Scotland, Eastern Highlands/Speyside. Distillery operational. Owner: Brown Forman

It was under the wardship of Allied Domecq, the distillery's owners until the early 2000s, that Glendronach made a name for itself amongst fans of sherry cask single malts. As well as an outstanding, generous and distinguished 12 year old version, the 18 year old versions from 1972, 1976 and 1977 (written on the back of the bottle) particularly attracted the attention of connoisseurs. In the early 90s, several bottlings of The Glendronach 25 Year old 1968 produced for the Japanese market (ANA Edition) and American market (sold partly in Europe) caught the eye of those in the know and allowed a glimpse of the quality of the casks maturing in the distillery's vaults. But it would not be until 2008, with the arrival of Billy Walker at the helm, that this sleeping beauty would truly reveal her potential.As we begin the 21st century, while many have long ago swapped their Andalusian attire for a more round and consensual style, The Glendronach remains centre stage by regularly releasing single cask, vintage versions matured entirely in sherry casks, much to the delight of whisky collectors and enthusiasts.

The fifth batch of Glendronach Cask Strength, an edition launched in 2012. A combination of Glendronach aged in Oloroso casks—casks previously used for dry sherry that are very popular for whisky maturation—and Pedro Ximenez casks—previously containing a sweet sherry made with grapes of the same name. The combination has been popular at the distillery for many years and is also found in the 21 year old and the new 15 year old.