Glendronach releases Batch 11 of its single cask bottlings

GlenDronach_Batch_11_1971_cask_#_2920_Infront (1)Award winning Aberdeenshire distillery GlenDronach, has today announced the release of its 11th batch of single cask bottlings.

Ranging from 18 to 43 years in age, the nine new releases offer a huge and intriguing variety, six of which were matured in Pedro Ximenez sherry puncheons, two in Oloroso sherry butts and one in an Oloroso sherry puncheon.

The oldest, 1971 Cask Number 2920 (48.6% ABV) is a 43 Years Old malt matured in a Pedro Ximenez sherry puncheon. Intense treacle toffee floods over sour plums and roasted coffee. Harmonising waves of leather and tobacco give great depth and are balanced perfectly by a subtle toasted walnut and date back note.

As a contrast the 18 Year Old from Cask Number 244 (56.9% ABV) is the youngest, distilled in February 1996. Matured in an Oloroso sherry butt, there is a tremendous balance of mixed candied peel and stewed dark fruits sprinkled with dark Demerara. Delicious waves of toffee, cracked barley and warm oak spices combine to give a long and elegant finish.

All nine single casks have been hand-selected by BenRiach’s Managing Director and Master Distiller Billy Walker who described them as “sensational” and added: “I believe Batch 11 makes a very simple point – the wood has a huge influence on the spirit. You immediately sense – and taste – the influence of the casks on these nine sublime single malts. The subtle interaction of the ex-sherry wood with the Highland spirit over long dark years in the warehouse creates a luxurious and amazingly complex raft of flavours. In these nine expressions you feel the pulse of our inventory at GlenDronach and the idiosyncratic personality of the casks coming through. That, plus the passion and craftsmanship of our people, is what produces these incredible whiskies time and time again.”

The full list of single cask bottlings from Batch 11:

1971 Cask Number 2920 – 43 Year Old – Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon (48.6% ABV)

1990 Cask Number 1020 – 24 Year Old – Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon (53.8% ABV)
1990 Cask Number 1162 – 24 Year Old – Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon (52.9% ABV)
1994 Cask Number 54 – 20 Year Old – Oloroso Sherry Butt (56.6% ABV)
1994 Cask Number 3201 – 20 Year Old – Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon (56.2% ABV)
1994 Cask Number 3386 – 20 Year Old – Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon (53.6% ABV)
1995 Cask Number 538 – 19 Year Old – Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon (55 ABV)
1995 Cask Number 4941 – 19 Year Old – Oloroso Sherry Puncheon (57% ABV)
1996 Cask Number 244 – 18 years old – Oloroso Sherry Butt (56.9% ABV)

All nine of the new releases were bottled in November 2014 and are available now from specialist retailers.