GlenDronach unveils 50YO whisky

The GlenDronach Distillery has released 198 bottles of its oldest and rarest whisky to date, retailing for £20,000 (US$27,238) each.

The Scotland-based distillery has rolled out its GlenDronach Aged 50 Years on a limited basis, with fewer than 200 bottles available worldwide. Distilled in 1971, the whisky is GlenDronach’s first 50-year-old single malt.

Master blender Rachel Barrie said: “The GlenDronach Aged 50 Years is the most prestigious expression of what this timeless, richly-Sherried Highland single malt Scotch whisky has to offer.

“At 50 years old, it is exceptionally rich and seductive, with mellow layers of alluring complexity.

“It has been a privilege to be the final custodian of our oldest expression to date, passed down through generations. The result is a hand-crafted Highland single malt that tells a story of rare dedication, of which the GlenDronach Aged 50 Years is the rarest of them all.”

The liquid was matured in Pedro Ximénez and oloroso Sherry casks from the Spanish bodegas of Jerez in Andalucía, then married in a single Pedro Ximénez cask.

The 43% ABV whisky offers aromas of dark cherry and plum with a plume of tobacco on the nose. On the palate, the liquid delivers flavours of dark chocolate, black cherry and espresso.

Presented in a leather case, GlenDronach Aged 50 Years is packaged with a leather booklet detailing the distillery’s history and craft.

The first bottle of GlenDronach Aged 50 Years, labelled number one, was donated to an auction in December 2021, and raised £40,000 (US$54,489) to support disadvantaged young people in Scotland.

Each hand-numbered bottle can now be picked up from select specialist retailers worldwide.

In 2020, the distillery created the Kingsman Edition 1989 Vintage Scotch whisky to mark the release of The King’s Man.