Glendronach 12 Years Old Original

By Barry Bradford on October 23, 2018 • ( Leave a comment )

The GlenDronach 12 Years Old Original (43%, OB, 2018)

Category: Highland single malt scotch whisky
Origin: GlenDronach distillery
Bottling: Brown-Forman, OB
ABV: 43%
Cost: £40

What they say

This superb richly sherried single malt is matured for at least 12 years in a combination of the finest Spanish Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks. Non-chill filtered, of natural colour and bottled at 43%, the GlenDronach 12 year old Original is a sweet, creamy dram.

Official tasting notes:

APPEARANCE Deep amber-red gold.
NOSE Sweet, creamy vanilla, with hints of ginger. Spiced 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.#
CONCLUSION Long, full and firm, slightly nutty.

What I say

Thanks to GlenDronach and SpeyPR for the official sample

It has been some time (around 5 years) since we last reviewed the GlenDronach core range, so here we take a quick re-visit to their 12 Years Old Original expression prior to sampling their revived 15 Years Old Revival.

Distilled at GlenDronach distillery and matured for a minimum of 12 years in a mixture of both ex-Oloroso and ex-PX sherry casks, bottled at 43% ABV.

My tasting notes:

Appearance: Dark bronze/copper (12/20), medium legs and slow, medium-sized tears.
Nose: Dried fruit, honey, raisin, chocolate, heather honey, cereal malt, leather, wood smoke.
Taste: Oily and medium-full bodied, toffee and dried fruits, chocolate, a hint of warming spices; pepper, cinnamon, nutty, sherry fruits and oak wood.
Finish: Medium, caramel, dried fruit, leather and woody spice.

Overall

Lovely sherried GlenDronach, drier and a little spicier in places than I remember, either my palate has changed or I feel there is a lot more PX influence, thus less Oloroso in the balance of flavours? Still a great entry-level whisky from GlenDronach and worthy of a place on the shelf of any whiskyphile partial to a sherried dram.