Glendronach 15 YO Question

Quick reader question that I thought may be of interest to you...

Dear TSB

For years I have been buying the Glendronach 15 year old sherry cask....... now I only can find "the Traditional ..... 12 year old: 6 years oak/6 years sherry ..... What gives?
Christipher M.

Hi Christopher,
I asked Neil Macdonald, who is in charge of all of the single malts for Chivas - who own Glendronach:

Dear Kevin

Thank you for passing on the question - and good to hear from you.

Glendronach is a distillery that has not been in continuous production - I believe it was closed between 1995 and 2004 (when it re-opened without the floor maltings). Consequently the age profile of the bottled whisky will vary according to availability of stock - hence the decision to take the age down from 15 to 12 years of age.

The 15yo was a sherry matured whisky although it depends on your definition of what is a sherry cask. Increasingly more refill sherry casks had been used hence the diminuition of the sherry influence in the whisky (our definition now in Chivas Bros is that only first fill casks can be called ex bourbon or ex sherry - thereafter they become traditional oak casks).
 
Many thanks
Neil

Comments

[kallaskander]

Very interesting Mr Macdonald. It is true most probably that Glendronach was closed from 1995 to 2004. It is also true that sherry casks have become increasingly expensive over the last years. The policy to use more and more second or even third fill casks for the Glendronach is a financial one apart from lacking stocks.
The 12 year old is a very light coloured malt, that does not tell of sherry influence. The colour it has comes from E 150 artifical colouring or it would not even have the colour it has. It was said that it is the substitute for the 15 years old sherry matured. It is a Glendronach, that much is sure but it has nothing to do with the original 15 year old. The last batches or probably all of them of this one were artificially coloured as well but I can not say to which extend. That much has to be conceded. If sherry (or bourbon) plays such a big role that a first fill cask becomes "plain oak" after emptying the whisky why is there no dark sherry Glendronach anymore?

Greetings
kallaskander

[Jack Oswald]

We filmed at Glendronach in May. They were just acquired by Chivas in the Allied sale. Great distillery and totally underrated. I would expect Chivas to do more or sell off within the year or two. Strangely it is listed as a Speyside, but is east of Huntley where I would definetely say Highland. We sampled some old sherry malts and they were outrageous. A great distillery to visit!

[Dwayne Hope]

I've been trying to find a bottle of the 12 year old Glendronach traditional that used to be very available. I'm interested in acquiring more. Is there anywhere is still available? Not the 12 year old original that is now being sold.

Dwayne

[Robert]

Is there anything that will compare to the GlenDronach 15 year. I find that the 12 year tastes a bit like a McCallan. I loved the GlenDronach 15 year and have been singing it's praise and went to buy a bottle to celebrate and can not find any. Is there a substitute, or a place to buy rare Scotch.
Thanks in advance,
Robert

[Juggly Hat]

The Glendronach 15 yo sherry casked has been getting scarce and increasingly hard to source. I have some bottles stashed away, but would like recommendations for other whiskys od similar character. Thanks!

[ColdWeatherScotchGuy]

I am in love with The Glendronach 15 yo sherry casked, but alas can't find it, so have set out to find something comparable. So far the closest I've come is The Balvenie 15 yo.