It’s been a long time since we’ve spent words on GlenDronach’s core range, which has been in the hands of the American group Brown-Forman for a couple of years now, after the golden season of the Billy Walker management. Although it is not the entry-level of the range, this 12-year-old is recognised by all as the whisky driving the GlenDronach train: it was matured in a mix of ex-sherry casks (both Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez), let’s see if this train will prove more worthy of Trenitalia or the Japanese Shinkansen network. Why the metaphor on trains? We couldn’t say, it wasn’t even particularly effective, quite the contrary actually – but that’s how it is, today we like it like this.
N: we remembered it as a great whisky, and it still is. Malt remains the protagonist, in the foreground, with notes of digestive biscuits, wholemeal brioche. Very fruity, without reaching the jam stage but stopping at the gelée: strawberry and red fruits. There is also fresh fruit, however, with the red apple dominating on a mat of berries. Ginger and cinnamon biscuits. Citrus peel (orange).
P: alcohol is very polite, but it does pinch a little bit. It continues very lively, here it seems perhaps a little more ‘orange’ than on the nose: apricot and a tasty buttery brioche dominate. Then there’s the usual red apple, surrounded by a dehydrated orange in great growth: yes, the citrus fruit rises in intensity.
F: rather long and clean, with notes of orange jam, apple and buttery biscuits.
It is an entry-level that, as we have already said, is not an entry-level: it has a great complexity, you can drink it as easily as a fruit juice and it shows all the powerful personality of GlenDronach. The balance between the contribution of the sherry casks and the malt, which remains persistent and alive, is very pleasing here as well. 85/100.
Recommended soundtrack: Ulver – Machine Gun and Peacock Feathers.
