Press Release..

EIGHTEEN CASKS FROM 1990 TO 2009 WITH EXCEPTIONAL CHARACTER

The GlenDronach Distillery is pleased to announce the eighteenth batch of its acclaimed Cask Bottling collection. Eighteen casks dating from 1990 to 2009 have been personally selected by Master Blender, Dr Rachel Barrie, specially chosen for their exceptional character, to celebrate and share some of the finest Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Highland distillery.

Whether they have previously housed sweet and rich Pedro Ximénez, dry and nutty Oloroso, or in selected expressions fruit-laden Port from the Douro Valley; each cask presents uniquely remarkable characteristics whilst remaining distinctively of The GlenDronach.

The GlenDronach Cask Bottling Batch 18 features many expressions of note, including two rare 30 year old casks from 1990 and a European allocated Port Pipe cask from 1992, aged 27 years.

The distillery’s newly enhanced tasting bar will be the only location in the world where all eighteen bottles will be available to try by the dram.

Master Blender, Dr Rachel Barrie, said:

“The GlenDronach Cask Bottling Batch 18 is a celebration of the distillery’s time-honoured mastery and a showcase of the finest of what this richly-sherried Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky has to offer.

This long standing, much loved release is a focal point to each year, demonstrating the

exquisite character of our whiskies, through these exceptional casks which I have carefully hand-selected. Each cask individually explores the sophistication, powerful intricacy and rich layers of Spanish sherry cask maturation found in every expression of The GlenDronach.

From the rare vintage casks of 1990 with exquisite layers of dark chocolate and the elegant Victoria plum, date and bramble preserve notes in the 1992 Port Pipe, to the distinctive fruitcake and toasted raisin notes in the 2009 Pedro Ximénez Puncheon, each cask encapsulates The GlenDronach house style; robust, elegant and full-bodied. All eighteen casks are bottled without chill filtration for richness, at high strength and are naturally deep in colour.”

The GlenDronach Cask Bottling Batch 18 will be available to purchase from specialist retailers from November 2020 in Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and for the first time since Brown Forman’s stewardship of the distillery commenced, four casks will be available in the USA from 2021. Prices range from RRP £97 to £861, depending on age and cask type. Global markets may vary.

Please see details below on cask availability by region. Depending on the expression, the ABV ranges from 48% to 61.9%. As with all The GlenDronach expressions, each is non-chill filtered and draws all its natural colour from the cask in which it rests.

European Allocated Casks:

2091, 648, 4363, 7411, 5897, 7006, 7276

Tasting Notes

2009 CASK 2091

Aged 10 Years

Cask Type: PEDRO XIMÉNEZ PUNCHEON

Appearance: Copper Gold

Nose: Crystallised orange melds with dark fruitcake, hazelnut and raisin, topped with marzipan and ginger.

Palate: Fruitcake filled with toasted raisin, orange peel and almond develops into lingering gingerbread and ground nutmeg. ABV: 61.9%

Bottles: 692

2008 CASK 648

Aged 11 Years

Cask Type: PEDRO XIMÉNEZ PUNCHEON

Appearance: Polished Brass

Nose: Mocha chocolate and clotted cream with fig, date, candied grape and apricot.

Palate: Sweet and richly fruity with plum, apricot and bramble jam, and lingering hints of grape and crystallised ginger. ABV: 61%

Bottles: 682

1994 CASK 4363

Aged 26 Years

Cask Type: OLOROSO PUNCHEON

Appearance: Treacle

Nose: Walnut and aromatic musk interwoven with earthy bramble and ginger emerge through resinous oak, leather and tobacco.

Palate: Rich dark fruits and mellow spices unfold with almond and walnut oil, finishing with mandarin and waxed yellow plum. ABV: 52.8%

Bottles: 692

1992 CASK 7411

Aged 27 Years

Cask Type: OLOROSO PUNCHEON

Appearance: Treacle

Nose: Sherry soaked raisin, toffee and sultana pudding, with blackberry preserve, antique leather and cedar cigar box. Palate: Stewed plum, apricot purée and sultana cake with orange caramel brittle, treacle and clove.

ABV: 53.2%

Bottles: 658

1992 CASK 5897

Aged 27 Years

Cask Type: PORT PIPE

Appearance: Deep Auburn

Nose: Elegant Victoria plum, date and bramble preserve with waxed orange, rose honey and ginger-spiced dark chocolate. Palate: Sultana and walnut cake laced with lemon, ginger and nutmeg, interwoven with the lingering finish of dark chocolate orange.

ABV: 48%

Bottles: 853

1993 CASK 7276

Aged 27 Years

Cask Type: OLOROSO PUNCHEON

Appearance: Mahogany

Nose: An exquisite balance of plum, sweet date and cherry cake, with mulled wine, spiced orange and antique walnut. Palate: Plum, maraschino cherry and prune interweave with mandarin and pomelo, finishing with dark chocolate, sultana and spice.

