Anyone following the blog for a while knows GlenDronach is among my favorite Scotch distilleries. They make an excellent spirit, do quite well with their wood management and Rachael Barrie is a master at blending barrels to make a delicious whisky. That admiration for what they do is what led me to open the wallet and taking a gamble on the GlenDronach Peated.

Though let’s be honest, it wasn’t much of a gamble. I love peated whisky and I love GlenDronach so it’s not like it was a tough sell. It was more like “oh that’s a thing that exists, so let’s buy it in 2015 and sit on it for 4 years before reviewing it”. Which also means I need to make a quick clarification before jumping into the Scotch review.

Being a 2015 release means this was not blended by the previously mentioned Rachael Barrie. She joined GlenDronach on March 1st, 2017 and also oversees BenRiach and Glenglassaugh; aka Brown-Forman’s Scotch arm. Now, let’s get to the whisky.

GlenDronach Peated Review: Details and Tasting Notes

In GlenDronach’s Words:

In contrast to the traditional, non-peated character of the GlenDronach, this particular whisky has, unusually, been distilled using peated malted barley. The GlenDronach ‘Peated’ pays homage to the peat historically used to dry the malted barley in the traditional floor matlings during the early days of the distillery. The subtle peated notes in this intriguing expression complement the classic GlenDronach Highland character and the rich sherry notes drawn from the wood.

Details (price, mash bill, cask type, ABV, etc.)

Region: Highlands, Scotland

Distiller: GlenDronach
Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley
Cask: ex-Bourbon, ex-Oloroso and ex-PX
Age: NAS (3+ Years)
ABV: 46%

Price: $73

Tasting Notes

EYE
Apple juice

NOSE
Honey, peat, orchard fruit, spice and some light plastic and wax notes.

PALATE
Hay-like malt, peat, earthiness, char, cocoa, honey and bits of dried fruit.

FINISH
Long -> Peat, farmy buttery malt

BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Good sense of balance, medium body and a soft light feel.

GlenDronach Peated Review: Overall and Score

Clean, sharp and smoky; it’s a tasty dram. The Aroma is crisp and carries a honied grilled fruit profile; Palate is a bit plasticy in the delivery and reminds me a tad of Laphroaig, but earthier, fruitier and more of a farmy profile; Finish pops in some great malt characters and it becomes even more elegant. The only thing it’s missing is depth.

It’s a decent whisky all around, but I’m not reaching for the GlenDronach Peated regularly. It’s good, it’s different, it’s interesting, but it sits in a weird spot.

When I want peat, I want Islay peat. When I want GlenDronach, I want that sherried sweetness. This is a decent melding of the two, but it doesn’t hit the spot for me. It’s good, but it just doesn’t hold up to their other core releases in overall quality.

SCORE: 86/100 (B)

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