Glendronach 15 Year Review
In-Depth Review
Winning the coveted Whisky of the Year award will do a lot for your brand. Take Glendronach 15 - a whisky that was discontinued in 2015, due to lack of maturing stocks, only to be brought back in 2019 with a slightly different recipe. Some were outraged. Some cried. Some said this new expression from Master Distiller Rachel Barrie would never reach the storied heights of its predecessor. But if you ask the folks at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the new one is pretty damn good. Selected as the “2020 Best in Show Whisky”, Glendronach 15 beat out limited edition bottlings from around the world to bring the win to a distillery that has been making incredible whiskies for over 200 years.
When you look at the specs, it’s easy to assume this one should be a winner. Spending more than 15 years aging exclusively in a combination of Oloroso and PX sherry casks, boasting a 46% ABV, and non-chill filtration, this ticks all the right boxes to be an excellent sherry bomb whisky. But can this compete with the heavy hitters from The Macallan, or Aberlour? Let’s dive in and find out.
Age: 15 years
ABV: 46%
Cask: Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks
MSRP: $79.99
Distillery Name: Glendronach
Review Date: 2/10/21
Color: Deep, Rich Mahogany
Nose: The nose lets you know early on that this is a sherry bomb of a whisky. It hits hard with sweet, rich notes of sticky toffee, raisins, plums and a hint of spearmint. A touch of cherry and red fruit is barely detectable in the background. There is some excellent wood spice evident here as well, completing a well-rounded and rewarding nose.
Palate: On first sip, the flavor that burst out on the palate was strawberry jam. It begins rich yet remains silky smooth. The further into the glass however, flavors build into a crescendo of sherried notes of dark fruits, cinnamon, walnut, wood spice, and dark cocoa powder. The sherry maturation also impacts a fleeting savor note (BBQ rib tips?) that attempts to cut through an otherwise decadently sweet whisky. The mouthfeel is good, with the non-chill filtration leading to a chewy, full bodied experience. The 46% ABV is a perfect bottling strength that doesn’t overpower the whisky with any unwelcome ethanol qualities. This is best enjoyed neat, with only a few drops of water if absolutely necessary.
Finish: Medium finish that feels a bit thinner than expected from such a powerful and rich palate. Notes of Christmas cake, cocoa powder, barrel wood, and bitter coffee grounds come to the surface. Just like on the palate, the finish starts slowly at first and take times to build up into a lingering spiciness that leaves lovely notes of baking spices on the tongue.
Final Thoughts: This is an excellent whisky that proves that amazing sherry matured whiskies don’t only come from the folks at Easter Elchies House. A lot more approachable than Aberlour A’bunadh, Glendronach 15 features a fabulous nose, a lovely silky palate, and a lingering spiced finish. This whisky wasn’t overpowering and manages to start slowly and build into a rewarding sipper that is worth every penny of its MSRP. But I’m not the only one who thinks so. So if you do get the chance to pick a bottle of it up, act quickly – lest they discontinue it again for being too popular.
Score: 94
