GlenDronach 14 Year Virgin Oak Finish

Another special edition from my favorite distillery in the world, Glendronach. Back in 2015, some special cask finishes were released, with some lovely white labels and some other "pastry" colors. This Glendronach 14yo virgin oak finish is one of those rare expressions, that i have luckily grabbed from an auction. Bottled at 46%abv, a deep golden color. On the nose, really nice. Starts with a meringue / lemon pie aroma. Glazed donuts, vanilla cake. After first sip, the aroma changed into a dulce de leche and herbal profile. Mountainside aromas, grated coconut and animal crackers. On the palate it is super elegant. Vanilla ice cream and a super creamy burrata cheese. It is wonderfully creamy. Lemon and lime. After some seconds it released a super pleasant pepper bomb!; more sips gave me some saltiness. It is sweet, salty and peppery at the same time. Aftertaste is a great ending for an oustanding whisky. Vanilla ice cream, waffer and a crazy pepper explosion. Overall, the only way i can describe this one is "elegant". This is suitable for a king. It screams "virgin american oak" everywhere, since it is super sweet and spicy. Incredibly creamy for a single malt, my score for this is 92 over 100.

Good dram.

Great whiskey 👍🏻

Glendronach at its finest. This is a 14 yr with 13 1/2 years in probably some combination of sherry and American oak, followed by the last 6 months in virgin oak. The virgin oak would give it an extra oomph in vanilla and wood spices. Traditionally, virgin oak weren’t really accepted in scotch whisky, just because it has a belief that it’ll make young NAS whisky seem more mature. So for Glendronach to use this as a finishing and add an age statement shows they really weren’t trying to hide behind a young immature whisky. They used it wisely, like a chef gracefully adding spices to a dish. So this pour was provided by my buddy @LeeEvolved. I’m especially appreciative because this is now impossible to find ( at least for under $120, and not in the US). Nose is amazing. Like vanilla licorice. You get hazelnuts, with vanilla ice cream on the palette. Finish is LONG. Just lingers in a bit of cinnamon taste. If anything, this would be perfect if it weren’t for the spicy long finish...was a tad too long for my liking...but hell, at this point I’m just nitpicking. This is an excellent pour, and if you bought it while it was available, pop it open and drink with friends and family. Thanks Lee!

I’ve been a GlenDronach fan for quite some time now. I’ve drank some of the youngest juice and some of the oldest juice from this Highland distillery. I haven’t been let down very often. This special release 14 year old was finished in virgin, American oak and carries a somewhat hefty price tag ($116). But, I gotta say- this ranks up there with one of the biggest surprise whiskies I’ve had. This stuff is glorious! The appearance is copper gold- you can tell it spent its first 12.5-13 years in some fine sherry casks. It makes thick legs thanks to the boosted ABV of 46% and it leaves behind small beads after you spin it around a bit. The nose is fine sherry and red fruits- all up in your grill. The ABV grabs your attention if you go in too close, but the sweet vanilla and fresh cut oak add a wonderful dimension that normally isn’t present in your typical ‘Dronach. The palate is sweet, red berries with a slight buttery tint that makes it feel extra rich and decadent. The oak is hotter than I expected, but it just feels right when it arrives. Mid sip turns mellow and sweet, with vanilla beans and sugary grapes. The mouthcoat is rich and creamy, like a great dessert. The finish lingers on a bit too long and ultimately finishes drier than I hoped, because of the overall richness- but it doesn’t necessarily wreck anything. A light butterscotch note clings to the tongue, too. Fabulous. Overall, this one tempted me to make room in my All Time Top 15- maybe even Top 10. The price tag is slightly high for a young-ish, age statement whisky- but exceptions can and should be made here. This is a delicious, specialty GlenDronach. Seek out a bottle while they are still floating around. If you spot it under $95-100 and don’t buy it you’re missing out on a deal. 4.5 stars, every day of the week. Cheers.