During my visit to the Loch Lomond distillery in August, I had the opportunity to taste a variety of exceptional drams. One of the ranges I was particularly eager to try was the relatively new Noble Rebel blended malt Scotch whisky line, released by Loch Lomond in 2023. This range includes three expressions: Noble Rebel Orchard Outburst, Hazelnut Harmony, and Smoke Symphony whisky.
Tag: Highland Whisky Page 1 of 13
Whisky of the Week review and tasting notes for whisky from the Highland Region in Scotland. Highland single malts are single malt Scotch whiskies produced in the Highland region of Scotland. This category includes the whiskies produced on the islands around Scotland. However it excludes Islay.
Continuing with my notes from the Loch Lomond distillery visit, I’m diving into the Loch Lomond Steam and Fire single malt Scotch whisky today.
It’s been a while since my last encounter with Macallan whisky. The last time I tasted this whisky was in December 2019, when I compared the Macallan 15 year old single malt with the Glenfiddich 15 year old single malt. That tasting emptied my bottle, and I hadn’t revisited Macallan until recently when John brought home a bottle of The Macallan Quest single malt Scotch whisky.
Macallan, one of the original farm distilleries, became legally licensed in 1824 when Alexander Reid obtained a license following the 1823 Excise Act. Over the years, it has undergone several name and ownership changes and is now owned by Edrington. This distillery is classified as a Highland distillery.
The Macallan Quest was initially released for the Travel Retail market in 2018, replacing the 1824 Collection. It belongs to a four-bottle series that includes the Macallan Lumina, Macallan Terra, and Macallan Enigma Scotch whisky.
These are all single malt whisky limited edition releases. The Macallan Quest honours the journey of sourcing the finest oak. Macallan Quest is aged in four different types of casks.
These casks include bourbon, sherry-seasoned European oak, sherry-seasoned American oak, and hogsheads. Notably, it has no age statement.
The Macallan Quest Whisky Review
ABV: 40%
REGION: Highlands
COLOUR: Pale gold
NOSE: Soft and gentle with ripe mandarin and apricot notes sprinkled with vanilla sugar, toasted oak, and hints of a light spicy bite in the background.
PALATE: The fruitiness continues with ripe mandarin and dried fruit. There’s a spicy bite with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg notes mixed with caramel sweetness. Faint vanilla and woody oak appear as well.
While the individual notes are pleasant, they feel disjointed, as if they needed more time to blend. It has a light body and tastes very young. Adding water drowns out any sweetness and leaves it watery.
FINISH: Short and sweet, with spicy cinnamon and ginger mixed with oak and dried fruit.
RATING: GOOD
Overall, the Macallan Quest single malt is a bit bland and boring. It’s not the most complex whisky and feels very young. I barely finished my glass—not because it was terrible, but because it was unmemorable.
The Quest was the most affordable bottle in the series, priced around £ 55. In comparison, the Lumina retailed for around GBP 119, the Enigma for £ 260, and the Terra for £ 133 on Master of Malt. The entire series was a NAS (no age statement) release, and it is currently sold out.
When browsing Macallan whisky prices on Master of Malt, I noticed that of the 211 Macallan whisky bottles listed, only 3% fall in the £ 0-100 category, 5% in the £ 100-200 range, 19% in the £ 200-400 range, and a staggering 73% are priced above £400.
This means that most The Macallan releases are priced above £400. Are they really that drinkable and delicious, or is it just savvy marketing?
If I had £ 55 to spend on whisky, I’d instead buy a Glengoyle or a Glendronach, knowing I’d get something drinkable and delicious.
Also Read: Bains 15 yo Sonically Matured Whisky
I looked through my social media for last year and noticed that quite a few of the bottles I tried during 2023 had green labelling. The colour unintentionally caught my eye, probably due to our move to the green island of Mauritius. Whatever the reason, it was a great excuse to start 2024 on a green note with the GlenDronach 15 yo Revival single malt Scotch whisky.
The story of GlenDronach began in 1826 when it was founded by a group led by James Allardes. The distillery was among the first to legally produce whisky under the Excise Act of 1823. The fifth Duke of Gordon played a significant role in encouraging the construction of GlenDronach, leading to its establishment.
GlenDronach, officially classified as a Highland malt, lies on the edge of the Speyside boundary. Over the years, the distillery changed hands multiple times. The owners included Walter Scott of Teaninich, Charles Grant, son of Glenfiddich’s founder, William Teacher and Sons, Allied Distillers, and Chivas Brothers.
Also Read: Glenbrynth Bourbon Cask Whisky
In 2008, BenRiach’s owners took over GlenDronach, investing £7 million in the distillery. New expressions, including a GlenDronach Peated, were introduced in 2015, showcasing the distillery’s innovative spirit.
