One
of my favorite Highland Scotch distilleries is The GlenDronach.
The distillery exploits fine sherry casks to age its newmake and create
something consistently above-par. Located in Aberdeenshire, it was founded in
1826 by James Allardice; its name comes from the Gaelic Glen
(meaning valley) and Dronach (meaning brambles or blackberries) from the
Dronach Burn, which is the river that provides the distillery its water.
Together, The GlenDronach means the valley of the blackberries.
Things
were great for nine years until the distillery was destroyed by fire in 1837.
Not interested in giving up, Allardice quickly rebuilt it. Allardice went
bankrupt in 1842 and had to divest himself of his assets, including The
GlenDronach. In 1852, Walter
Scott, the former distillery manager of Teaninich,
became the owner until 1877. Over the next 40-some-odd years, it changed hands
several times and was eventually acquired by Captain Charles Grant
in 1920. His family maintained ownership until 1960, when William Teachers & Sons purchased the distillery. At that point, The
GlenDronach went through a refitting that included adding two stills.
By
1976, Teachers had been purchased by Allied Distillers,
and the deal included The GlenDronach. The distillery was shuttered in 1996.
Six years later, Allied revived it, and in 2005, Pernod Ricard purchased Allied, but
it wasn’t interested in keeping The GlenDronach. In 2008, BenRiach Distillery Co., Ltd., led by Billy
Walker, purchased it and honed in on aging
whisky in ex-sherry casks instead of former Bourbon barrels. Things went well
and caught the attention of Brown-Forman, who bought it, along with BenRiach and
Glenglassaugh. Dr.
Rachel Barrie was brought in as the Master Blender of
all three distilleries. At the same time, Billy Walker went to The GlenAllachie.
A
relatively recent decision by The GlenDronach was to introduce chill
filtration to its whiskies. This change was controversial among fans of the
brand. My view on chill filtration is the same as nearly every other aspect of
the whiskey in front of me: How does it smell and taste? That’s all that
really matters.
The
GlenDronach has released a new trio of whiskies called Master’s Anthology. The three are
non-age-stated single malt Scotches meant to highlight what can be done with
sherry casks. They are Ode to The
Valley, Ode to The Embers,
and Ode to the Dark.
"The Master’s Anthology is a tribute to the art of sherry cask maturation, reflecting the depth and character that have become synonymous with The Glendronach for over nearly 200 years. This collection is a journey into the heart of our distillery, where time-honored traditions and natural influences shape every drop of our whisky.” – Dr. Rachel Barrie
The
GlenDronach was kind enough to provide me with samples of each in exchange for
my no-strings-attached, honest reviews. So, let’s #DrinkCurious and discover
what each entails!
For
the record, I used a fresh Glencairn glass for each and sipped them neat.
Ode to
the Valley
- Whiskey Type: Single Malt Scotch, Highland
- Age: NAS
- Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley
- Cooperage: ex-Sherry casks, ex-Ruby Port casks
- Alcohol Content: 46.2% ABV (92.4°)
- Price per 700mL: $84.50
Appearance: The
whisky was the color of topaz. A massive rim formed, releasing syrupy, crazed
tears that raced back to the pool.
Nose: I
smelled plums, baked apples, apricots, fudge, and brown sugar. When I pulled the
air into my mouth, I found thick fudge.
Palate: Ode to
the Valley had an oily, light texture. The front tasted of plums, golden
raisins, and ripe berries. Midway through, I discovered baked apples, cinnamon,
and brown sugar. The back included dark chocolate, leather, and ginger spice.
Finish: Weighing
in at an impressive 3:20; the very long finish included plenty of ginger,
cinnamon, brown sugar, and ripe berries.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Ode to
the Valley drank several points above its stated proof – closer to 50% ABV (100°).
