The Glendronach 12 Year Old used to come in dumpy green bottles until the late 1970s. In the early 1980s this was replaced by a clear tall bottle, first at 40% ABV and later at 43% ABV, which is the version we’re trying today. It came with different mentions on the label, like The Original and later Matured in Sherry Casks.
In the early 1990s this became The Glendronch – Traditional. They also started mentioning seasoned oak on the back label, although that difference was definitely not very clear among whisky lovers at that point. All this before the distillery was mothballed in 1996 of course.
I already tried a similar Glendronach 12 Years for Previ Brescia a few years ago.
The Glendronach 12 yo ‘Matured in Sherry casks’ (43%, OB 1980s)
Nose: a truly lovely sherry influence, basically the smell of walking into a bodega. Old wood, a lot of dry tobacco leaves and dusty attics, along with dark sweetness of bramble and Johannisbeere. Hints of toffee. Then also tiny umami hints, like lovage, earthy black tea and roasted coffee beans. Richer than the modest ABV would suggest.
Mouth: quite earthy again, but also silky. Black tea, roasted chestnuts, dark honey and roasted walnuts. Then a hint of sandalwood, prunes and cocoa. Hazelnuts, raisins and black pepper. Caramelized notes without the excessive sweetness, if that makes sense. Mid-palate there’s a wee sour / balsamic note and a bit of OBE (shoe polish). Old Sercial comes to mind.
Finish: not too long, sadly, but showing nice plums, leathery notes, some herbal notes and old wood.
If you want to know what people mean by ‘old-style sherry’, here’s one to discover. I think one of the key elements is the fact that nowadays most casks are seasoned with dry Oloroso or very sweet PX, but back then virtually all sherry was a mix. Some arrope or pajarete may have been involved as well. High class whisky. Available from The Whisky Exchange (also where I got the sample from).