Glendronach Cask Strength Batch 12

Nose

Today, from today's perspective, this Glendronach seems almost "mild" - although objectively speaking it is still intense enough to take a beginner's breath away.
From the very first nosing, it is clear that the sherry cask speaks for itself. Sherry clearly dominates the nose, accompanied by candied oranges that smell like Christmas market memories. Cinnamon joins in - not intrusive, but like a warm coat on a cold Highland day. Walnut and black pepper provide the necessary complexity, while liquorice adds an interesting dark note.
This is classic Glendronach as you know and love it. But if you smell it today and think of the extreme first-fill maturations that are now standard, you'll understand what I mean: This is a nice sherry bomb, but one from a time when subtlety was still part of the game

Taste

This Glendronach is very sherry forward, no question. But do you know what surprised me the most? The toffee moment. Yes, you read that right: Nut, chocolate and caramel merge here to create a flavour experience that immediately reminds me of those golden sweets.
Black pepper returns and shows that despite all the sweetness, there is still bite. Light strawberry flits by - almost shyly, as if it didn't dare to join in with all the dark fruitiness. Dried plums dominate the "dried fruit fuss", as I affectionately call it - those concentrated, sweet flavours that are typical of good sherry maturation. The whole thing is slightly dry and pleasantly spicy. It's like an old friend telling you a story: familiar, warm, but still interesting enough to listen to.

Finish

The medium-long finish shows why Glendronach has had such a good reputation for decades. It finishes dry, with dark chocolate that is elegant rather than bitter. Slightly bitter oak mingles with it. Sultanas round off the finish.