GlenDronach is known for crafting single malts that are richly sherried. Though the 14 Year Sauternes Cask we reviewed early last year is no longer offered, several others have been introduced (or reintroduced) to take it’s place. The GlenDronach 15 in particular has received a lot of positive attention, having been an excellent single malt from years ago recently brought back. Since we’d gone through a number of Sauternes finished whiskies, we decided to sample the sherry finish to compare.
Dalwhinnie 15 Year
Like several distilleries, Dalwhinnie was started in the late 19th century and, though facing some bumps along the way like a short suspension of production during WWII due to barley restrictions, has remained in near constant production. Dalwhinnie also supplies a good deal of its output (90%) to the blended market. The distillery was briefly run by a firm from the United States in the early 20th century until Prohibition when it was sold back to Scottish owners. Dalwhinnie claims to be the highest distillery in Scotland, located in the Grampian Mountains and draws its water from Lochan-Doire-Uaine or Lock of the Green Thicket. The village of Dalwhinnie from whence the distillery gets its name, is located near the town of Strathspey and comes from a Gaelic word meaning “Meeting Place.” This Dalwhinnie 15 is one of only three expressions from the distillery, and the only one with an age statement.
Tullibardine 228
Nestled in the town of Blackford and surrounded by the Ochil Hills, Tullibardine (Gaelic – lookout hill) was converted from an old brewery and began distilling in 1949, making it a relatively young distillery. Blackford is a sort of gateway to the highlands, and for many years Tullibardine simply matured their offerings in sherry casks. At some point along the way, however, they have begun taking their base offering and providing a series of different finishes in the final year of aging (currently Sauternes, Burgundy and Sherry). With the Tullibardine 228, the number denotes the liters the cask held. Burgundy is not a finish seen terribly often with whiskies, so we are very curious to to see what this single malt offers. Recently, these whiskies have been discontinued and a new core range offered.