Glendronach creates music from whisky
Brown-Forman-owned The Glendronach has partnered with Emmy-nominated composer Rob Lewis to create a music track from the sounds made during the whisky-making process.
The distillery’s intention was to ‘explore the inherent link between the senses, taste and sound, in whisky drinking’. The track is designed to be paired with a dram of The Glendronach 12, to ‘evoke a sensual reaction that derives directly from the birthplace of the liquid, through to the nose and taste’.
The initiative was inspired by master blender Dr Rachel Barrie’s description of The Glendronach 12 as reaching a “Sherry crescendo”, with Lewis aiming to achieve the same in his music.
Lewis said: “I wanted to create a piece that not only connects with our sense of hearing, but also evokes a feeling of touch – the crunch of gravel in the dunnage warehouse, the sensation of running your hand across the casks.
“Every sound captured in the distillery was manipulated and woven into the piece. These sounds form the backbone of the percussion, all derived from the distillery itself, and appear as subtle textures and pitched elements throughout.”
The track is named Valley of the Brambles, a translation of the distillery’s name from Gaelic. It opens with ‘ambient tectures’ of the distillery’s surroundings, such as birdsong heard from the dunnage warehouse, before developing to deeper sounds and building to a crescendo.
The Glendronach 12 is matured in Pedro Ximénez and oloroso Sherry casks from Andalucia. Lewis nods to the whisky’s Spanish roots through ‘gentle rhythmic undercurrent hints at a bolero’.
Professor Charles Spence, gastrophysicist at the University of Oxford, added: “Sonic seasoning is the idea that music and soundscapes can be designed to match, and even enhance tasting experiences.
“Early examples of sonic seasoning tended to use examples of pre-recorded music to match, and thus accentuate a specific taste – such as Pavarotti to bring out the bitterness of a dark chocolate, or Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells to bring out sweetness.
“However, the past few years have seen growing interest in bespoke sonic compositions created to more closely match the evolving flavour profile of complex-tasting products such as whisky.
“‘The Valley of Brambles’ launched by The Glendronach plays very much in this space, by innovatively combining both highly textured cello notes with ambient sounds of place, including birdsong (perhaps triggering the nature effect). This layering of musical notes with site-specific ambient sounds helps to create a richly textured listening experience that evolves in time with the evolution of the tasting experience on the palate while savouring a glass of The Glendronach.
“The piece cleverly, and almost synaesthetically, evokes a range of textural qualities through the curated selection and layering of sounds.”
‘Valley of the Brambles’ is available on Spotify, with a video charting its creation on YouTube.
Barrie added: “I describe The Glendronach Aged 12 years like a symphony of flavour on the nose and mouth.
“I am thrilled that Rob has been able to capture all the facets of The Glendronach, from the overture and the crescendo to the grand finale, all through the sounds, the atmosphere, and the reverberations of the distillery. The track communicates that sense of place, the casks and the inherent musicality of our liquid, making it the perfect soundtrack to enjoy a dram.”
Last year, The Glendronach revealed a new look and campaign in partnership with photographer Rankin.
The brand also revived its 21-year-old whisky in June.
Related news
The Scotch Whisky Masters 2025 results
