GlenDronach 1959/1960 (G&M)

This GlenDronach 1959/1960 is part of a series by Gordon & MacPhail to commemorate the marriage of Prince Andrew to Sarah Ferguson on 23rd July 1986.

The mini-series also contains a Linkwood, MacPhail’s, Mortlach and Macallan (labeled ‘Pride of Strathspey’). Each of these whiskies are a vatting of 1959 and 1960 casks, the birth years of both royals.

GlenDronach 1959/1960 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail 1986, Royal Wedding)

Nose: quite an aromatic nose, very juicy and jammy, not as heavy as modern day GlenDronach. Fresh plums, fruit cake, apple pie and apricot jam. Heather honey and other beehive notes. Waxed furniture. A bit like a sherried Balvenie, very balanced. There’s something of toasted bread, maybe even soft smoke in the background, as well as a faint metallic note (could be a little OBE). Lovely.

Mouth: sweet, lots of stewed fruits again. Apricots, yellow apples, plums. Lime. Some cinnamon and mint. Definitely smoky notes now. Just 40%, easy to drink but not weak.

Finish: not too long – slightly disappointing but this is probably the low alcohol. Fairly malty, with dried fruits, soft spices and some oak.

Excellent whisky really, with a relatively subtle type of oldskool sherry. Modern GlenDronach is much more intense but this is equally enjoyable.

Score: 91/100