From the same owners of my previous review, BenRiach, my next review is of the GlenDronach Platinum 16 year old. The whisky selected for this special bottling, which is exclusively bottled for the South African market, has been matured for a minimum of 16 years in the finest Oloroso sherry casks.
Whisky: GlenDronach Platinum 16 YO, 48% ABV (Cost around R950)
Region: used to be classified as a Speyside (Jackson) but officially a Highlands (SWR 2009), Scotland [from WhiskyFun]
Style: Single Malt
Age: 16 Years
In 1826 James Allardice founded the distillery and produced his ‘Guid GlenDronach’ single malt. In 2004 three families, two being South African, purchased BenRiach. Then the same families (The BenRiach Distillery Company) bought the GlenDronach distillery in 2008. The GlenDronach Distillery has been creating richly sherried single malts for nearly 200 years.
As was the case in 1826, The GlenDronach Distillery patiently matures all its single malt whisky in superior quality sherry casks. Over the years of extended maturation, these carefully seasoned casks help create the unique richly sherried style that GlenDronach is famous for. So the whiskies have a deep amber to rich mahogany colour, while having the typical sherried styled characteristics; rich dried fruits, Christmas cake mix, stewed fruits and lovely warm spiciness.
Colour: Tawny to mahogany with many thick legs.
Nose: Soft, spicy and rich with lovely spicy stewed fruits and cinnamoned apples. With time in the glass one gets sweetness as well as dates (date loaf bread), prunes, sultanas and dark chocolate. Soft coffee notes in background together with some citrus zest.
Palate: Smooth and spicy (tip and side of tongue) while also being dry and astringent, but not overly so. Divine dark coffee chocolate on edge of palate with a lovely ginger and cinnamon (fire ball sweets) bite combined with some coffee and smoke. More of the expected rich stewed and dried fruits with that lovely sweetness towards the end.
Finish: Very rich and drying finish, combined with the ‘warm heart’, makes it long and satisfying.
Overall: A beauty of a sherried whisky that could be enjoyed at any time, however it seems to be perfectly made for enjoyment around a roaring fire on a cold winter’s night while one contemplates all of life’s little mysteries.
My Score: 86
The Smoky Dram 