GlenDronach 21-Year Parliament
48% ABV - Highlands, Scotland
Nose: Lots of ripe fruits and cooked fruits like plum, cherry… with some raisin and dried apricot, and a slight oakiness. Easy to say this whisky has a strong ex-Sherry influence.
Taste: Plum, cherry, and Sherry spices (pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon) are upfront, with some light notes of pear, red currant, and macaroons.
Finish: Leading with oak and wine-soaked wood, and mostly red fruits with fading spices. Long.
This whisky has a wonderful texture! It is very pleasant to drink: it packs a punch of flavour and the 48% ABV is spot on for delivering that punch, without going overboard with it.
GlenDronach 21-Year has developed quite a strong following and it is relatively difficult to get—often selling out in days to weeks upon release. There are also the well-known rumors that between 2018 and 2022 the whisky in the bottle was actually upwards of 22–27 years old before their aged stock of 21-Year "caught up" from the brief closure of the distillery between 1996 and 2001.
I haven’t tried enough 21-Year Parliament to notice any differences across the dates of bottling, but this one I have here is supposedly 23 year old whisky. That doesn’t make too much difference to me… I’ll look for another bottle once this once is done, and I’ll be happy with whatever version of it I can find!
Details: Datestamp of 2018/09/17. Matured in a combination of Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez Sherry Casks.
Tasting Notes (Official): Nose: A delicate mix of ripe autumnal fruits - notably blackberries and red plums. Rich Oloroso sherry and candied orange segments. Spiced oatmeal biscuits and toasted oak fragrances bring excellent weight and balance. Palate: Resolute flavours of fine Olroso sherry and bitter chocolate sauce, which has been spread liberally over homemade plum pudding. This is all infused with fabulous spicy notes - cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Full bodied with smooth tannins. Finish: Long and lingering.
Tasted 15 March 2023. (Posted 29 October 2023.)
