There comes a time in a whisky enthusiast life, where he meets an open bottle of a single malt that he has been wanting to taste but just couldn't afford a whole bottle, lol.
Well, that was my story with the almighty Glendronach 28yo Grandeur. The notoriously different decanter makes this "Glendro" quite eye-catching, and of course, with a 28 year old age statement, it is something worth seeking. Bottled at 48.9%abv it has a lovely chesnut color.
On the nose, it is a heart-stopper. The aroma here is really unprecedented. It has this intense oloroso sherrines; lime, red fruits, strawberry marmalade. The nose is magnificent. Cinnamon, cherry syrup, hazelnut. It is so good, i tried it with some friends, and we went 20 minutes just nosing it without even trying it on the palate. Floral notes. This is a million point nose. Pure perfection.
On the palate it is just heaven. Red fruitiness, red chilli, and the most accurate strawberry note ever (even with the leaf). Red wine, white chocolate, almonds. Everything is surrounded by a winey profile.
Aftertaste is amazing, but way to oaky. Sawdust and bitter chocolate. It is very good but not as perfect as the palate and nose. It is not the first time that i feel an overly oaky note on old Glendronachs.
Overall, this is superb. It is one legendary dram, with an impressive aroma and full of flavor. Having said that, i will deduct 2 points on the finish, but not on the balance since that overly oaky note still feels right for this elegant and rare dram. My score for this marvelous whisky is a honest 98 over 100. Slàinte!