🥃 GlenDronach 12 Year Old
The entry age line of The GlenDronach: 12 years, 43% ABV, aged in Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks; relaunched in 2009.
GlenDronach 12 Year Old, called «Original» in older descriptions, is the entry age line of the Highland single malt The GlenDronach. According to Difford's Guide and VinePair, its strength is 43% ABV. Tasting notes mention stewed fruit, ginger cake, raisins, cinnamon and dark cherries, with the sweet sherry character meeting dry, spicy oak on the palate.
According to Difford's Guide, the whisky matures for at least 12 years in Spanish casks that once held Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry. It is not chill-filtered and has no added caramel. The line was relaunched in 2009. Both main sources name sherry casks, but the exact cask mix of a given batch is best checked on the label.
Why this matters to you. This is the easiest way to get to know the brand's sherry style: compare it with the 15-year Revival and the 18-year Allardice, where age and cask mix differ. New bottles may leave out the word «Original», so look at the age and strength instead. The WHO reminds us: there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | line relaunched in 2009 (Difford's Guide) |
|---|---|
| Raw material | malted barley |
| Cask type | casks that held Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry (Difford's Guide, VinePair) |
| Minimum maturation | 12 years |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 43% ABV (Difford's Guide, VinePair) |
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890) (Single Malt Scotch Whisky; Highland) |
| EU category | 2 — whisky/whiskey |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 GlenDronach 12 Year Old → packed in → 🍷 Oak barrel ← packed in ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🍷 Sherry
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 The GlenDronach, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Highland whisky
- Similar and different
- 🥃 GlenDronach 15 Year Old Revival, 🥃 GlenDronach 15 Year Old Revival, 🥃 GlenDronach 21 Year Old Parliament, 🥃 GlenDronach 21 Year Old Parliament
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that GlenDronach 12 matures in sherry casks?
Yes, according to Difford's Guide and VinePair: in casks that held Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry.
What is the strength of GlenDronach 12 Year Old?
43% ABV according to Difford's Guide and VinePair.
Is GlenDronach 12 chill-filtered?
No, according to Difford's Guide the whisky is not chill-filtered and has no added caramel.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🥃 GlenDronach 15 Year Old Revival — Line of The GlenDronach: 15 years, 46% ABV, sherry-cask maturation; first version 2009, return in 2018 with a changed recipe.
- 🍷 Drunk driving — Never drive after drinking wine: alcohol slows your reactions.
Similar
🥃 GlenDronach 18 Year Old Allardice · 🥃 GlenDronach 15 Year Old Revival · 🥃 GlenDronach 21 Year Old Parliament · 🥃 The Glenturret 12 Year Old · 🥃 The Glenturret Triple Wood · 🥃 Bunnahabhain 18 Year Old
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Difford's Guide: GlenDronach 12 Year Old 'Original' (43 % ABV; at least 12 years in Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks; relaunched 2009; non-chill filtered, no added caramel)
- VinePair: The GlenDronach The Original 12 Year (43 % ABV; Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks; Highland single malt)
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: definition and categories of Scotch Whisky (Scotland, oak up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)
Also listed under
- SpiritsWhiskyScotch WhiskyHighland whisky
- SpiritsWhiskyScotch WhiskyThe GlenDronach
- SpiritsWhiskyThe GlenDronach