New 8 Years Old Single Malt from GlenDronach

Award-winning GlenDronach has proudly launced The Hielan’, a stunning new 8 years old Highland single malt from its Forgue, Aberdeenshire, distillery.

This innovative expression, specially selected by master blender Billy Walker to complement the distillery’s burgeoning range of outstanding malts, has been lovingly matured and married in a combination of the finest bourbon and sherry casks.
 
The intriguing name is a heartfelt tip of the hat to the extraordinary Forgue distillery, GlenDronach’s spiritual home in the Highlands and one of Scotland’s oldest distilleries. Founded in 1826 by the inventor, pioneer and entrepreneur James Allardice to produce ‘the guid GlenDronach’, it has been instrumental in creating some of the world’s finest richly sherried malts.
 
The 8 years old The Hielan’ is a phenomenal, fragrant whisky, redolent of spices, sultanas, raisins, butterscotch and sweet sherry. Billy Walker’s tasting notes show this remarkable expression, at 46% ABV, is set to become yet another stellar GlenDronach.
 
Appearance: Amber with a burnished copper glow.
Nose: Rounded waves of orange blossom and a citrus twist flow over buttery, golden sultanas, sundried raisins and ripe yellow plums, all dusted with a touch of vanilla.
Palate: Crisp, vibrant oak spices warm soaked sultanas, apricot jam and gingerbread; all rounded by delicate hints of butterscotch, cocoa and toasted almonds.
Finish: Classic sherry overtones with a contrasting crisp dimension demonstrate the complexity of the traditional Highland character.
 
GlenDronach’s selection of malts ranges from twelve years through fifteen, eighteen, twenty-one and twenty-four to the Recherché at 44 years old, but there was a gap in the market for an 8 years old to lead into the portfolio.
 
Its sweet, creamy taste and classic sherry signature tell you immediately it is a very fine GlenDronach, a rich and immensely satisfying dram which delivers in the mouth exactly what it promises on the nose.

9 June 2015 - Rebecca Sterritt Paragraph Publishing, content manager