ABV: 53.7%

Bottles: 699

1990 CASK 7006

Aged 30 Years

Cask Type: PEDRO XIMÉNEZ PUNCHEON

Appearance: Tawny Brown

Nose: Exquisite layers of dark chocolate, maraschino cherry and the finest Italian leather with bramble rose. Palate: Blackberry jam and cherry chocolate with yellow plum, spiced cocoa and a lingering mineral finesse. ABV: 51.4%

Bottles: 402

APAC/Canada/IMEA Allocated Casks:

2039, 8558, 7465, 6049, 6735, 336, 9333

Tasting Notes

2009 CASK 2039

Aged 11 Years

Cask Type: PEDRO XIMÉNEZ PUNCHEON

Appearance: Brass

Nose: Blackcurrant and chocolate covered gooseberry with oak resin and larchwood.

Palate: Bramble preserve with blood orange, velvety oak tannin and lingering spiced plum sweetness. ABV: 59.3%

Bottles: 728

2008 CASK 8558

Aged 12 Years

Cask Type: PEDRO XIMÉNEZ PUNCHEON

Appearance: Polished Copper

Nose: Golden fruit marmalade and toffee nut brittle, with chestnut and cranberry infused with aniseed, clove and date oil. Palate: Rich malt and raisin with honeyed treacle and blackberry syrup, with the lingering finish of fennel and liquorice root. ABV: 59.4%

Bottles: 710

1994 CASK 7465

Aged 26 Years

Cask Type: Oloroso Puncheon

Appearance: Burnished Gold

Nose: Rounded and rich treacle toffee, sherry and butterscotch, with orange peel and baked apple. Palate: Stewed apple and candied grape with mocha, treacle and lingering baked orange.

ABV: 51.4%

Bottles: 676

1992 CASK 6049

Aged 27 Years

Cask Type: PEDRO XIMÉNEZ PUNCHEON

Appearance: Burnished Ruby

Nose: Dark chocolate coated cherry and Victoria plum, with layers of toasted winter spice, angelica, walnut and mint. Palate: A swathe of silk velvet carries cherry and plum dusted with cocoa, becoming earthy bramble vine and lingering white truffle.

ABV: 49.2%

Bottles: 694

1993 CASK 6735

Aged 27 Years

Cask Type: PEDRO XIMÉNEZ PUNCHEON

Appearance: Dark Mahogany

Nose: Plum and blackberry liqueur with chocolate and hazelnut praline, and the warmth of freshly baked gingerbread. Palate: Spiced fruitcake with treacle and angelica crescendos to demerara sugar, star anise and lingering espresso cream. ABV: 51.6%

Bottles: 694

1992 CASK 336

Aged 28 Years

Cask Type: OLOROSO BUTT

Appearance: Dark Bronze

Nose: Stewed orange and plum with eucalyptus, leather, ripe apricot and golden fruit.

Palate: Black cherry cake, clove and raisin, with a lingering orange marmalade and a velvet toasted oak finish. ABV: 57.1%

Bottles: 494

1990 CASK 9333

Aged 30 Years

Cask Type: PEDRO XIMÉNEZ BUTT

Appearance: Mahogany

Nose: Exquisite balance of stone fruit, mandarin and roast chestnut with chocolate, red grape and rose pepper. Palate: Toffee orange and silken red grape, with cherry, chocolate and lingering chestnut oak.

ABV: 50.5%

Bottles: 696

USA Allocated Casks (Available from 2021):

3017, 1928, 5287, 7102

Tasting Notes

2008 CASK 3017

Aged 12 Years

Cask Type: OLOROSO PUNCHEON

Appearance: Warm Autumn Gold

Nose: Candied fruit, spiced vanilla and sandalwood with caramelised sultana and mixed nuts.

Palate: Honeyed mead and orange marmalade on toast with ground nutmeg, ginger and lingering dark vanilla. ABV: 59.8%

Bottles: 628

2005 CASK 1928

Aged 14 Years

Cask Type: PEDRO XIMÉNEZ PUNCHEON

Appearance: Honeyed Gold

Nose: Sweet ginger, morello cherry and cinnamon spice with mocha, wild raspberry and mint.

Palate: Seville orange, blackberry and cherry cake, with gingerbread, sweet malt spice and dark chocolate mint. ABV: 58%

Bottles: 612

1994 CASK 5287

Aged 26 Years

Cask Type: Port Pipe

Appearance: Chestnut Gold

Nose: Highland toffee and walnut with dark chocolate truffle and the seductive scent of an earthen floored warehouse. Palate: Walnut and black truffle with lingering toffee, cocoa and dark bramble fruit.

ABV : 51.3% Bottles: 638

1993 CASK 7102

Aged 27 Years

Cask Type: OLOROSO PUNCHEON

Appearance: Treacle

Nose: Spiced bramble and toasted cinnamon with dark vanilla, walnut and the subtle fragrance of Oloroso cream sherry. Palate: Morello cherry, mixed spice and raisin with lingering treacle, date and ginger fruitcake

ABV: 51.4%

Bottles: 633