The GlenDronach 18 Years Allardice

The GlenDronach 18 Years Allardice

The GlenDronach 18 Allardice 70cl 46% vol., named after the founder of the distillery, is a Highland single malt aged only in European oak barrels that have contained sherry. Allardice has not been cold filtered, giving it an unctuous palate, with lots of character, ripe, spicy and with a wide range of notes of sherry, raisin, orange, chocolate and oak.

GlenDronach distillery

The GlenDronach distillery dates back to 1826 and is located near Forgue in the Scottish Highlands. The distillery uses its own water, extracted from Dronac burn, a spring located on the boundaries of the farm.

GlenDronach was founded by James Allardes, the story goes that Allardice, one night drinking a whisky he had been making for a while and satisfied with the result, began to mature a plan to sell the stock he had named GlenDronach in Edinburgh.

The next day, James was on his way to Edinburgh with a trailer full of his whisky. Soon he would realize that selling his whisky was not going to be an easy task, the landowners he visited replied that they already had enough stock for this season, we will think of you for the coming year, they said.

After many attempts, a defeated Allardice, who had barely managed to sell anything, decides to return to the hotel, when two young courtesans approach him on the street, James explains to them that he makes his own whisky, and that they are invited for a drink, the women accept and James returns to his hotel, with a lady on each shoulder.

The next morning word spreads throughout the neighbourhood, and the two women return with their friends to the hotel for another drink, James, who had lost his campaign in Edinburgh, gives the women more whisky. A few hours later the street was saturated with women who had drunk too much GlenDronach, the neighbors, intrigued, began to ask and order whiskey in local pubs. Allardice, who had planned to return home with the stock almost intact, manages to sell all his whisky in Edinburgh, GlenDronach had been a success.

After James' death the distillery went through a series of ownership changes, in 1920, Charles Grant, son of the founder of Glenfiddich, bought the distillery, in 1960 Teachers and Sons Ltd bought the distillery and expanded the number of stills from 2 to 6. In 1996 the distillery went through a period of inactivity until in 2001 it is reactivated by Allied Distillers Limited, in 2006 it changes ownership again, this time it ends up in the hands of Pernord Ricard until, in 2008 BenRiach, its current owner, takes over the reins of the distillery.

The BenRiach distillery is famous for producing natural whiskies, without colouring or cold filtration, using oloroso sherry barrels and the rich and powerful character with memories of raisins, walnuts, prunes, plums and oranges from its whiskies.

Tasting notes and interesting data from The GlenDronach 18 Allardice

Country: Scotland.

Region: Highland.

Style: Single Malt.

Breeding: Aged 18 years exclusively in European oak barrels from northern Spain that have contained sherry.

Nose: Classic profile of a dark, intense and complex sherry. Intense aromas of ginger, vanilla and cinnamon in a background of red fruit in sherry.

Mouth: Strong, oak, raisins, sherry, oranges, cloves and caramel.

Final: Long finish with touches of toasted oak, ginger, sultana and dry earth.

La Llar del Vi recommendation:

The GlenDronach 18 Year Allardice shows a high level of performance quality, a Highland single malt aged in classic sherry in all respects, offering insurance for Highlands sherry lovers.