Glendronach 15 Years Old Revival

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

The GlenDronach 15 Years Old Revival (46%, OB, 2018)

Category: Highland single malt scotch whisky
Origin: GlenDronach distillery
Bottling: Brown-Forman, OB
ABV: 46%
Cost: £60

What they say

After ceasing production in 2015, The GlenDronach Revival Aged 15 years now returns to the core range of the distillery’s line-up. The expression embodies The GlenDronach’s signature style of Spanish Sherry Cask maturation in fine Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks from Andalucía, quietly growing in stature for 15 years in the darkness of our dunnage warehouses.

In flavour, the expression offers sumptuous notes of dark fruits, rich chocolate and manuka honey with an enveloping, memorable finish worthy of this monumental malt’s history. This luxuriously sherried Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky is bottled at 46% ABV, non chill filtered and natural in colour.

Exclusively available from The GlenDronach distillery from the 5th September 2018.
Available in selected specialist retailers globally from October 2018.

Official tasting notes:

APPEARANCE Antique Bronze
NOSE An intoxicating burst of maraschino cherry, ripe bramble and dark chocolate mint with hints of orange bitters and walnut liqueur.
PALATE Honey-glazed apricot and ripe fig with a crescendo of black cherry, angelica and muscovado. Long and enveloping finish with dark manuka honey, herbal bitters and dark chocolate.

What I say

Thanks to GlenDronach and SpeyPR for the official sample

So GlenDronach have revived their Revival, 15 Years Old, expression. Due to a period of closure at the distillery it was openly discussed amongst GlenDronach fans that the age-statement whiskies from Glendronach must have been a little, then significantly older than the Years stated on their labels. I forgot when but guess likely it coincided with new ownership that the old 15 Year Old production was halted awaiting the catch up of maturing stock, so now here it is reintroduced, or revived, once again!

Distilled at GlenDronach distillery and matured for a minimum of 15 years in a mixture of both ex-Oloroso and ex-PX sherry casks, bottled at 46% ABV.

My tasting notes:

Appearance: Copper ruby (14/20), medium tears, medium-large legs.
Nose: Chocolate and nuts, dry, dark, walnut, pepper and nutmeg spices, dark chocolate, creme bruleee topping, treacle toffee, parkin cake with nutella, hazelnut, almond, caramelised nuts, sappy pine cones and needles – a little green.
Taste: Fruit and nut chocolate bars, dark chocolate, bitter liqourice root and dark dried fruits, coffee grinds, chamois leather, oily and spiced with black pepper.
Finish: Long, drying, tannins, peppery spiced sweet chocolate.

Overall

A classic GlenDronach on the nose but quite bitter on the palate with influences of pine, coffee, grinds plenty of tannins and woody spice. I don’t know why but I am increasingly under the impression that much more PX cask usage is shifting the balance away from Oloroso sweet and fruity influences. Looking back I have scored this 15 marginally higher than the last.