GlenDronach reveals 19th Cask Bottling collection

by Kate Malczewski

The GlenDronach Distillery has unveiled two limited edition Scotch whisky releases, including the 19th batch in its Cask Bottling series.

Cask Strength Batch 10 and Cask Bottling Batch 19 were crafted by The GlenDronach master blender Rachel Barrie. For The GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch 10, Barrie chose to combine liquids aged in Pedro Ximénez (PX) and oloroso Sherry casks. The whisky was bottled at 58.6% ABV, and offers notes of mocha, apricot, baked orange chocolate cake, roasted nuts and raisins on the nose, with a palate of spiced fruitcake, nectarine, cherry and sultanas. “The GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch 10 is incredibly rich and full-bodied, with the full depth of Sherry cask maturation at its heart," Barrie said. Meanwhile, Cask Bottling Batch 19 is a collection of 12 expressions ranging in ABV from 50.7% to 57.89%. Each one was drawn from a single PX or oloroso Sherry butt and distilled between 1990 and 1994. "The GlenDronach Cask Bottling Batch 19 offers an insight into our Sherry cask maturation history, and the exceptional quality of the casks we have at The GlenDronach," the master blender continued. "I have personally chosen these 12 casks to celebrate and share the very best of the distillery’s character. Each represents the rich selection of barrels, hogsheads, puncheons and butts that have been used throughout The GlenDronach’s history." Batch 10 is priced at £77 (US$104), while Batch 19's bottlings vary in price from £545-£1,037 (US$738-$1,404), with cask availability varying by region. "Both releases showcase our enduring commitment to crafting the most exceptional, richly Sherried single malts, representative of The GlenDronach’s rare dedication to its craft, embodied in every expression,” Barrie concluded. Last month, The GlenDronach debuted its oldest and rarest whisky to date, a 50-year-old expression that was distilled in 1971.