Review #30 & 31: Glendronach 12 and Cask Strength

Glendronach 12 Year Old Original

I had never tried Glendronach so when I had a chance to do a small vertical, I took it. Glendronach 12 is all ex-sherry casks, some Pedro Ximinez and some Oloroso. I didn't realize that these were both NCF with NCA which makes me a lot more excited for this tasting.

Highland - 12 Year - NCF - NCA - Sample ($60 at the local) - 43%

Color - Tawny - Really dark for a natural color 12 year old

Nose - Lighter than anticipated - vanilla, fruit, new wood, apricots, orange peel, and spice.

Taste - Cereal that quickly goes to sweetness, apricots, butterscotch and vanilla. Disappointingly watery in the mouth. A little bit of musty wood.

Finish - Medium - Butterscotch, sweet raisins and spice

Overall - 5.5 - This is an enjoyable and easy drinking dram. However, it comes across as a little limp on the palate. This is a nice sherry bomb but not my favorite. The light nose and limp mouthfeel just was a little bit too much for me. If I am at the store, I think there are other sherry bombs I would reach for before I grabbed this. I think I might enjoy this a lot more if it was cask strength, which is coming right up.

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Glendronach Cask Strength

Highland - NAS- NCF - NCA - Sample (Price at the local if available $80-100) - 55.2%

Color - Tawny - same color as the 12

Nose - Much bigger nose here, some heat at first. New wood, raisins, vanilla, toffee. Less fruit and sweetness than the 12.

Taste - Cigar boxes, toffee are big and up front. Some fig and orange peel but keep getting those big oak notes. Less sweet than the 12 but better mouthfeel. - adding a bit of water flattens the flavors, eliminates all mouthfeel but increases the sweetness.

Finish - Medium long - Toffee, creme brule with oak

Overall - 5.5 - This is more like it. The wood balances out this dram and the sweetness is turned down a notch. Much more balanced than the 12. This is an enjoyable dram but still not my cup of tea of the sherry bombs. I just can't see myself passing up a bottle of A'bunadh or other sherried cask strength options to get a bottle of this.

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Rating system is price influenced as it is based on my shopping decisions when buying a bottle.

10 Best in Show

9 Great Dram for Special Occasions

8 Worthy of consistent spot in my collection

7 Worth picking up a bottle if in the mood

6 I would buy a bottle if it went on sale

5 I would drink it happily if offered

4 I would drink it if offered on the rocks

3 Maybe some soda will make this potable

2 I'll Pass

1 Toilet cleaner

Inclusive Ratings

Overall 6.1 (31)

Highlands 5.3 (6)