(Part 3) Top products from r/Scotch

Introductory Comments: Today I'll be reviewing the heart of the GlenDronach lineup, the Original 12, Revival 15, and Allardice 18. Before I get into it, I'm going to touch briefly on GlenDronach's recent history, namely their brief closure and differences in production before and after the closure. I know that many of the veterans here already know this stuff, but there always seems to be someone who isn't familiar with it when a GlenDronach review is posted, so I figured I would rehash it. After my discussion, I'll review the 18, 15, and 12, with brief comments for each, followed by a summarizing comparison of all three.

An important thing to keep in mind when you look at a bottling of GlenDronach is that the distillery was closed from 1996 until May 2002. This means that depending on the bottling date of the bottle that you get, the whisky may have been matured for significantly longer than the age statement indicates. But for all of the GlenDronach expressions with stated ages, there will come a point where the age statement subtracted from the bottling date falls after the distillery was re-opened in 2002, which means that nominally identical bottles that were bottled before and after this point could differ in the actual age of the matured whisky by up to six years (this Words of Whisky post on the topic includes a nice chart to help you visualize this). In theory, this means that the "pre-mothball" bottlings of the Original 12 and the Revival 15 should be more mature and exhibit a richer, sherried character than the "post-mothball" bottlings.

Of course, the story is a bit more nuanced than that. First, the quality of sherry-seasoned casks is just as important as the maturation time. Even though reviewers consistently rate the pre-mothball Original 12 and Revival 15 higher than the post-mothball versions, it's possible that the older releases also spent time in more active sherry casks, in addition to simply spending more time in sherry casks. We may be seeing evidence of this with the Allardice 18, which despite still containing pre-mothball distillate, has had some less than flattering appraisals for the recent 2018 bottlings: For examples, see this review by /u/playingwithfire and comments by /u/bpnelson7.

The second difference between the pre- and post-mothball bottlings is the distillate itself. Prior to the closure, GlenDronach did their own floor maltings and directly fired their stills, but after the closure, they stopped using their own malting floor and in September 2005 they switched to indirect firing. Although a brand ambassador recently told us in a AMA that the distillery attempts to simulate the effects of direct firing (hat tip to /u/forswearThinPotation for asking this question back then):

> In layman's terms, we have made a mechanism that recreates the "hot spots" that you would have on a still that is directly heated. The whisky is pumped through this machine and then reintroduced into the stills.

The distillery used lightly peated malt prior to the closure, but according to scotchwhisky.com and Charlie MacLean's Whiskypedia, they are still using lightly peated malt. But of course, it's possible that the exact ppm has changed.

When you add all of this up, there's a lot of variables at play and it's hard to make the blanket statement that pre-mothball is guaranteed to be great and post-mothball is guaranteed to be not so great. But when you look at the reviews over the years for the Original 12 and Revival 15, that certainly seems to be the consensus opinion. It will be interesting, and potentially disappointing, to see if the Allardice 18 follows the same trend over the course of the next year.

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GlenDronach Allardice 18 (46% ABV, non-chillfiltered, natural color, aged in Oloroso sherry-seasoned casks, bottled on 2014/06/17)

• Nose: A wonderfully rich, musty, heavily sherried nose, with raisins, cherries, orange citrus, oak, earth, wet leaves, caramel, milk chocolate, brown sugar, and baking spices
  
• Palate: Strong notes of orange, milk chocolate, bitter oak, and nutmeg, with milder dark fruit, clove, earth, and tobacco notes; not the heaviest mouthfeel but the flavors are intense
  
• Finish: More oranges, spices, and bitter oak, with the dark fruit becoming a bit more prominent, giving way to lingering malty and nutty notes; impactful finish with good length
  
  Score: 94/100
  
  Comments: This is a tremendous sherried whisky that shows just how good this style can be when you have active casks and 20+ years for the spirit to spend in them. It's not the most complex whisky, but the aromas and flavors that are here are rich and intense, but at the same time it exhibits a lot of maturity and harmony among its flavors.
  
