GlenDronach Peated

The GlenDronach Peated is the first peated expression of GlenDronach. Of course sister distillery BenRiach has quite some experience.

Contrary to what they usually do, this is not thoroughly sherried, it’s matured in bourbon barrels and it’s given an Oloroso + Pedro Ximénez cask finish. It is a fairly small-scale release and from what I’ve heard we won’t see frequent batches, maybe once every few years or so.

GlenDronach Peated
(46%, OB 2015)

Nose: fairly moderate. Medium peat smoke (25 ppm, the warm mainland type, no medicinal notes here), with some yellow apples and creamy custard behind it. Golden raisins, hints of mocha ice cream and heather honey. Fair enough. 

Mouth: creamy and sweet again, not immature, showing butter pastry, roasted pineapple and almonds. Sugared cereals. Quite some mossy, leafy notes in the background.

Finish: still sugary and creamy, with lingering wood smoke. Medium long.

This is a warm, fairly creamy peated GlenDronach. Oily, self-evident spirit but obviously this has little to do with the rest of the range (so why?). Also I think BenRiach has found much more exciting ways of integrating peat. Around € 45, arriving in stores as we speak.

Score: 83/100