Whiskey_Hound
GlenDronach Revival 15 Year (2018 Re-Release)
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed
February 19, 2019 (edited August 19, 2020)
I hadn't had the chance to try the original 15 Revival so I can't compare this to its predecessor. That was aged exclusively in Olrosso sherry casks while this one also spent time in PX casks.
Nose: Absolute sherry bomb, as one would expect from Glendronach. Loads of dark fruits: dark cherries, plums, blackberries, and grapes. I also get the new car leather I often associate with sherried scotch. Cola, dark chocolate, vanilla, banana, and, toffee round what is a very sweet nose.
Palate: Heavy sherry once again. Cola and Christmas pound cake. Plum, fig, and cocoa. It's got a velvety texture. All very standard notes for a sherried Highland, though I find this to be the most rich and cohesive of the bunch that I've tried so far.
Finish: Sharp transition from sweet to heat, which I'm enjoying. There's a nice kick that reminds me that this one is a bit stronger than the average Scotch at 46%. Cinnamon and pepper spice, moderate to long finish.
Overall, a solid sherried Highland. Upon cracking the bottle, I had this pegged as a shoo-in for 5-star rating. I was prepared to write it up as a game-changing, bar-setting Highland malt.
After a month and a few subsequent tastings, I've determined that while it's far above average, it doesn't quite reach the summit. It's damn good, and if you see for it under $100, I'd highly recommend a purchase. At $90, I think it's a fine value. Bottled at 46% with dual sherried cask aging, this is a respectable dram. This and it's 12 year old younger brother are fantastic values, and I look forward to trying the 18 next.
So far, Glendronach stands out as the pound-for-pound king of sherried Highland Scotch, and that's due in no small to the fine effort produced with this 15 year old.
90.0
USD
per
Bottle
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"If you see for it under $100" - wow, this has gotten expensive! Seems like a fair value assessment, but my last bottle was only $63 :( And with this tasting being from last year, I hesitate to check what the price might be now.
@Soba45 Ahh. That makes a lot of sense. It's a shame that I missed the boat on the older releases. Oh well. I'm quite find of what I've tried from these guys so far.
@LeeEvolved I bought it based on the fact that it was Rachel Barrie...she’s a fellow chemical engineer by training. I had to show support 😊
@Whiskey_Hound From my experience its gone down hill a bit over its lifetime but not due to distiller change simply because a fair while ago it had older stock in due to the distillery being closed for a period. They kept the 12 yr age statement like the 15 etc but used older stock
@Soba45 Thanks! I think it's definitely worth a buy! @LeeEvolved Thanks Lee! I didn't know that there was a master distiller change. I've read that the old 15 was superior, and if that's the case, that must have really been something because this one is great. Do you know if the current 12 has changed under Rachel Barrie?
I have a bottle of the older release that I’ve yet to open, but I’ve avoided buying this one based on the fact Rachel Barrie hasn’t shown much promise as Glendronach’s new master distiller. This review tells me she’s making a step in the right direction. If I see a bottle maybe I’ll give it a go. Great review.
Good review. I will have to grab a sample. My original bottle is long gone :-(
@Rick_M Thanks Rick! I'd love to try the Tawny Port. Unfortunately, I've yet to see it anywhere. And if you like the 12, this one is definitely a worthy step up in the line.
@Whiskey_Hound - I’ve got my eye on this one. The GD 15 Tawny Port is tremendous. I see a lot more of Glendronach in my future. Nice review!