Glendronach Single Cask 2009 PX Puncheon #2091

Whisky: Glendronach Single Cask 2009 PX Puncheon #2091

Region: Highlands

ABV: 61.9%

Price: £102

Today we review the youngest release from the Glendronach Batch 18 series. Distilled on 14th december 2009, it was matured for 10 years in a Pedro Ximenez puncheon, that produced 692 bottles. These single sherry cask releases are usually wildly popular so we were excited to get our hands on one.

Nose

On the nose we get burnt caramel, dark chocolate, sour candy, well-done toast, aniseed, cinnamon, and ginger spice. There’s bit of an alcohol punch here as well, but this is off to a promising start.

Palate

This tastes like a glass of PX with a serious bite. There’s some red fruits and apples, but these are followed by a fair bit of alcohol burn, and finally some liquified raisins. You can tell this is a young one, with it’s high ABV really drying out your mouth.

Nose (with water)

Now we’re also getting toasted oak, Christmas spices, some savoury BBQ notes, and something that reminds us of a Greggs bridie.

Palate (with water)

Tannic oak notes, and Terrys chocolate orange develop on the palate. The water has brought a balance of sweetness and richness to the dram that the undiluted spirit lacked.

Conclusion

Sadly the price on these seem to keep creeping up deterring fans and flippers alike. So, is this release worth the price tag? Sadly no. Is it quite well balanced, flavourful and warming? Yes, but we could only do 1 dram in an evening. This would sit well as the sherried expression in a whisky tasting for friends or just on an evening alone when you want that sherry hit.

Score: 7/10 

• 10 - Perfection. A whisky that we’ll remember forever.
• 9 - Amazing. We’d pay through the nose for a bottle.
• 8 - Great. Pick this up at RRP.
• 7 - Good. Happy to have a dram or two but wouldn’t buy a bottle.
• 6 - Passable. Would accept a dram, but wouldn’t seek it out.
• 5 - Poor. Would drink if it was the only option.
• 4 - Bad. Maybe it can be saved by ginger beer?
• 3 - Awful. It can't be saved by ginger beer.
• 2 - Pour it out
• 1 - We’ve never tried a whisky rated this low and hopefully never will.

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