Glendronach Batch 4 Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

With Glendronach's Batch 5 hitting the shelves in the UK in November this year, Batch 4 (launched in April) is already on collector's radars. This promises another hit with maturation taking place in both Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks.

With an out-turn of approximately 18,000 bottles world wide, like the last batches, this is non chill filtered and with natural colour. In the words of the Master Distiller, Billy Walker, this is "...a delicious, creamy sherry bomb that sensationally explodes on the palate with dark fruit, ginger and oak flavours at the fore, and with gingerbread, barley, roasted coffee beans and a hint of walnut softening to a long, satisfying finish".

Tasting notes: Polished brassy gold. Quite peppery with a spirity-lift and opening notes of rice pudding and light cinnamon. Several minutes expands and enriches the bouquet adding hazelnut, nougat, oatmeal biscuit and later hints of moist raisin cake. Not quite a "Sherry bomb" but impressively balanced with a gently bittersweet burst of ginger bread and vanilla; drying oak and peppers at the mid palate stage; sweetens again at the finish with prune, raisin and light cinnamon as the PX seems to carry the aftertaste. Excellent length. The sort of whisky that opens in degrees and so keeps you coming back. Give it 10 minutes in the glass to reveal its best. 54.7% Alc./Vol.

Other reviews... the molasses are inevitable as is the spice; the natural toffee-fudge softness is a surprise; vanilla and more toffee. After the absorbing delivery, the complexity levels go down a bit. But still a belter! 92.5 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2017