Glendronach 21 Year Old Parliament Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (2018) 70cl

A 21 year old Glendronach released in 2011, and aged in a mix of sherry casks (Oloroso and sweet Pedro Ximenez dessert sherry). The result is really very good indeed. Interestingly enough, this whisky has no political associations. It is, in fact, named "Parliament" after the collective term for a group of rooks - and there is a Parliament of Rooks living in the trees near GlenDronach...

Matured in a combination of the finest Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks for a minimum of 21 years and bottled at 48% ABV, the ‘Parliament’ continues the great GlenDronach tradition of offering fruit-laden intensity in its single malts. This rich expression has been named ‘Parliament’ after the colony, or ‘parliament’, of rooks that have been nesting in the trees that overlook the GlenDronach distillery for almost 200 years.

Tasting Notes

APPEARANCE: Deep amber with a cherry wood sheen.

NOSE: A delicate mix of ripe autumnal fruits – notably blackberries and red plums. Rich Oloroso sherry and candied orange segments. Spiced oatmeal biscuits and toasted oak fragrances bring excellent weight and balance.

PALATE: Resolute flavours of fine Oloroso sherry and bitter chocolate sauce, which has been spread liberally over homemade plum pudding. This is all infused with fabulous spicy notes – cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Full bodied with smooth tannins.

CONCLUSION: Long and lingering.

About Glendronach...

Nestled in the Valley of Forgue, deep in the East Highland Hills, is The GlenDronach Distillery, one of the oldest licensed distilleries in Scotland. They have been dedicated to creating the finest, richly-sherried Single Malts for almost 200 years. The GlenDronach’s past is rich with charismatic custodians, challenging setbacks and triumph through dedication. The GlenDronach was an early pioneer of sherry cask maturation and they are immensely proud of their distillery’s history.

The hallmark of their craft is the marriage of robust Highland spirit with the finest Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks from Andalucía in Spain. The GlenDronach is a product of time-honoured traditions honed over many years. Their hallmark is to marry robust Highland spirit with the finest oak sherry casks; an exquisite duality that brings exceptional depth and character to the whiskies.

Inside the distillery are a traditional rake and plough mash tun, wooden washbacks and four stills which were coal fired until 2005, the last in Scotland to be heated in this way. Today there is just a quiet susurration of steam in the stillhouse, but the oddly shaped wash still and the plain sides of the spirit still cut back on reflux, helping to build weight in the spirit.

These days, ex-Sherry casks are the distillery’s signature style. Some is 100% Sherry matured, some is started in ex-Bourbon casks to pick up vanilla sweetness before being racked into ex-Sherry.

48% ABV

70cl