GlenDronach Original 12 Year

October, 2017

With a smell of wine and chocolate. Thin body, and a bit of sherry sweetness(?). Creamy but not fruity. Nosing: chocolate, raisins Tasting: Ginger, caramel

GlenDronach 12 may be my favorite entry-level sherried scotch. GlenDronach is not as well-known or widely distributed in the U.S. as Macallan, which I think is a shame. The distillery almost exclusively makes sherried scotches, and are masters of the art, although they do branch out for a few unusual expressions, like the excellent GlenDronach Peated. GlenDronach 12 is the distillery's introductory expression. Its aromas include ample amounts of vanilla and dates, so it has a Mediterranean dessert feel. On the palate, I get those classic sherried flavors of dates, figs, olives, and a bit of sulfurous smoke, but it's a hair too thin to be ideal. Warm, toasty oak and tobacco are the defining features of the lengthy finish. I'd stack this up against Macallan 12 any day. At $60 or so, it's also fairly priced.

The first impression is fresh fruits combined with the usual dried fruits from the PX sherry maturation. In addition you will find caramel, honey and sweet toffee notes. It starts with brown sugar and fruity juiciness on the palate. Then there is a slight alcohol burn and pleasant dry sherry notes with Christmas spices. Then you get beautiful toffee/caramel from the direct fired stills before you experience a mouthwatering finish with oak, citrus and a faint breeze of smoke. In comparison with other 'younger' expressions of sherry monsters (like Glenfarclas 12yo) this is the best I had so far. I absolutely adore the caramel note from the direct fired stills and it's a shame they changed their production to steam powered stills in 2005!!!