GLENDRONACH 1992 16YO - DK EXCLUSIVE - DISTILLERY BOTTLING

Back in 2005, Glendronach distillery stopped coal firing its stills directly and replaced it with steam firing instead. This change has -at atleast one other distillery- proven itself to change the character of the spirit so much that when a certain iconic Speyside distillery at the foot of Benrinnes did it and afterwards tasted and had their spirit analysed, they quickly reverted back to direct firing as the spirit produced with steam was not the same style as they used to produce...

One can only hope that this doesn't affect Glendronach in the same way - but then again... why shouldn't it? With direct firing you often get an uneven heat distribution, you may also get one still running hotter than the other and maybe having a caramelising taking place inside the still - there's just so many more factors to take into account when old fashion production methods are used... One can only wonder if this has something to do with us praising older bottlings for their often more saturated tastes - that and excellent quality casks from yesteryear too...

My guess is that we'll just have to wait a few more years to see the result at Glendronach and meanwhile, I'll keep my fingers crossed that the change from coal to steam firing has affected the distillery style too much...

The old fireboxes at Glendronach © The Malt Desk August 25th 2012

I'm gonna end this row of Glendronach reviews with another country exclusive bottling - this time a bottling done for Denmark back in 2009

Glendronach 1992 16yo (27.11.1992/xx.07.2009) 57,3%, Oloroso sherry cask#1135, 648 bottles, Distillery bottling, Denmark Exclusive

Colour is Mahogany

Nose:
Spices, sour cream & onion crisps, curry, herbal tea, damp earthen floors.

Taste:
Herbal again, more spices, raisins, dried fruit, roasted and sugared nuts, honey, good malt influence too and mulled wine

88/100!