However, in 2016, GlenDronach found a new home when the company was purchased by the renowned Jack Daniel’s producer, Brown-Forman, along with the rest of the BenRiach Distillery Company. This marked a significant chapter in GlenDronach’s history.
The GlenDronach 15 year old single malt was discontinued in 2015 due to stock shortages. However, much to the joy of whisky connoisseurs everywhere, it was re-released only 3 years later. The new edition was called Revival to celebrate the return of the release. The Revival Edition is matured in a combination of Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks. It has a natural colour.
GlenDronach has become a favourite among Sherried malt enthusiasts and has garnered a considerable following in countries like Taiwan. I loved the GlenDronach 18 year old Scotch and have also tasted the 21 year old Parlement whisky.
GlenDronach 15 year old Revival Whisky Review
COUNTRY: Scotland
ABV: 46%
COLOUR: Polished bronze
NOSE: You can’t mistake the sherry cask maturation on the nose. Ripe plums and sultanas mixed with fig jam. Dark roasted coffee and red cherries with bits of cocoa. Toasted nuts in the background with light malt and oranges.
PALATE: Buttery pastry wrapped around figs and roasted apricots. There is a sherry sweetness with hints of wood and nuts mixed with bits of cloves and nutmeg. The roasted coffee nose from the nose is still here. Honey sweetness comes forward after adding a few drops of honey and brings vanilla notes to the front.
FINISH: A long and lingering finish that ends in notes of ripe plums, cinnamon and dried fruit.
RATING: EXCELLENT
What a lovely dram. This edition is a huge step up from the GlenDronach 12 year old whisky and probably my favourite after the 18 year old release. I personally think that it is better than the 21 year old edition. I have not tasted the older GlenDronach’s, so I can’t say if it is better, but I love what this distillery does with sherry casks.
When available, this release retails for around R1600 or around GBP 65. Worth adding to your collection.
Also Read: Macallan Quest Whisky
Time for an 18 yo Highland release, so today I am looking at the GlenDronach 18 year old Allardice single malt Scotch whisky. The GlenDronach opened its doors way back in 1826. A syndicate headed by James Allardes started the distillery, and it iss located at the Dronach Burn in the Deveron area.
Ownership changed frequently and nearly all the big whisky brands owned this distillery at one stage or another. Chivas Brother, Charles Grant and William Teacher and Sons left a mark.
BenRiach’s owners purchased the GlenDronach distillery in 2008. The new owners added a visitors centre and re-launched the old core range of 12 year old, 15 year old, 18 year old and GlenDronach 21 year old whisky releases. They also introduced a Peated expression to showcase their innovative streak.
In 2016 GlenDronach (and BenRiach Distillery Company) was purchased by Brown-Forman. The GlenDronach 18 year old release is named after the distillery’s founder, James Allardice. The current Master Blender is Dr Rachel Barrie.
This single malt release was matured exclusively in ex-oloroso sherry casks and was initially released in 2009. It is not chill-filtered and of natural colour.
GlenDronach 18 year old Allardice Whisky Review
REGION: Highland
ABV: 46%
COLOUR: Burnished mahogany
NOSE: A big and rich sherry bomb. So delicious with notes of Christmas cake and fresh red berries drizzled with sugar. Chocolate covered cherries and fudge with bits of cinnamon and vanilla. Something tropical in the background mixed with raisins and lemon peel.
PALATE: Brandy soaked Christmas cake sweetness, chocolate-coated nuts, stewed fruits and allspice mixed with rich sherry. Overripe figs with bits of dried orange peel, vanilla, fresh cream and pepper.
Perfectly balanced. Chewy and delicious. I finished my first glass without water. It was just perfect! Adding water releases a bit more complexity in the dram.
FINISH: Red berries and cinnamon sugar. Complex and long.
RATING: DIVINE
Just sublime! I have no other words. The GlenDronach 18 year old single malt leaves me speechless with wonder. This Scotch whisky is everything I could dream of in a whisky. Rich, delicious and perfectly balanced. Sherry sweetness, spices and fruity notes all work together to make something bold and smooth.
For me, with my sweet palate, it ticks all the boxes. I looked up at John to see his thoughts, and I could see he feels the same. Even though he prefers a peated whisky, this sherry bomb just bowled him over.
I loved the GlenDronach 12 year old release. I think the GlenDonrach 21 year old whisky should also make an appearance on my tasting lists quite soon. In South Africa the GlenDronach 18 year old Allardice single malt retails for around R1 600 and in the UK for around £180 on Amazon.
I have done a side by side comparison between the GlenDronach 21 yoParliament release and the 18 year old whisky to see how they rate next to each other.
Also Read: Amrut Two Continents Whisky