GlenDronach
releases 7th batch of single cask
bottlings.
 "FAULTLESS", "brilliant" and "complete"
are just three of the adjectives Jim
Murray has used in his new 2013 Whisky
Bible to describe the five expressions
that comprise GlenDronach’s latest batch
of single cask bottlings.
It’s the seventh batch to be released by
the award-winning Aberdeenshire
distillery.
The five, ranging from 18 to 40 years
old, are now available in the UK and
will be released in export markets from
January 2013. Two have been matured in
Pedro Ximenez sherry puncheons and three
in Oloroso sherry butts.
All five have been specially
hand-selected by The BenRiach Distillery
Company’s Managing Director Billy Walker
whose tasting notes speak lovingly of
"an orchestra in full flow", "an
effusion of honeycomb" and even "teasing
notes of toffee apples".
The cask details are as follows:
- GlenDronach 1972 40 years old
Cask No. 710 Oloroso Sherry Butt
49.0% ABV 356 bottles
- GlenDronach 1989 22 years old
Cask No. 5475 Pedro Ximenez Sherry
Puncheon 51.6% ABV 600 bottles
- GlenDronach 1991 20 years old
Cask No. 3183 Pedro Ximenez Sherry
Puncheon 51.3% ABV 600 bottles
- GlenDronach 1992 19 years old
Cask No. 1123 Oloroso Sherry Butt
57.8% ABV 524 bottles.
- GlenDronach 1994 18 years old
Cask No. 98 Oloroso Sherry Butt
58.2% ABV 628 bottles.
In his 2013 Whisky Bible, Jim Murray
was very complimentary about all five,
but reserved special praise for the ’72,
’91 and ’94 vintages:
Of the 1972 Cask No. 710, he said: "The
richness of the sherry is almost the
stuff of make-believe...the delivery is
of oak crashing in a forest - mighty and
all-consuming…wow, this is like a big
succulent bourbon matured in a top-class
sherry butt. This is a malt which if you
should ever chance upon, you give the
guy your coat if you have not money
enough; even your undergarments if it
does the trick! For this is a whisky so
complex, so complete, it is almost
exhausting." He gave it 96.
He commented re the 1991 Cask No. 3183:
"Almost a coffee cake and Swiss roll
marriage with grape jam for
filling…mocha-flavoured Lubec marzipan
notes sidle in delightfully…the light
spices pulse. Tries to be syrupy and
overbearing but fails miserably. Has to
settle for being brilliant." He gave it
95.
And summing up the 1994 Cask No. 98, he
said: "Absolutely huge grape: a real
Dundee cake dripping with Oloroso and
Demerara…a faultless sherry butt. I had
this sample in my hand as the Queen gave
her address to round off her 60th
anniversary celebrations: I could hardly
have had a more fitting dram with which
to toast her." It also achieved a 96.
Keep an eye on the GlenDronach website
and Facebook page over the coming weeks
for more information on these new
releases, tasting notes and exclusive
product photography.
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