Some of the famend sherried 18 12 months Outdated single malt whiskies available on the market, The Glendronach Allardice 18 12 months Outdated is a cult core vary expression from The Glendronach model.
Exploring the origins, expression title, distillery manufacturing, and tasting notes – this final information gives every thing it’s good to learn about The Glendronach Allardice 18 12 months Outdated.
What Variety Of Whisky Is The Glendronach 18 12 months Outdated?
The Glendronach 18 12 months Outdated is single malt scotch whisky, identified for its closely sherried wealthy model, originating from Scotland’s Highland whisky area. Matured solely within the best Spanish Oloroso ex-Sherry casks, The Glendronach 18 12 months Outdated is bottled at 46% ABV. Launched in 2009, The Glendronach 18 12 months Outdated was initially the oldest expression within the model’s new core vary launched by Billy Walker following a takeover of the distillery by The Benriach Distillery Firm.
It’s mentioned that Walker wished to revive age statements initially utilized by William Instructor & Sons’ blends within the Sixties, however it shortly turned an open secret that the age assertion bottlings contained significantly older whisky. The height for The Glendronach 18 12 months Outdated was in 2015, when customers had been really consuming a 24 12 months Outdated whisky.
Famend as probably the greatest sherry-focused 18 12 months Outdated whiskies available on the market, The Glendronach Allardice has considerably contributed to the institution of the model’s cult repute – and The Glendronach’s standing because the quintessential sherried Highland malt.
A multi-award-winning launch, The Glendronach 18 12 months Outdated’s accolades embody a silver and ‘silver excellent’ medal from the Worldwide Wine & Spirit Competitors (2013, 2014), and a gold medal from the San Francisco World Spirits Competitors (2022).
The place Is The Glendronach 18 12 months Outdated Produced?
The Glendronach Distillery, situated close to Forgue by Huntly in Aberdeenshire, is a part of Scotland’s Highland whisky area and is famend for producing the Glendronach model, together with its esteemed 18 12 months Outdated expression. Established by James Allardice in 1826, the distillery has modified palms a number of occasions, notably changing into a part of William Instructor & Sons in 1960, the place it turned a key element in Instructor’s blends. The Glendronach has been utilized in varied blends, together with Ballantine’s, for the reason that late 1800s.
The distillery was mothballed from 1996 to 2002 earlier than being acquired by Pernod Ricard, which modernized the services and transitioned from coal fires to steam-heated stills in 2005—the final Scottish distillery to take action. In 2008, The Glendronach was bought by The Benriach Distillery Firm, led by Grasp Distiller Billy Walker, marking the start of a renaissance for the model.
In 2009, Walker launched The Glendronach core vary, that includes daring, closely sherried whiskies with age statements of 12, 15, and 18 years. The distillery’s revival culminated in its acquisition by Brown-Forman, the producers of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskey, following their buy of The Benriach Distillery Firm for £285 million in 2016.
The Glendronach continues to supply whisky utilizing conventional strategies refined over two centuries, together with a rake and plough mash tun and Oregon pine washbacks. Its uniquely formed wash nonetheless and plain-sided spirit stills reduce reflux, making a daring, weighty malt sometimes matured in ex-Sherry casks—an indicator of The Glendronach’s distinctive model.
Why Is The Glendronach 18 12 months Outdated Named ‘Allardice’?
The Glendronach 18 12 months Outdated is called after the famend founding father of the distillery, James Allardice. In 1826, a syndicate of farmers headed by James Allardice (additionally spelled Allardyce and Allardes) established The Glendronach – naming the distillery after its water supply, the Dronac Burn. Identified to historical past as a colourful and charismatic character, legend has it that Allardice unintentionally ensured The Glendronach’s reputation in Edinburgh within the early 1800s, by gifting a amount of the whisky to some native intercourse employees after a failed gross sales journey.
Allardice had travelled to Scotland’s capital with a barrel and pattern flagon aiming to promote the malt to Edinburgh’s taverns – solely to be informed by landlords that the taverns had purchased inventory for the 12 months. Allegedly, as a despondent Allardice returned to his lodgings he was met by two ‘girls of the night time’ who wished him to take them for a drink – as a substitute, Allardice invited them to pattern his personal ‘Guid Glendronach’ whisky returning to his lodge with a woman on every arm.
The next morning Allardice gifted the rest of the flagon to the women, who promptly shared the whisky with their associates – by afternoon the road was full of girls having fun with The Glendronach.
This led many in the neighborhood to request The Glendronach on the native taverns, curious to attempt the whisky the women had been consuming, ensuing within the landlords shortly in search of out Allardice. Because the story goes, Allardice didn’t return dwelling that day however remained in Edinburgh promoting all his inventory – The Glendronach had arrived.
Beneath Allardice’s administration, The Glendronach constructed a robust repute, even gaining common gross sales in London, till tragedy struck when a fireplace just about destroyed the distillery in 1837. Regardless of efforts to revive The Glendronach, James Allardice was pressured out of business in 1842.
What Does The Glendronach 18 12 months Outdated Style Like?
The Glendronach 18 12 months Outdated is a richly sherried malt, with layers of soppy spice alongside wealthy raisins and dates. The expression’s official tasting notes from the model’s web site could be discovered beneath:
“Look: Deep brilliant gold with a tawny centre.
“Nostril: Candy aromatics of fudge and muscovado sugar. Fruit compote and glacier morello cherries present added complexity.
“Palate: Wealthy, darkish and seductive. Outstanding flavours of stewed fruits and all-spice marry along with basic aged Oloroso sherry and toasted walnut bread mixed with chocolate.
“End: Tremendously advanced and lengthy.”
How A lot Is The Glendronach 18 12 months Outdated?
The typical value for a 750ml bottle of The Glendronach Allardice 18 12 months Outdated is at present $250 on Wine-Searcher. Presently, the very best place within the US to search out The Glendronach 15 12 months Outdated is Yankee Spirits in Sturbridge, Massachusetts for $224.99. When you’re based mostly in Massachusetts, The Glendronach 18 12 months Outdated will also be discovered for $225.99 at Gordon’s Wonderful Wine and Liquors, Waltham. In California, the very best locations to buy Allardice are Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, and Complete Wine & Extra, Sacramento for $229.99.
The Glendronach’s cult model repute because the quintessential closely sherried Highland malt whisky contributes to the worth level. Bottlings of The Glendronach’s core vary bottled when it was overtly identified the batches contained older whisky than the marketed age assertion have develop into extremely wanted amongst the distillery’s lovers – for The Glendronach Allardice 18 12 months Outdated, particularly these bottlings from 2019, when the whisky is believed to have been 24 years outdated.
