4 September 2014 Ruben GlenDronach

GlenDronach 1994 (cask #3397)

Name: GlenDronach 1994 (cask #3397)
Brand: GlenDronach
Rating: 3 (2 reviews)

The latest batch of GlenDronach single casks, Batch 10 already, only includes 1990’s casks and one bottling from 2002. The wonderful 1970’s and sometimes very good 1980’s are gone?

We’ll focus on 1993 and 1994, vintages that have already proven their qualities. First up: GlenDronach 1994 – Pedro Ximénez puncheon #3397. I’ll compare it to the other 1994 P.X. cask tomorrow.

GlenDronach 19 yo 1994
(53,8%, OB 2014, Pedro Ximénez puncheon #3397, 644 btl.)

Nose: the very aromatic kind of sherry. Lots of dried fruits including raisins and figs, plenty of cinnamon. A few rummy notes, some vanilla (American oak?). Hints of polished oriental wood, before it becomes frankly oriental with herbs and spices like cardamom, but also hints of rosewater and patchouli. After a while, a slightly dirty edge comes out.

Mouth: sweet dates and figs. Milk chocolate and nutty notes. A faint sulphury note in the background, not so great but not extremely distracting either. Fading towards herbal notes and a gingery heat.

Finish: quite long, herbal and spicy. Some late orange zest and honey.

Not my favourite cask, I would say. It goes in different directions and they’re not equally nice. Some parts are really good though. Around € 140.

Score: 84/100

9Comments

Add yours

1

Tony on 4 September 2014 at 01:24

“different directions”, “some parts really good” – is this another re-racking of different casks into one do you think?
2

Tony on 4 September 2014 at 01:35

although it seems there might be a bit more clarity on this now – as the labels now state “fully matured” or “finished” according to this blog: http://myannoyingopinions.com/2014/02/14/glendronach-confusion-single-cask/comment-page-1/#comment-1808
3

WhiskyNotes on 4 September 2014 at 08:32

The label says ‘fully matured in the finest sherry cask’. But is that undeniably clear? Does it mean fully matured in this single PX puncheon?
4

Arild Een on 4 September 2014 at 08:46

This is interesting indeed. The key word here is “cask”. It is singular which would imply that only one cask has been used. Had there been more than one cask in use they would have had to say: ‘fully matured in the fines sherry casks’. I do not think, however, that there were only one cask in use, making this whisky.
5

CC on 4 September 2014 at 10:31

A few other seemed to like it
http://www.whiskybase.com/whisky/56189/glendronach-1994
6

Tony on 4 September 2014 at 13:14

As I suggest in my comment on the link above, it could be the same cask throughout, but having been “topped up” (re-racked) with other PX cask contents along the way. So it is the contents of one cask, and nothing in the regulations says that those contents must all have gone in when the cask was originally filled as far as I am aware.
7

Tony on 4 September 2014 at 13:19

The bottom line is that there is much less transparency than we would like about these “single casks”. GlenDronach aren’t the only ones, and to be honest only a few geeks like us probably care, but as things are I think that there is a great market opportunity for GlenDronach or perhaps some of the newer “craft” distilleries to be much more open about the cask histories. Would be very appealing. Having said that, most people seem to enjoy most casks of GD, which sell out quickly, so why would they rock the boat?
8

Arild Een on 4 September 2014 at 19:43

I see. Then “fully” becomes the interesting word. It refers to the whisky and if the cask in use has been topped up then the whisky has not been fully matured in ONE CASK (but in several).
Bottom line: The text does not state the truth. Such a shame. Good whisky, though:-)
9

Tony on 4 September 2014 at 20:01

But also, taking it literally, “fully matured in the finest sherry cask” must be false for all but the one whisky in the world that was matured in that finest cask!

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