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  GlenDronach Revival 15 (46% ABV, non-chillfiltered, natural color, aged for 15 years in Oloroso and PX sherry-seasoned casks, bottled on 2018/08/15)
  
  
• Nose: Similar character as the Allardice 18, but not as rich or intense, with notes of orange citrus, raisins, plums, cherries, baking spices, oak, and a bit of green fruit
  
• Palate: Sweeter initially with vanilla and fruit syrup, then notes of dark chocolate, oranges, nutmeg, and clove, and oak; moderate mouthfeel
  
• Finish: Bitter baking spices and oak initially, followed by lingering notes of dark chocolate, nuts, and coffee
  
  Score: 86/100
  
  Comments: This is a really nice sherried whisky that is similar to the Allardice 18 in many of its core traits, but is noticeably less rich and less complex. Those dank earthy notes that the Allardice has are not to be found in the new Revival, and the Revival is a touch sweeter on the palate but more bitter on the finish.
  
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  GlenDronach Original 12 (43% ABV, non-chillfiltered, natural color, aged in Oloroso and PX sherry-seasoned casks, bottled on 2017/11/13)
  
  
• Nose: Oak, vanilla, caramel, raisins, cherries, milk chocolate, and milder citrus, apple, and ethanol
  
• Palate: Sweet and creamy vanilla with some background oak, pepper, nutmeg, and clove; moderate mouthfeel
  
• Finish: Stronger spices and pepper with milder notes of malt, dark fruit, oak, vanilla, citrus, and dark chocolate; moderate length and more spicy than the palate
  
  Score: 81/100
  
  Comments: This is very typical of the modern entry-level sherried whisky: Sweet, creamy, and toffeed, it's very accessible and easy to drink, but the sherry influence is not especially assertive and at this point we have lost almost everything that defined the Allardice 18. I don't think I could identify this as GlenDronach if it was given to me blind.
  
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  Side-by-Side Comments: First, a comment on color. The lighting in my pictures is not the best, but this picture tells the story: The Original and the Revival are almost identical in color, with the Allardice being significantly darker than both of them.
  
  There used to be a time several years ago when the Original 12 was considered one of the best values in sherried scotch, and the Revival 15 was lauded as being as good as any sherried scotch at its price point, and it was not uncommon to see people rating the pre-mothball Revival 15 as highly as the Allardice 18. Those glory days for the 12 and the 15 are over. The 18 is now the bottle of choice from the GlenDronach lineup if you want something exceptionally sherried.
  
  The 18 is intense on both the nose and the palate and has a strong and long-lasting finish, with a profile defined in large part by tannic oak, chocolate, baking spices, oranges, dark fruits, and a musty earthiness that really adds to its overall character. It tilts more towards spicy and bitter than sweet, but not overly so, and there's harmony between all of the flavors and a wonderful level of maturity.
  
  When you step down to the 15, you are still getting most of that core profile, but the richness and intensity is dialed down, and a bit of balance is lost. The influence of the PX casks is noticeable, both on the nose and with a bit more sweetness on the palate. But then the finish is more bitter than the 18, and I'm also not getting the dank earth notes that the 18 had. Stepping down to the 12 is an even more dramatic shift, with the Oloroso influence now taking a backseat to the sweet and creamy notes. I mentioned above that I don't think I could identify this as being GlenDronach if I was given it blind. The first time I tried the 12, it was in a restaurant, and I found it so lacking in sherry influence (both taste and color) that I honestly thought they misheard me and poured me Glenmorangie or something else.
  
  Despite its ever-increasing price, the Allardice 18 remains an exemplary bottling of Oloroso-matured whisky, although whether or not it maintains this level of quality remains to be seen. The new Revival 15 is very nice, and serves as an acceptable alternative if you can't stomach shelling out $150-$200 for the 18, although it's tough to find the Revival on the shelves and even tougher to find it for less than $100. It's hard to recommend it unless you can get it for less than $100. The Original 12 is a perfectly drinkable whisky, but the sherry influence is not especially assertive, and it's usually priced above its age-stated sherry-matured competitors while not being head and shoulders above them. So for that reason, like the Revival 15, it's something I would only tentatively recommend.

If you're planning on hitting a lot of distilleries go to Speyside. That's the densest region. It's also easy to get to along main roads from Glasgow and Edinburgh. A good choice if time and money are concerns.

