A Dying Revival - Glendronach 15 'Revival'

Given the reputation of Glendronach as a fruity sherry bomb, I often categorise it as a Speysider in my head, and thus, have to frequently correct my pre-conceptions when approaching a Glendronach. Glendronach is, in fact, a Highlander, though it does produce very well-sherried whiskies. The Highland characteristic is more obvious in the less-sherried offerings, such as the 8 year old 'Hielan', and the 12 year old. However, it is the sherry bomb that makes the Glendronach, and I was able to try the whisky that relaunched Glendronach original bottlings some years back - the 15 year old 'Revival'.

The 'Revival' came out circa 2009, and immediately was received with much acclaim. It was excellent whisky, garnering a score of 92 from Serge Valentin of whiskyfun.com (this review is written independently, in case you were wondering). That's massive for a regular OB. What cemented its cult status was its pricing - it was available for between $130 to 160 in Singapore, which translates to...roughly...50 sterling pounds or so, back in the day. Great price for great stuff.

Naturally, it flew off the shelves, and became discontinued. Probably due to the drying up of old stocks that go into the Revival. So, the Revival is dead, and we await what the new owners will do to Glendronach distillery.

This dram was tasted at, where else, the Auld Alliance. They had previously ran out of Glendronach 15, but it's suddenly back on the menu. I checked the bottle, and found a Japanese label on the back. Did they buy this from Japan? Wow. Such dedication. It's sold out in Singapore already.

The whisky itself!

Glendronach 15 'Revival' (46% abv)

Colour - Almost mahogany. A rich darkness that immediately reveals its sherry influence.

Nose - Rich sherry notes. Give it some time to breath, and it reveals a stunning depth. There's a light wood influence, a hint of saltiness and toffee notes. Raisins, as expected. Light spice...cinnamon. And slightly herby too. Think...cumin? Malty and slightly sulphurous as well. How do you pack so much into a 15 year old nosing? This is astounding. It develops and grows and opens up, and floors you with great complexity, depth, development, variation...I could sniff this all day.

Palate - Rich sherry notes flood the senses. Give it some time...it's a little spicy and sulphurous. Cinnamon...and a little peppery. Parsley and cumin stay around too. The spices keep the whisky fresh. That's important in a heavily sherried whisky, as they can become too thick and brooding. Rich raisins and prunes. Reminders of dark chocolate. Light wafts of orange zest, and a little charred wood.

Finish - Big fruitiness on a long finish - raisins and jam. Pretty sweet. Spices grow - same profile of spices as on the palate. Finishes on a light smokiness.

Overall - This is great. While the stated age is 15, I think the average age is much higher - closer to 20, if I were to hazard a guess. The use of old stock would partially explain why it's no longer in production, a conjecture proposed by EP which I agree with. Such a pity. Thank goodness I got to try this at least once. Great whisky that used to be at a great price.