Glendronach 1990 28 year Pedro Ximenez Puncheon Single Cask #7905

Today i got the news that i have won the Distiller's app award for Rookie of the Year, a new category, for people who recently joined Distiller and have the most amount of reviews in one year. It is something worthy of a celebration, so i decided to open a sample of a Glendronach 28yo, single Barrel, Px Puncheon from 1990, Cask #7905, Bottle 6 of 660. I believe not only that Glendronach is arguably the best distillery of Scotland, but also that their single cask series are amazing. I have never had an older Glendronach, i have bottled a 26yo one myself when visiting the distillery, but 28yo is the oldest i have ever had from them. Bottled at 51.7%abv, chesnut color. On the nose, it is more similar to the Parliament 21yo than it is to Allardice 18yo. Starts very winey, with dried and dehydrated fruits, like raisins. Then one of the most amazing red fruits aroma notes i have ever had in a whisky appeared, just wonderful. Chocolate and hazelnut. It feels... dusty. It is like sawdust is surrounding every aroma note. Chocolate butter, almonds and sweet plums. After a first sip, the dried fruitiness is overwhelming, but it is strong on the nose, this is no sweet, tender dram. Some lemon citrusness emerges out of nothing, that was very nice. It feels mostly nutty and woody. The first sip is perfection. What an incredible red fruit flavor, like strawberries, but it quickly turns into an atomic chilli bomb. The spiciness is there right from the start, a strong, pleasant one. Berries, tannins. Very astringent. Very spicy. Oak spicy, pepper and chilli. Aftertaste felt overly oaked. Very, very dry, woody, sawdust. There is a slight ginger note, it is super dry, like licking a paper. Second sip, gave me a chocolate and hazelnut finish, but still very spicy and oaky. Powerful. Overall, i got to say i am definitively a hardcore fan of Glendronach, and even if i recognize this one as a great whisky, it is far from the best "Glendro" i have ever had. It felt overly oaked. Too wood. If you have read my reviews before, you'll know i don't usually use notes as "oaky" or "woody" unless there is a really overload of that. Having said that, my score for it is a fair 89 over 100.

Delicious stuff. Nose: Raisins, Figs, Dates, Cherries, Dark Chocolate, Treacle, Cinnamon, Hazlenuts, Nutmeg, Cloves, Licorice, Sultanas, Bananas, Strawberries, Raspberry Jam, Coffee, Oranges, Lavender, Vanilla Palate: Raisins, Dark Chocolate, Toffee, Red Apples, Prunes, Dates, Coffee, Oranges, Figs, Nutella, Walnuts, Licorice, Cloves, Pepper, Nutmeg Finish: Raisins, Plums, Cherries, Dark Chocolate, Oranges, Mulled Wine, Cranberries, Red Apples, Blackberries, Toffee

Superb! Truly my preferred 'dronach so far. If I get my hands on this bottle (trying a sample) that's a buy and keep. Amazing stuff.