GlenDronach 30 1985 Single Cask

Thanks to /u/xile_ for sharing this one with us.

So we’re near the end of the tasting, yet we have “phase 2” to go, if we want, and also a break. And DDs for each of us. So we took a break.

And after a decent hummus break, and then a process of clearing out our palettes, we decided we could do more. So xile_ opened another bottle, because he’s what they call “baller”. Or so I’ve been told. By the kids.

Speaking of things that are old, he pulled out GlenDronach 30 1985 Cask #1037. I’m behind on reviewing single cask GlenDronachs, thus this helps. Or maybe it doesn’t.

Let’s be honest, anyone brings out a 30 year old to share and you’re happy, regardless of where they are from.

Wait, that may be another party.

None the less, last GlenDronach single cask I had was the 43 year old. This is similar, and aged in my favourite type of PX sherry. So let’s see how it tastes, shall we?

Price: N/A

Region: Highland

Date Distilled: 13/12/1985

Date Bottled: 09/2016

Cask Type: Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon

Cask Number: 1037

Bottle Number: 233/507

Abv: 52.3%

Colour: 2.5YR 4/10

Nose: Orange, strawberry syrup, molasses, oatmeal, cashew butter, lemon

Nice nose. A little lighter and simpler than I was expecting. The sherry doesn’t take over completely, and there’s some nutty/cereal notes here as well.

It smells like it’s on the way to becoming more complex, but can’t get over that hill.

Taste: Orange, brown sugar, honeydew melon, cranberry, honey

Interesting flavours on this one. It’s nicely balanced with acidity, oak, and brown sugar. However I expected… more. Like leather, or spice, or something more complex. This just isn’t showing up to the party.

Finish: Jalapeno, sulphur, peanut, curry, cashew

Hot, sulphur, and then it’s going into that pad-thai area, then… doesn’t quite make it. Has some interesting Indian spices that work nicely with the earth and cream. So kudos to that. Otherwise… oh well.

Conclusion: I feel like I’m going to swap xile_ for an additional sample of this after it’s oxidized, because I’m getting that Glenfarclas 25 vibe from it.

For those of you who haven’t read about that, it’s pretty simple: Glenfarclas 25 tastes better after being opened for a few months. And since this was opened this day, and even though we gave it quite a lot of time, it didn’t step up to the plate. Or whatever metaphor you prefer.

It’s a balanced, nice sherried dram. Tasted blind I’d assume, at the time of tasting, it was quite younger. So look for a re-review, perhaps, in the future, however for now, can’t recommend this one.

80/100

Scotch review #697, Highland review #118, Whisky Network reviews #1158