Glendronach 18 Year Old (Distilled 1972) Matured in Sherry Casks / 43% / 0.75l

The history of Glendronach Distillery is full of both glory and disappointment.

Built in 1826 by James Allardes, it has changed owners many times, including Walter Scott (manager of Teaninich), Charles Grant (one of William's sons, founder of the Glenfiddich distillery) and his family, the William Teacher & Sons and Chivas Bros companies, BenRiach Distillery Company (previously operating as Intra Trading), and finally, since 2016, Brown-Forman Corporation. For years, Glendronach has remained closely associated with Teacher's blends, acting as their "flavored garnish," and in the 1970s it was one of the five most popular single malts in the world. The 18-year-old presented here is a drink from a different story. Distilled in 1972, during the tenure of Wm Teacher & Sons, it was aged exclusively in sherry casks and bottled in 1990 for the Italian market.

Nose: intense sherry notes, leather couch, raisins, dried plums and figs, dark chocolate, hazelnuts, honey, toffee, nutmeg, wax and peat smoke in the background.

Palate : prunes, dates and figs, blackberries, dark chocolate, toffee, hazelnuts, roasted almonds, Christmas spices, pipe tobacco, sherry, oak and a bit of smoke.

Finish: medium long, pleasantly smoky, with notes of sherry, dark chocolate, roasted nuts and almonds, dried fruit, ginger, pepper and oak.