GlenDronach releases single cask Batch 12

The GlenDronach distillery has released the twelfth batch of its single cask bottlings, which comprises nine Pedro Ximenez-matured whiskies.

GlenDronach distillery has released the twelfth batch of its single cask releases – including this 43 year old whisky.

The PX cask influence is said to “perfectly balance the spicy notes and robustness” of the GlenDronach spirit.

Batch 12 ranges from 11 to 43 years old. Eight have been matured in PX puncheons, while the oldest comes from a PX butt.

All nine were bottled in August and are available now, presented in gift boxes.

Master distiller Billy Walker, who hand-selected the casks for bottling, said: “Our whiskies are all about the interaction of the wood with the Highland character of the spirit.

“In these nine extraordinary bottlings, you see and taste the sherry wood working its magic on our whisky. The whisky sits and ages in peace, and it starts to darken and pick up subtle flavours from the wood, resulting in sensational aged whiskies that are appreciated worldwide by our customers.”

The distillery’s highlights include the 1972 single cask, number 706, which is “dark mahogany” in colour with “rich sour plums and dark chocolate” on the nose, “backed by a nutty tobacco”. The palate offers notes of “Christmas cake, Muscovado sugar and mixed candied peel”.

Meanwhile, the youngest whisky in the batch, an 11-year-old, has given notes of “rich prunes, oak spices, a grating of nutmeg and delicate liquorice”.

The full details are as follows:

• 1972 cask # 706 / 43-years-old / Pedro Ximenez Sherry Butt / 51.1% vol.
• 1990 cask # 1375 / 25-years-old / Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon / 51.6% vol.
• 1994 cask # 3273 / 20-years-old / Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon / 53.3% vol.
• 1994 cask # 3398 / 20-years-old / Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon / 53.2% vol.
• 1995 cask # 444 / 20-years-old / Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon / 52.0% vol.
• 1995 cask # 3806 / 19-years-old / Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon / 54.5% vol.
• 1995 cask # 4034 / 19-years-old / Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon / 55.4% vol.
• 2003 cask # 934 / 12-years-old / Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon / 53.7% vol.
• 2004 cask # 5524 / 11-years-old / Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon / 57.8% vol.

Parent firm BenRiach Distillery Company recently announced that GlenDronach’s sister distillery, BenRiach, was expanding its product range with an 18-year-old single malt and a series of single casks.