) 
I imply, weren’t they promoting all their casks to Taiwan, again in 2016? Color: amber. Nostril: sawdust, pencil shavings, walnuts, marzipan, cigars. With water: it is okay, on orange cake, recent walnuts, hen inventory and a drop of miso and steel polish, 50/50. Mouth (neat): good begin, will get then fairly spicy and rubbery. Tough and hard, oaky, spicy. With water: whoops. An excessive amount of oak for me. End: powerful oak. Feedback: an excessive amount of oak for me, unsure what occurred.
SGP:371 – 77 factors. |
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GlenDronach 23 yo 1993/2016 (59.1%, OB, for D.C. & T.D.M. Taiwan, Oloroso sherry, cask #41, 587 bottles) 
1993, that is an entire totally different story. Color: mahogany. Nostril: and there, one other world certainly. All these 2003-2004 have been positive or very positive, however that is totally different. Much less two-pence oak, extra fruits, tamarind, damsons, black raisins, previous armagnac… Effectively, simply love this Ténarèze-y middle-aged (and well-mannered certainly) GlenDronach. With water: a stunning resinous herbalness with marrow quenelles and a few type of meat stew from the center of previous England. Mouth (neat): extraordinarily good, if a tad ‘darkish’ and ‘bitter’. Gorgeous pine-y notes, turpentine, touches of salt, very heavy liquorice. With water: and voilà, wonderful and really ‘the brand new Macallan’, as we used to imagine again them. That was earlier than, effectively, you recognize… End: lengthy and sweeter, with dried fruits of all types. Feedback: I say any sherried dram that will not show ‘dried fruits of all types’ ought to get disqualified. Within the meantime, I discover this superlative.
SGP:461 – 89 factors. |
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Good, due to our Taiwanese associates, I suppose we’re now totally prepared for the 50…
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GlenDronach 50 yo 1971 (43.8%, OB, 198 bottles, 2022) 
Imagine it or not, as we have been reminded throughout a pleasant wee official Zoom session that was completed yesterday after I had written my lousy-as-ever introduction and tasted the primary whiskies right here, 1971 was certainly the 12 months when LedZep’s Stairway To Heaven was launched. This previous child first spent its life in a single Pedro Ximénez and one Oloroso sherry cask, each distilled on the identical day, and was then blended and ‘married’ for round one 12 months in a single new Spanish oak PX cask. It is simply being launched though bottle #1 had already been auctioned for a simply trigger earlier in December and fetched at least £40,000. So, I suppose it was really bottled in 2021 however let’s declare it is WF’s first whisky launched in 2022. Not a foul selection, what do you suppose? I might add that we have already tried fairly a number of 1971s, together with that very good Moon Import ‘The Birds’ bottled in 1990 and several other OBs bottled between 2009 and 2013, amongst which 1971/2010 oloroso #489 and 1971/2013 PX #1246 have been my favourites with 92 factors (proper, 92%) every. However that is sufficient small discuss, let’s strive the brand new marvel…
Color: espresso/mahogany. Nostril: fairly unimaginable, very recent, you’d virtually imagine it is an previous creamy but vibrant V.O.R.S from earlier than 1940. It is stuffed with prunes, sloes, earthy mushrooms, with touches of tamarind jam and fairly many Smyrna raisins. The freshness could be very spectacular certainly, whereas it could go on with Cuban cigars dipped into umami and walnut sauce (the oloroso talking out, I’d suppose), then extra resins, pine, terpenes, eucalyptus, a bit of turpentine and simply hints of very previous armagnac blended with high-class brandy de Jerez. Like 90% armagnac and 10% brandy de Jerez. Somebody could have thrown in a number of Werther’s Originals too. By the best way, did anybody ever come throughout malts that had been completed in ex-brandy de Jerez casks? Mouth: it really leaves you speechless, however that is WF. So, nonetheless no indicators of over-oakiness in any way, fairly a large feeling of skinny mints made by a really posh chocolatier, plus some good espresso, with drops of cough syrup and numerous small-berry eaux-de-vies. Sorb, holly, elder… Additionally orange cordial. End: medium, very delicate, by no means precisely oaky regardless of all of the espresso, cocoa and piney notes. The aftertaste jogs my memory of hoisin sauce plus certainly, umami. Feedback: yet another level after ten extra years, that is an excellent rhythm while you attain these very previous ages. In idea, it ought to have gone downwards. No?
SGP:561 – 93 factors.
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