GlenDronach Original 12 Year

Very nice, good stuff, should get a bottle

Relatively unknown by the general public, but well-respected within the whisky community. Here we've got the flagship bottling of one of what I consider to be one of Scotland's premier distilleries. While it may be second-tier in terms of popularity and distribution, this does not reflect the quality of the distillery's product. Nose: Sherry notes. Cola, poundcake, plum, cranberry. Maraschino cherry, stawberry. Unique lime citrus note. Poundcake is prominent. The fig, date, and raisin notes that I expect of a sherry-aged whisky are there, but they are very subdued compared to other sherry-aged malts. Toffee, honey, and vanilla. Plenty of baking spices. No alcohol. Leather and sawdust. The last one is a weird note, but I don't mind it. Solid start. One of my favorite noses in the Scotch category. Palate: More plum, poundcake, and cola. The lime is now more like key lime pie. Red fruit. In addition to the plum, there's cherry, strawberry, raspberry, and cranberry. Still toffee, honey, and vanilla. Sweet and jammy. Slight leather note. There's a healthy dose of oak, but no spice. Rich red fruit and zesty lime are the key points here. Finish: The plum and cola carryover, until there are replaced by the spice, which is finally present. Cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. And some more oak. Medium length. I hear that this stuff used to have stock aged well beyond 12 years. I've also heard that this stuff was much better when Billy Walker was running the show. Well, I can only imagine how good that must've been, because I think this iteration of GD 12 is fantastic. My personal favorite sherried 12-year. Strong from start to finish. Respectable ABV and age statement. Great quality. I'm sold on this stuff. Good for a beginner or an experienced drinker, and it's sure to convert any beginner from Macallan. At my local store, Glendronach dropped from $60 to $54, while the standard Mac 12 jumped from $53 to $63. All within the last year. So this may not win the popularity contest, but, for me, it emerges as the best 12 year-old sherry-aged single malt coming out of Scotland. Which is a very deep category. And that's true whether you consider VFM or not. Awesome stuff, GD.

A typical mouthful of whiskey leaves a cranberry sweetness on the tongue.