The GlenDronach Distillery is pleased to announce the eighteenth batch of its acclaimed Cask Bottling collection. Eighteen casks dating from 1990 to 2009 have been personally selected by Master Blender, Dr Rachel Barrie, specially chosen for their exceptional character, to celebrate and share some of the finest Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Highland distillery.
Whether they have previously housed sweet and rich Pedro Ximénez, dry and nutty Oloroso, or in selected expressions fruit-laden Port from the Douro Valley; each cask presents uniquely remarkable characteristics whilst remaining distinctively of The GlenDronach.
The GlenDronach Cask Bottling Batch 18 features many expressions of note, including two rare 30 year old casks from 1990 and a European allocated Port Pipe cask from 1992, aged 27 years.
The distillery’s newly enhanced tasting bar will be the only location in the world where all eighteen bottles will be available to try by the dram.
Master Blender, Dr Rachel Barrie, said:
“The GlenDronach Cask Bottling Batch 18 is a celebration of the distillery’s time-honoured mastery and a showcase of the finest of what this richly-sherried Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky has to offer.
This long standing, much loved release is a focal point to each year, demonstrating the exquisite character of our whiskies, through these exceptional casks which I have carefully hand-selected. Each cask individually explores the sophistication, powerful intricacy and rich layers of Spanish sherry cask maturation found in every expression of The GlenDronach.
From the rare vintage casks of 1990 with exquisite layers of dark chocolate and the elegant Victoria plum, date and bramble preserve notes in the 1992 Port Pipe, to the distinctive fruitcake and toasted raisin notes in the 2009 Pedro Ximénez Puncheon, each cask encapsulates The GlenDronach house style; robust, elegant and full-bodied. All eighteen casks are bottled without chill filtration for richness, at high strength and are naturally deep in colour.”
The GlenDronach Cask Bottling Batch 18 will be available to purchase from specialist retailers from November 2020 in Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and for the first time since Brown Forman’s stewardship of the distillery commenced, four casks will be available in the USA from 2021. Prices range from RRP £97 to £861, depending on age and cask type. Global markets may vary.
European Allocated Casks:
2091, 648, 4363, 7411, 5897, 7006, 7276
Tasting Notes
2009 CASK 2091
Aged 10 Years
Cask Type: PEDRO XIMÉNEZ PUNCHEON
Appearance: Copper Gold
Nose: Crystallised orange melds with dark fruitcake, hazelnut and raisin, topped with marzipan and ginger.
Palate: Fruitcake filled with toasted raisin, orange peel and almond develops into lingering gingerbread and ground nutmeg. ABV: 61.9%
Bottles: 692
2008 CASK 648
Aged 11 Years
Cask Type: PEDRO XIMÉNEZ PUNCHEON
Appearance: Polished Brass
Nose: Mocha chocolate and clotted cream with fig, date, candied grape and apricot.
Palate: Sweet and richly fruity with plum, apricot and bramble jam, and lingering hints of grape and crystallised ginger. ABV: 61%
Bottles: 682
1994 CASK 4363
Aged 26 Years
Cask Type: OLOROSO PUNCHEON
Appearance: Treacle
Nose: Walnut and aromatic musk interwoven with earthy bramble and ginger emerge through resinous oak, leather and tobacco.
Palate: Rich dark fruits and mellow spices unfold with almond and walnut oil, finishing with mandarin and waxed yellow plum. ABV: 52.8%
Bottles: 692
1992 CASK 7411
Aged 27 Years
Cask Type: OLOROSO PUNCHEON
Appearance: Treacle
Nose: Sherry soaked raisin, toffee and sultana pudding, with blackberry preserve, antique leather and cedar cigar box. Palate: Stewed plum, apricot purée and sultana cake with orange caramel brittle, treacle and clove.
ABV: 53.2%
Bottles: 658
1992 CASK 5897
Aged 27 Years
Cask Type: PORT PIPE
Appearance: Deep Auburn
Nose: Elegant Victoria plum, date and bramble preserve with waxed orange, rose honey and ginger-spiced dark chocolate. Palate: Sultana and walnut cake laced with lemon, ginger and nutmeg, interwoven with the lingering finish of dark chocolate orange.
ABV: 48%
Bottles: 853
1993 CASK 7276
Aged 27 Years
Cask Type: OLOROSO PUNCHEON
Appearance: Mahogany
Nose: An exquisite balance of plum, sweet date and cherry cake, with mulled wine, spiced orange and antique walnut. Palate: Plum, maraschino cherry and prune interweave with mandarin and pomelo, finishing with dark chocolate, sultana and spice.
