GlenDronach 18 Year Old Allardice Scotch Review

By Richard Thomas

Rating: A-

If you’ve been seeing and/or hearing more about the single malts from The GlenDronach, that is because they were acquired by Brown-Forman in 2016 as part of the purchase of the BenRiach Group. All three distilleries in that group–Benriach, GlenDronach, Glengassaugh–each have a particular identity. All three have also been receiving a push from Brown-Forman, especially here in the United States, which is the world’s top market for Scotch whiskies (this despite the Trump Trade War).

The GlenDronach is known as one of those distilleries that specializes in Sherry cask aging. Although not as well known as The Macallan or even The Glenfarclas, TheGlenDronach has much in common with them and serves as a sleeper brands for fans of Sherried whiskies.

This middle entry in their regular line up (at 18 years old) is named for James Allardice, who founded it in 1826 (if you know your history, you’ll also know that was before licensing restrictions on Scottish distilleries were loosened). This expression was drawn from stock aged entirely in Oloroso Sherry casks made from Spanish oak, and bottled at 46% ABV.

The Scotch
A pour of Allardice has such a deep mahogany look to it that the only clue (based on appearance alone) that it isn’t bourbon is the lack of red to it. That coloring points straight to what this whisky is: a middle aged Sherry bomb.

The scent smacks you with a velvet glove bearing Sherry fruits: raisins, currants, dried cherries, figs, dusted with brown sugar. Add in some toffee and some caramel, and the nose might just as well tell you a boozy Christmas cake is sitting on the table in front of you. It’s that rich and that sweet.

Sipping deepens the impression of a full-bodied, rich, smooth whisky, at least at first. It’s Sherried and sweet, with the fruity aspect contracting down to figs and raisins, joined by an especially earthy, cocoa-laden fudge note. Coming up later on are notes of oak and pepper, giving the taste a little contrasting bite at the end. The finish rolls off to a woody start, then woody and ashy, then fading to traces of ash as it goes on.

The Price
Officially, this is marked at $179.99, but some retailers offer it for slightly less.