Awards, awards and even more awards. In the world of single malt scotch whiskies, the word winner is synonymous with GlenDronach. 6 out of 7 expressions from their Core Range have collectively won countless awards since 2017.
If one thing is certain, winners don’t win for nothing. The reason behind GlenDronach’s continued success is due to their commitment in producing some of (if not) the best single malt scotch whiskies since the distillery’s inception.
The Birth of A Winner
In 1826, a partnership of farmers lead by James Allardice banded together to establish The GlenDronach Distillery Company. They set up shop at Forgue – a hamlet in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
It’s rumoured that Allardice helped establish GlenDronach’s presence in the Scottish city of Edinburgh by offering whisky to ‘ladies of the night‘ – a target market that was extremely pivotal in the growth of GlenDronach’s popularity.
Just when things were looking up, the distillery was lost to a fire in 1837 and Allardice went bankrupt five years later. Thankfully, the distillery was bought over and rebuilt in 1852.
In 1927, GlenDronach’s ownership fell into the hands of Captain Charles Grant – the youngest son of Glenfiddich’s founder, William Grant. This eventually sold the distillery to William Teacher & Sons and expanded the number of in-house stills from two to four.
The Core Range
In 2009, GlenDronach launched its ‘core range’ consisting of the 12, 15 and 18-year-old single malt expressions (among several others). All of which are now available on The Good Stuff. Let’s go through these expressions and try to understand why they’re so celebrated.
1. GlenDronach Original 12 Years
GlenDronach Original 12 years, as its name suggests, is matured for 12 years in a combination of Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks. Featuring an ABV of 43%, this spirit boasts a beautiful natural colour and well-designed bottled to match.
Snagging two gold medals from the International Wine and Spirit Competition from 2017-18, this bottle of spirit won gold yet again in 2017’s San Fransisco World Spirits Competition.
- Nose: creamy vanilla, hints of ginger.
- Palate: rich, creamy, smooth, rich oak, sherry-like sweetness, fruity.
- Finish: long, spicy, dry, slightly nutty.
2. GlenDronach Revival 15 Years
Production for this expression was once discontinued in 2015 but thankfully returned due to popular demand. This spirit also uses GlenDronach’s signature method of maturing spirit in Spanish Sherry casks, namely the Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso casks.
No stranger to victory, the Revival also has several trophies under its belt including 2019’s Best Highland Single Malt Scotch at the International Wine and Spirit Competition and 2020’s Best In Show Whisky at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
- Nose: coffee beans, sherry-drenched sponge cake, mint leaf, slightly buttery.
- Palate: oily walnut, new leather, blackberry and apple crumble, toasted brown sugar, touch of liquorice root.
- Finish: fresh ginger, waxy orange, caramelised dried fruit and a hint of cigar box.
3. GlenDronach Allardice 18 Years
Remember ol’ James Allardice who got together with a bunch of farmers to start the GlenDronach distillery? As an homage to his efforts, the 18-year-old variation was appropriately named – Allardice.
Another exceptional sherried single malt, the Allardice is non chill filtered then bottled at 46% ABV. As far as awards go, it’s won 4 gold medals from 2017-2018. Two in the San Fransisco World Spirits Competition and the other two at the World Whiskies Awards.
- Nose: Very thick shrry notes, a hint of old rum, pineapple, brown sugar.
- Palate: Christmas cake, more rum, chocolate-coated hazelnut, runny honey.
- Finish: Fresh blackcurrant, blueberry pancakes lathered with maple syrup.
GlenDronach Parliament 21 Years
Left to mature in the finest of GlenDronach’s Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks for at least 21 years, the ‘Parliament’ abides by the tradition while providing the crème de la crème of GlenDronach’s fruit-laden single malts.
The Parliament got its name from a colony of rooks (type of bird) nesting in trees overlooking the GlenDronach distillery for almost 200 years. With an ABV of 48%, the ‘Parliament’ is also non chill filtered and shines bright with its natural golden colour.
At this point, is it really a surprise that the Parliament would be decorated in awards like its counterparts?
2 consecutive gold medals from the World Whiskies Awards, 2 more from the San Fransisco World Spirits Competition and an ‘Outstanding‘ rating from the International Wine and Spirit Competition
- Nose: soft smoke, lemon juice, cedar wood, apple peel, toasty oak, soft earth, date and walnut cake, a hint of freshly made espresso.
- Palate: soft, juicy raisins, tangy oak notes, peach, cherry blossom, cocoa and honeydew melon.
- Finish: sherry tones, a hint of sulphur, chocolate, luscious fruit and pepper.
With everything that’s been said about GlenDronach so far, it would be a shame to miss out on one of the world’s most critically acclaimed single malt whiskies. So get yourself a bottle today!
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