Glendronach Cask Strength Batch 4

Glendronach has inspired a cult following in the last ten years or so. I've known about it for at least twenty years, but not because I'm some hipster who's "ahead of the curve" or who "knew it before it was cool". No, my Glendronach story is much simpler. My wife's grandfather always has a bottle of Glendronach 12 Year Old at his place and I'm one of the few people who drinks scotch with him. The first time I drank scotch with him, I had never heard of Glendronach, nor had anyone else I knew.

Neat from a Glencairn glass

• Nose: the dark sticky fruits I expected are there (dates, figs) along with caramel and oak spices, but there's a prominent bright and fruity aroma as well (cherries, dried cranberries). There's a floral note here too, albeit brighter than in the Batch 7. I'm no botanist so I won't hazard a guess here.
• Palate: rich on arrival with caramel, tobacco, dates, cloves
• Finish: long, sweet, some caramel, dark chocolate, dates, sultanas, cherries lingering.
• Thoughts: This is a very good Glendronach, but not quite a great one to me. Don't get me wrong; at the right price, I'd buy a bottle of this for sure. If you like brightness in your sherried whiskies this might be more up your alley. The Batch 7 has more spice and tobacco along side the dark fruits, and that's a better match to my preferences.

Thanks to @fiddich1980 for the sample

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