Glendronach Distillery is beloved as one of the small handful of classic Sherried whiskies in the Speyside region of Scotland, and especially in the last few years has re-emerged as one of the truly great producers of this style, holding the torch, perhaps along with Glenfarclas, that Macallan once wielded without question. For this special release, they took their Sherried malt (aged in both Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez casks) and finished it in port pipes from Portugal's Douro Valley.
The result is a lush whisky, with a nose of mandarin orange, pear, rich plum, caramel, and chocolate. On the palate, sherried notes come first, with holiday cake, dried apricot, and raisins, which are then followed by salted caramel and a big hit of cocoa powder, a signature port pipe flavor. The finish leaves you on a hint of minerality and a small wave of spice. Bottled at 46% abv.
