GlenDronach Revival 15 Year (2018 Re-Release)

Sweet caramel and fig. Nice!

Wonderful aroma of mint chocolate and cherries. Same present in the palate with dark fruits playing support role. Very little alcohol burn present. Nice balance and keeps ,e coming back for another sip.

Honey forward on the palate. Chocolate comes in at the end.

Smooth and sweet.

Another blind tasting. Rich golden color and rather than legs a belt begins to migrate from the whisky laced glass. Odd. Dusty oak, fruit and Heather. Hey, honey and pear. Golden raisins, raw pistachio, leather, fig, oak, chocolate, light cigar wrapper. This immediately makes me think of Glenfarclas 25 and to a lesser degree Glendronach 15. Sweet caramel malt, chocolate, PX Sherry and then slight bitter walnut, a waxy and nutty profile that fades gently into one of tobacco and raisin. Tannic oak hangs around as well making me think some age is hiding in there. Shit. This is Glendronach 18. I asked Fox for a sample of GD 15 or 18 and forgot and ordered a sample... Reveal: GD 15 Well. I was close. But this is interesting - this sample is a good bit more tannic and slightly more bitter than the 2021 bottle I recently was able to find. I’ll spare the diatribe and refer back to my review of the 18 year GD. The question of older stock being better is one without a clear answer. I owe a big thanks to @Contemplativefox for sharing this with me but the 2021 bottle is more my profile. It goes to show that profile drift as a result of blending (or still upgrades, barrel sourcing, etc, etc) does have an impact.

It was gone, then back (but different), then gone (not actually but impossible to find) and now back. The reputation of this malt is almost too good to be true. At the time this reappeared I had a bottle of the 12 year and wondered “do I really need another sherried malt?” The answer I now know is yes. Yes I do. To explain why I poured this again and again, and then against the 12 and this is what I found: Gd12 - 2018 Golden color and nose of honey malt, clover, vanilla, fig jam, faint oak, cherry, leather shoe polish. The whiskey itself has a light feel on the tongue, mellow heat and a medium finish with grape jam. The palate showcases a medley of bright berries and dried fruits, caramel malt, hey, buttered popcorn, earthy chocolate and hints of fresh sawdust and very faint ethanol. Impression - young, balanced, bright and fruity Gd15 - 2021 Shade darker than golden in color with dense aromas of milk chocolate, raisin, maple syrup, pecans, oak char, and faint tobacco. Medium body and coating with a noticeable heat that warms the chest and medium-long finish. Palate - oh the flavors. The first punch is full of earthy tobacco and oak. Then floral notes, vanilla and wood char shine through... almost as though this is bourbon. The mid palate onward softly sets sail into the realm of figs, dark chocolate, raisin, sherry, and nougat. Impression - I need more of these... Damn. That is fantastic. If Glenfarclas 25 walks quietly and carries a big stick then this just stomps around with club while slamming sherry. This is so much richer and more concentrated than the younger, brighter 12. The earthy notes right up front are, in a bourbon drinkers mind, just outstanding. Funny thing is there is little to no hey, heather, caramel or honey to make me think “malt.” This could just as well be played off as a well finished rye whiskey. This stomps Macallan 12. Perhaps not as viscous as the Glenlivet cask strength Nadura but much more interesting. Not as spicy as Glenmorragie Malaga cask but again deeper and earthier. Based on my limited prior experiences I didn’t know a Sherry finished whisky could do this. The nutty oloroso, the rich raisin PX, the earth. The whole ordeal almost made me forget peated whisky even existed, if only for a dram or two.

Sweet, Sherry funk, species, plum, dark fruits, rich, creamy, nice finish