There was a slight tingle on my tongue and in my throat, which was unexpected. It
is a well-balanced, pronounced whisky that easily commanded my attention and grew
on me the more I engaged with it. Priced reasonably, this is a Scotch you’ll
want to check out. My Bottle rating is well-deserved.
◊◊◊◊◊
Ode to the Embers
- Whiskey Type: Single Malt Scotch, Highland
- Age: NAS
- Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley, Peated
- Cooperage: ex-Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks
- Alcohol Content: 48.4% ABV (96.8°)
- Price per 700mL: $91.00
Appearance: The
bronze-colored whisky created a medium rim with a slow, wavy curtain of tears.
Nose: My
olfactory sense picked up barbequed meats, grilled pineapples with tangerine
peel, toasted marshmallows, and caramelized apples. As I took the vapor into my
mouth, I found roasted almonds.
Palate: Ode to
the Embers possessed a thick, creamy texture. The first thing I tasted was smoke,
yet it was not overwhelming. The front also included vanilla and honey. My mid-palate
embraced fudge, spiced nuts, and apples. On the back were flavors of cherries, cinnamon,
and black pepper.
Finish: Black
pepper, spiced nuts, and smoky vanilla made for an uncomplicated, long finish
that ran 2:14.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Peated
single malts out of The GlenDronach are rare, and as such, my interest was
piqued from the start. The phenol content (meaning the parts per million of
peat) was undisclosed, and I suspect it is relatively small. It most certainly
was not a peat-bomb by anyone’s definition.
The influence of the
Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez casks was unmistakable, even with the peat’s gentle smokiness. Ode to the Embers was delightful
and will appeal to anyone who appreciates that latter quality. I am extremely
curious how more phenols would impact this whisky. Regardless, Ode to the
Embers takes a slam-dunk Bottle rating.
◊◊◊◊◊
Ode to the Dark
- Whiskey Type: Single Malt Scotch, Highland
- Age: NAS
- Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley
- Cooperage: ex-Pedro Ximénez sherry casks
- Alcohol Content: 50.8% ABV (101.6°)
- Price per 700mL: $97.50
Appearance: True to
its name, Ode to the Dark presented as deep mahogany. A medium rim jettisoned pencil-thin,
vastly-spaced tears that crawled down the wall.
Nose: After
allowing this Scotch to rest for about ten minutes, I brought the glass beneath
my nostrils and inhaled. I smelled coffee, dark chocolate, black raisins,
plums, cherries, and brown sugar. Bringing the air through my lips exposed me
to leather.
Palate: An
extremely thin, oily mouthfeel introduced my palate to flavors of caramel, mocha,
and ginger spice. The middle contributed cinnamon, brief mint, and black
raisins. I found leather, dried tobacco leaves, and dark chocolate.
Finish: Leather,
dark chocolate, ginger spice, and mocha remained in my mouth and throat while
cinnamon stuck to the tip of my tongue. The duration ran 2:03, classifying it
as long.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: In my
experience, Pedro Ximénez imparts a certain
quality to whiskies, whether it is a full maturation or a shorter finish – a
rich, full fruitiness. I didn’t find much of that with Ode to the Dark. That’s
not to suggest this is an uninteresting whisky, simply that my preconceived
notions led me astray.
Instead,
Ode to the Dark is a savory, somewhat spicy Scotch that defied expectations. While
somewhat off-profile, I found it enjoyable, well-balanced, and captivating. If
you’re looking for something new, Ode to the Dark is it, and since that’s
always my desire, it earns my Bottle rating.
◊◊◊◊◊
Final Thoughts: Sampling
the Master’s Anthology was a welcome experience. Each offered a different insight
into what Dr. Barrie could accomplish with Sherry and an occasional Port cask
maturation. Of the three, I preferred Ode to the Embers, Ode to the Valley, and
Ode to the Darkness. Cheers!
My Simple, Easy-to-Understand
Rating System
- Bottle = Buy It
- Bar = Try It
- Bust = Leave It
Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit
but begs you to do so responsibly.
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