Islay, although difficult to get to, would be my personal recommendation. 8 distilleries and a 9nt just over on Jura. The Ileachs are a wonderful and welcoming people, the island is beautiful and offers both peated and un-peated styles.

When I was there I also felt there was a different attitude to whisky-making there. In Speyside I think it's all very tartan-biscuit tins and kilts, we make whisky because we're Scottish and we can. On Islay, although never said, it felt like the whisky-making was purer, more natural. It was a way of life, one that's been there and always will be. They do it because they do it. The whisky tradition on Islay is ancient. The oldest written record of "aqua vitae" in Scotland in 1494 comes from exchequer records in the region (I believe it was Islay but I'm not entirely certain). One of those well debated theories about the origins of whisky (and the one I personally believe) is that it first came to Scotland from Ireland. On a clear day, from the coast near Bushmills, County Antrim, you can see Islay. At the narrowest point Islay is only 27 miles from the North coast of Northern Ireland.
Islay is a wild, windy, wet and beautiful island.
Get this book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Peat-Smoke-Spirit-Portrait-Whiskies/dp/0747245789/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383258949&sr=8-1&keywords=peat+smoke+and+spirit

Ahem. Excuse me. I like Islay a lot.

If I were planning a whisky tour I would do this (assuming you fly into Scotland or are heading up from somewhere else in the UK:

-Get to Edinburgh, either fly in or get there from Glasgow. Whatever. Have a night in Edinburgh, see a bit of the city (it's gorgeous), see the Royal Mile, see the castle. Visit the whisky shop.

-Head to Glenkinchie, first distillery and it's not far from Edinburgh.

-Go North, find Dalwhinnie and Blair Athol in the central Highlands. Boom. Two more down.

-Maybe head East and see Aberdeen? Everyone love Aberdeen because it sounds funny and there's a place called Battledykes near it. Aberdeen is grey and not very nice if it's rainy. Your choice.

-Head North into Speyside. Have fun here. Go to as many distilleries as you can/want. Visit Glenfiddich because it's mahoosive.

-Gradually make your way West through Speyside. Hit Inverness. It's not a particularly nice or nasty place but you'll have to make a choice here. Head North a little bit to see some more Speysides or head West to the Isle of Skye?

-Assuming you've had your fill of Speysides we'll head to Talisker on Skye. Don't be tempted to go down along Loch Ness after you leave Inverness (I know it's famous and all but the monster doesn't exist. That's just for the tourists. You're here for whisky. Sniff it out.

-I have never been to Skye but I believe it is a very beautiful island. Talisker is a very nice dram. Talisker's a big distillery, producing loads of single malt and loads of whisky for blending. Talisker's in just about everything. If a blend needs some OOMPH, it'll be Talisker they put in.

-Head away back to the mainland and South. If you really REALLY want to, you can head back East and go down Loch Ness. I would recommend following the coast road however, really beautiful.

-On your way down, hit up Ben Nevis distillery in Fort William. Have a wee look around town. Get something to eat maybe.

-Keep heading South until you get to Oban. Check out the distillery.

-This is when things get complicated. We need to get a ferry. Find the CalMac ferry terminal in Oban and book a ferry to Islay. One a week goes from Oban (Wednesday I think) so that may or may not help you. If not, they run daily from Kennacraig. Kennacraig is further South from Oban along the Mull of Kintyre.

-Get on a ferry. Enjoy a dram. You've earned it. You're going to Islay!

Once on Islay take your time and drink everything in (pun intended).

IMPORTANT: Bring a buddy and hire a car. One day you drink, he drives. Next, vice versa. On the days you're driving, you can still nose and taste a little bit of the whisky and be good to drive. You can also pick up some samples at the distilleries to drink in the evening. Or go to a pub. Whatever, just make sure you don't miss out. Also, try to work out who's driving on what days you be at your favourite distilleries etc. You don't want to fight. This is a pilgrimage, not a holiday. A spiritual endeavour. It should be treated as such.

tl;dr
Go to Islay.
Edit1: Formatting
Edit 2: Wow! Reddit gold! Thank you!

