Malt Of The Month December 2023 - Glendronach 12-Year-Old & Glendronach Port Wood
Our Malt of the Month is Glendronach 12-Year-Old & Glendronach Port Wood
The GlenDronach has been revered in the art of sherry cask maturation since 1826. Each distinctive expression offers a signature richly-sherried and complex character.
Glendronach 12-Year-Old Single Malt
Glendronach 12-Year-Old Single Malt
This superb richly sherried single malt is matured for at least 12 years in a combination of the finest Spanish Pedro Ximinez and Oloroso Sherry Casks. Natural colour and bottled at 43%, the Glendronach 12 Year Old is a sweet creamy dram.
Tasting Notes:
- Appearance - deep amber-red gold.
- Nose - sweet, creamy vanilla, with hints of ginger, spice mulled wine and pear.
- Palate - rich, creamy, silky-smooth. Warm, rich oak and sherry sweetness, full mouth feel, raisins and soft fruits. Spicy with medium length and a dry finish.
Glendronach Port Wood
Glendronach Port Wood
The Glendronach Port Wood is inspired by the historical import of casked port into Scotland during the 19th century. During the 1800s, port was ‘de rigueur’, and many of the finest port pipes would travel from Portugal, down its Douro River, destined for the wine cellars of Scotland’s gentry. Whilst many years have passed, Portugal’s majestic Douro Valley is still renowned for its exceptional port. Glendronach Distillery has selected some of its finest port pipes to house The Glendronach for a second maturation period of three years. The distillery's Master Blender has expertly combined the whisky from these port pipes, to create a fruit-filled ten-year-old expression, with layers of ripe berries rolling into its signature long, lingering finish.
Tasting Notes:
- Appearance: intense cherry wood.
- Nose: breathe in delightful waves of victoria plum, bramble and strawberry jam with top notes of cherry blossom and honeysuckle on a base of sandalwood and ginger.
- Palate: layers upon layers of rich fruits. Sip blackberry and roasted apple crumble with freshly baked gingerbread, developing into a baked orange and black cherry back-note.
Both bottles can be picked up at Glendronach's visitor centre in Forgue, Aberdeenshire, and can be engraved for that extra special Christmas gift.
Podcast
In December 20202 we spoke to Stewart Buchanan, Global Brand Ambassador for Brown Forman, owners of the Benriach, Glendronach and Glenglassaugh Distilleries. Stewart talks about the different whisky profiles of the three distilleries, gives his high points from the Benriach Distillery restoration, tells us more about the history of Glendronach and the surrounding area, and whets our palate with the tasting notes from the Glendronach Port Wood.