GlenDronach
- OWNER: BROWN-FORMAN
- FOUNDED: 1826
- REGION: HIGHLANDS
- PRONUNCIATION: Glen-DROH-nock
GlenDronach was founded in 1826 by a cooperative of local farmers led by James Allardice, but it was destroyed by fire in 1837 and not rebuilt until 1852. It is among Scotland’s lovelier distilleries, with expansive gardens and a mansion on the premises. Like Macallan, GlenDronach specializes in sherry cask aging and finishes; it is also a major part of Teacher’s blended whisky.
GlenDronach
Original
Aged in Pedro Ximénez and oloroso sherry casks, the 12 Year Old, aka “The Original,” is a down-the-line, heavily sherried malt. A more aggressive alternative to the Macallan 12 Year Old.
- PRICE $$ · RATING
- AGE 12 years old
- ALC/VOL 43%
- NOSE Rich, sweet malt, herb-rubbed meat, ash, and a hint of creosote, and tons of sherry—of course. Water brings out a creamy, cherry whiff.
- PALATE Creamy sherry, sour cherries, coconut milk, with a pop of ginger at the middle and tannins toward the end; the finish reverts to a creaminess, with spiced chocolate.
- GENERAL A classic sherried Highland whisky, but quite robust—and yet, somehow, it’s not a heavy drink. Pick this for a light after-dinner drink.
Peated
This relatively new expression is a throwback to the distillery’s olden days, when it used peated malt as a matter of course. Like all modern GlenDronachs, it’s then aged in ex-sherry barrels.
- PRICE $$ · RATING
- AGE No age statement
- ALC/VOL 46%
- NOSE Like many peated Speyside whiskies, the smoke on this one is muted and less medicinal than its island cousins, blending well with notes of cherry syrup, honeyed pear, and sweet ash; water calls forth more smoke and—there it is—a bit of iodine.
- PALATE Sweetly smoky, with maple syrup, butter, and grilled pineapple; the mid-palate presents a spicy blend of sweet paprika and cinnamon, while the finish has green apple and smoked sausage.
- GENERAL Fun and different than the usual GlenDronach—than most sherried Highland malts, for that matter. Its subtlety will disappoint peatheads, though there’s too much peat for the smoke-averse. Best to approach this one with an open mind.
GlenDronach
Tawny Port Finish
As the name implies, this now-quite-rare version of the discontinued 15 Year Old is finished in tawny port casks.
- PRICE $$$ · RATING
- AGE 15 years old
- ALC/VOL 46%
- NOSE Mushrooms, sulfur, brown sugar, barley soup, Fig Newtons, and raisin bread; with a drop of water, it opens into wood pulp, milk chocolate, cola, and red wine.
- PALATE The port really does a number here: It’s thick with raisins, cola, nuts, and rancio; water brings out rum raisin, espresso, and prunes. The finish shows chocolate-covered raisins and dried ginger.
- GENERAL Powerful and supple, but elegant. A perfect after-dinner dram.
Allardice
Named after the distillery’s founder, James Allardice, and aged exclusively in oloroso sherry barrels.
- PRICE $$$ · RATING
- AGE 18 years old
- ALC/VOL 46%
- NOSE Raisins, rancio, fruitcake, carnations, and powdered jelly donuts; grows sweeter with water.
- PALATE Dry up front, and not as sweet as you’d expect from the nose—toast, raisins, dried ginger, semi-sweet cream, thick marmalade, menthol, and cola syrup; the ginger persists on the slightly tannic finish.
- GENERAL Quite a change from the 12 Year Old, though the creamy notes are consistent. The oak influence is clear, but not overwhelming.
GlenDronach
Parliament
Named for a parliament of rooks that live in the trees next to the distillery, the 21 Year Old goes back to the oloroso/Pedro Ximénez combo used for the 12 Year Old.
- PRICE $$$ · RATING
- AGE 21 years old
- ALC/VOL 46%
- NOSE Powerful sherry notes, with chocolate fudge, allspice, brown sugar, coffee, citrus zest, and a bit of smoke. Water elicits the smell of orange cream and unleaded gasoline, but in a good way.
- PALATE Raisins up front, then toast, stewed fruit, citric acid, and a touch of tannins and wood smoke; the lengthy finish has lightly roasted almonds and malt.
- GENERAL Almost like drinking sherry itself—rich, complex, powerful.