Glendronach, chocolate, and a random trivia question

[Alexppp]

I've just opened my bottle of Glendronach 12, and following it up with Glendronach 15 for comparison. A few observations: Glendronach could very well be the most 'chocolate-y' whisky ever - certainly out of the ones I've tried. I keep getting milk chocolate notes in the 12 year-old, and dark chocolate in the 15. Chocolate can certainly be found in many sherried whiskies, but I haven't had any with such a pronounced note.

Further first impressions of the 12 is that it's amazingly thick and mouth-coating for a 43% ABV dram - I wasn't expecting this much body for one that's 'only' 43%. The finish is surprisingly clean and short after the initial thickness of the palate. But that's not necessarily a criticism, it's a very good whisky, and one that very well might be my regular sherried dram now that the Macallan 10 is no more.

After the 12, however, the 15 is in a different class, and is my pick between the two.

Incidentally, the 12 is the only non-chill filtered whisky that's less than 46% ABV I've come across. Are there any others that come to mind? I certainly can't recall any.

[Archer]

I think the chocolate note in a whisky can be influenced by the type of malted barley used in distillation.

[Big Mac]

Alexppp, the Macallan was always my sherried dram of choice but in recent times i have been seeking out alternatives and for me Glenfarclas and Glendronach fill the gap.

I agree the Glendronach 15 is superb that along with the Glenfarclas 17 are becoming very regular drams for me.

When anyone mentions whiskies with chocolate notes the Glenmorangie Signet instantly comes into my mind, a delicious whisky with some lovely chocolate notes apparently these come from the combination of there unique heavily roasted 'chocolate' barley malt and the type of cask they mature it in. Not a cheap dram though.

I wonder if Glendronach possibly have a % of heavily roasted barley in the the mix when they are distilling.

[James T]

I love the Glenmorangie Signet, it truely is delicious whisky. It is one to watch for at whisky tastings, that is when i first tried it and later went on to buy a bottle. One of the more expensive no age statement whiskies around i think.

[Kray]

I believe Poit Dhubh range of whisky is non chill filtered and bottled at 43%

[Keith]

The Compass Box range is always non chill-filtered and a few of there bottlings are under 46% such as:

Compass Box Great King Street blend bottled at 43%
Oak Cross 43%
Hedonism 43%
Asyla 40%

[Alastair]

I think original distillery single malt non chill filtered core range bottlings below 46% are very uncommon, i cant think of any.

[McKay]

I believe Arran bottle all there whisky non chill filtered, not sure if they do any under 46%

[Alexppp]

Thanks for the replies - yes, I didn't expect to come across any other core distillery un-chill filtered bottlings under 46%. Good point about Compass Box though, I'd forgotten about them (and I do like a lot of their stuff, especially Hedonism and Flaming Heart). Interesting points about barley and chocolate notes, I wasn't aware of that.

Sounds like I need to try the Glenmorangie Signet!

[Grant M]

Alexppp, if you like a whisky or in this case whiskey with a chocolate note then the Bushmills 1608 400th Anniversary bottling has some lovely chocolatey notes. It is a blend of some well aged grain whiskeys along with some special what Bushmills called "Crystal Malt" which has been aged on a combination of American Bourbon and Spanish Oloroso Sherry casks. The Crystal malt adds some lovely chocolate flavours to the whiskey which sits well beside the spice, vanilla and toffee. A lovely whiskey, it is still available from most specialist whisky shops even though it was a limited release in 2008, so it couldnt have been that limited. The price is starting to creep up, around £60 now, it was around £40 when it was released. I still have 3 bottles sitting in the cupboard.