Some other nice, maybe less known, books that would make good recommendations IMO would be the older Whisky Classified - while I don't necessarily agree with the classification, it's an interesting work/approach although with some flaws and not entirely comprehensive or up to date. I believe Malt Maniac wrote the following abougt it The value of this book lies in figuring out what's wrong.

Another interesting book is The Science and Commerce of Whisky, providing a good and somewhat more in-depth than the popular science approach explanation of aging and distilling.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1558598537/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/177-8818945-7483307

Pick up a copy and read the chapters in the back on whiskey. It will give you a non-trivial grounding in how scotch, bourbon, rye, wheated rye and Irish whiskey are made. It will also give you a general introduction to the regions of scotch.

Also, pick up Michael Jackson's (different guy) 2014 scotch guide. It's considered by many to be definitive and comprehensive. The essays at the front will give you an excellent foundation, then, as you try whiskies, add your own notes to the corresponding pages in the book.

Good luck - it's a tall mountain you aim to climb.

I enjoy double black soy. This might sound like a johnny walker joke, but it is a thicker soy, with molasses in there as well for some sweetness. for example: http://www.amazon.com/Koon-Chun-Double-Black-Sauce/dp/B00012OI0U

It was the Johnnie Walker Spice Road. On 30th May I crossed off the Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13 y.o. at Barbecoa; before that a fellow redditor hooked me up with a bottle of the Wine Society's Special Blend; on 16th May it was Hakushu 18 and Hibiki 30 at Boisdale of Canary Wharf; 7th May included Talisker 18 at Milroy's of Soho, Chivas Regal 25 at Salt and Jameson 18 Limited Reserve at the Sun Tavern...

I freely confess: my patience ran out a bit and I decided to throw some money (and shoe-leather) at the problem, when I got down within the last ten.

Before the Buxton books, I spent twenty years working my way through the first edition of "The Malt Whisky File" by John Lamond and Robin Tucek - still two to do: my boss is supposed to be bringing me back some Black Ribbon from a trip to attend a wedding in Sweden in August, but I don't think I'll ever get Clydesdale from Wishaw, as they last distilled in 1919!

Oh, and the reason I've been asking for samples of cheap bourbons is Tom Morton's "A Whisky in Monsterville". I liked the idea of 'an interactive whisky thriller', but it hasn't turned out as easy as I'd hoped...

I really like these guys. They sit really nicely in the hand and were recommended by a specialty spirits shop I used to live near. Not as impressive as the Normanns you're looking at, however the price reflects that. http://www.amazon.com/Schott-Zwiesel-Crystal-Collection-13-2-Ounce/dp/B00132C1OC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419094924&sr=8-1&keywords=Schott+Zwiesel+Tritan+Crystal+Glass+Pure+Barware+Collection+Whiskey

For everyone who liked it and is interested, I got it on Amazon. I really like the cabinet expect for the fact the wine rack portion isn't secured and a bit wobbly. I will probably modify it myself soon.

You may find some inspiration - and an entertaining read - here: https://www.amazon.com/Raw-Spirit-Search-Perfect-Dram/dp/1844131955

Malt Whisky by Charles McLean

Great book about whisky in general with an index of the history and general character of just about every Scottish single malt. Well made book, too. McLean is the OG scotch aficionado.

My wife bought me this one a while back. It seems to have gone up quite a bit in value, she bought it for $12. Front. Back. Maybe someone else has it for a better price.

Im currently reading "Let Me Tell You About Whisky". Loving it.

Hi, this is true. My source is the dude who runs Glenmorangie.

I’m sure as well that it’s mentioned in this book I read at Ardbeg House on Islay : https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wort-Worms-Washbacks-Memoirs-Stillhouse/dp/1897784651

I have just ordered a bottle through Amazon in Germany at 125 €.

https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07GSNJ2QR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_OM72BbZHRP0JG

[Artland Veritas] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0014JWUTA/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1483957379&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=artland+cordial&dpPl=1&dpID=41Ug3foMGiL&ref=plSrch) - i actually don't use them anymore, I find the steam to be too long.

This is the only one I own. It's a bit out of date since the author passed away, but I refer to it frequently.

I use the same stuff on my espresso maker as my glassware; Cafiza. It's very soluble, no residue, and does not affect flavor. I'll wash my glassware once or twice a month outside of very hot water rinses.