ABV: 53.7%
Bottles: 699
1990 CASK 7006
Aged 30 Years
Cask Type: PEDRO XIMÉNEZ PUNCHEON
Appearance: Tawny Brown
Nose: Exquisite layers of dark chocolate, maraschino cherry and the finest Italian leather with bramble rose. Palate: Blackberry jam and cherry chocolate with yellow plum, spiced cocoa and a lingering mineral finesse. ABV: 51.4%
Bottles: 402
APAC/Canada/IMEA Allocated Casks:
2039, 8558, 7465, 6049, 6735, 336, 9333
Tasting Notes
2009 CASK 2039
Aged 11 Years
Cask Type: PEDRO XIMÉNEZ PUNCHEON
Appearance: Brass
Nose: Blackcurrant and chocolate covered gooseberry with oak resin and larchwood.
Palate: Bramble preserve with blood orange, velvety oak tannin and lingering spiced plum sweetness. ABV: 59.3%
Bottles: 728
2008 CASK 8558
Aged 12 Years
Cask Type: PEDRO XIMÉNEZ PUNCHEON
Appearance: Polished Copper
Nose: Golden fruit marmalade and toffee nut brittle, with chestnut and cranberry infused with aniseed, clove and date oil. Palate: Rich malt and raisin with honeyed treacle and blackberry syrup, with the lingering finish of fennel and liquorice root. ABV: 59.4%
Bottles: 710
1994 CASK 7465
Aged 26 Years
Cask Type: Oloroso Puncheon
Appearance: Burnished Gold
Nose: Rounded and rich treacle toffee, sherry and butterscotch, with orange peel and baked apple. Palate: Stewed apple and candied grape with mocha, treacle and lingering baked orange.
ABV: 51.4%
Bottles: 676
1992 CASK 6049
Aged 27 Years
Cask Type: PEDRO XIMÉNEZ PUNCHEON
Appearance: Burnished Ruby
Nose: Dark chocolate coated cherry and Victoria plum, with layers of toasted winter spice, angelica, walnut and mint. Palate: A swathe of silk velvet carries cherry and plum dusted with cocoa, becoming earthy bramble vine and lingering white truffle.
ABV: 49.2%
Bottles: 694
1993 CASK 6735
Aged 27 Years
Cask Type: PEDRO XIMÉNEZ PUNCHEON
Appearance: Dark Mahogany
Nose: Plum and blackberry liqueur with chocolate and hazelnut praline, and the warmth of freshly baked gingerbread. Palate: Spiced fruitcake with treacle and angelica crescendos to demerara sugar, star anise and lingering espresso cream. ABV: 51.6%
Bottles: 694
1992 CASK 336
Aged 28 Years
Cask Type: OLOROSO BUTT
Appearance: Dark Bronze
Nose: Stewed orange and plum with eucalyptus, leather, ripe apricot and golden fruit.
Palate: Black cherry cake, clove and raisin, with a lingering orange marmalade and a velvet toasted oak finish. ABV: 57.1%
Bottles: 494
1990 CASK 9333
Aged 30 Years
Cask Type: PEDRO XIMÉNEZ BUTT
Appearance: Mahogany
Nose: Exquisite balance of stone fruit, mandarin and roast chestnut with chocolate, red grape and rose pepper. Palate: Toffee orange and silken red grape, with cherry, chocolate and lingering chestnut oak.
ABV: 50.5%
Bottles: 696
USA Allocated Casks (Available from 2021):
3017, 1928, 5287, 7102
Tasting Notes
2008 CASK 3017
Aged 12 Years
Cask Type: OLOROSO PUNCHEON
Appearance: Warm Autumn Gold
Nose: Candied fruit, spiced vanilla and sandalwood with caramelised sultana and mixed nuts.
Palate: Honeyed mead and orange marmalade on toast with ground nutmeg, ginger and lingering dark vanilla. ABV: 59.8%
Bottles: 628
2005 CASK 1928
Aged 14 Years
Cask Type: PEDRO XIMÉNEZ PUNCHEON
Appearance: Honeyed Gold
Nose: Sweet ginger, morello cherry and cinnamon spice with mocha, wild raspberry and mint.
Palate: Seville orange, blackberry and cherry cake, with gingerbread, sweet malt spice and dark chocolate mint. ABV: 58%
Bottles: 612
1994 CASK 5287
Aged 26 Years
Cask Type: Port Pipe
Appearance: Chestnut Gold
Nose: Highland toffee and walnut with dark chocolate truffle and the seductive scent of an earthen floored warehouse. Palate: Walnut and black truffle with lingering toffee, cocoa and dark bramble fruit.
ABV : 51.3% Bottles: 638
1993 CASK 7102
Aged 27 Years
Cask Type: OLOROSO PUNCHEON
Appearance: Treacle
Nose: Spiced bramble and toasted cinnamon with dark vanilla, walnut and the subtle fragrance of Oloroso cream sherry. Palate: Morello cherry, mixed spice and raisin with lingering treacle, date and ginger fruitcake
ABV: 51.4%
Bottles: 633
