Glendronach specialize in heavily sherried whiskies, and the Glendronach 12 is their youngest and most affordable offering. Since 2008 when the distillery began to be managed by BenRiach, Glendronach have been gaining more and more ground in the whisky world. Many old-school whisky lovers thought fondly of the sherry-bomb whiskies that came out of Glendronach, and luckily they (and everyone else) are now able to enjoy fresh bottlings again.
The Glendronach 12 is aged in a combination of Pedro Ximinez and Oloroso sherry casks.
Aromas of cereal, honey, cherry, sherry & toffee are present. About what you would expect from a whisky that is heavy on sherry.
To taste: sherry, cinnamon, raisins & spice. There is a very big and creamy mouth feel that is the highlight of the tasting experience for me. There seems to be a bit more fruit hiding underneath the surface but it’s difficult to put your finger on it. Perhaps a little more ageing would reveal those other flavors more.
The finish is medium-long with vanilla and fruits. I often expect more vanilla in sherried whiskies but the Glendronach 12 saved it all for the finish. Its also quite dry, and the cereal flavors experienced in the taste transition in to almost being nutty.
The key element in this whisky is just how affordable this is. If you like sherried whiskies, or want to see what they’re all about, I highly recommend this affordable yet tasty whisky. Its combination of cereal tones and sweetness do a lot to keep the honey and toffee notes in check that often ruin otherwise good sherry whiskies. . For sherry lovers it’ll make a satisfying regular drink that is complex enough to keep you interested. The one downside of this whisky is that it can be a bit expensive depending on your area. I suspect that in Europe where there is a big sherry whisky market it is quite cheap, but Americans may pay a bit too much for this, depending on what’s around locally. Buying online is probably your best bet.
Glendronach 12 Information
- Type: single malt Scotch whisky
- Region: Speyside
- ABV: 43%
- Price guide: 35 pounds, 60 US dollars