GlenDronach Forgue 10 Year

There’s something new out of GlenDronach Distillery: an age-statement, travel retail release that was blended by Rachel Barrie and dropped on the masses seemingly right after she re-blended the old, fan favorite Revival 15. This one is named Forgue, that’s the name of the valley that the distillery is located in, and it’s also a 10 year old single malt. I picked this up while shopping online for $78 for a 1L bottle. It contains malt aged in both PX and Oloroso sherry casks, but I don’t believe they were first fill- it’s just too pale for that to be the case. Speaking of color, it’s a pale yellow gold in the Glencairn, with a slight sunset redness glimmering though and it leaves behind watery legs and large drops around the edges of the glass. Evidence of the lower than usual 43% ABV. The nose starts with fresh-pressed, red berries and a hint of grape must. There’s toffee and some spicy oak with just a bit of spark from the alcohol content. The hotter notes subsided the longer it sat and later on throughout the bottle the harshness really faded away. The palate starts strong with orange wedges and zest, vine-ripened raspberries and grape, sherry cask influences. Typical GlenDronach, just more restrained. Apple peel and maple syrup materialized later into the bottle as well, as I have to say this young whisky really oxidized quite well. There was always a dusty oak presence even with an oily mouth coat- and this aspect was the only negative I really found on the tongue and into the finish. The finish carried on with the orange flavors while mixing in more toffee and nutmeg spice. The lingering, medium finish rounded out with an excellent gingersnap cookie taste. Overall, this was much better than I expected. The 2 years lost doesn’t hurt this whisky compared to what I remember most about the 12. The price point isn’t very good, but you do get a little more whisky for your money, so it’s a bit of a trade off. It’s still a travelers and collectors trap simply because it’s not widely available and it will cause GD fanboys to chase it more than they should. If you’re a casual GlenDronach drinker I’d say you can stick to the 12, but if you’re obsessed with trying everything you can get your hands on then this one should be on your radar. 3.75 stars, with a quarter point deducted because of the price and hoops you have to jump through to land a bottle. Cheers.

It has happened: Glendronach is releasing travel retail exclusives. So, i cannot longer say this is my hipster whisky, but i can certainly keep my opinion, that Glendronach makes the best whisky there is. I am a fan, and a very paranoid one. Therefore, i was a little scared when they released this, i thought quality will be bad and this will be the first step into ruining my favorite distillery. I was mistaken. This 10yo expression, called Forgue because that is the name of the village where the distillery stands, is a very well crafted whisky and one you can buy without regrets. Bottled at 43%abv, tawny color. On the nose: Dark chocolate, Plums, Vanilla powder; Certain citrus aromas like oranges, Grapes and Candied fruits. Vanilla cookies, Hazelnut. There is this overall sweetness with no alcohol note. After first sip maraschino cherries appear. Great. On the palate, it is very tropical, unlike any other Glendronachs. Spicy, Orange juice, Pineapple and Tropical fruits. Aftertaste is great. Tobacco notes; Bitter. Burnt dry grass, Lovely rewarding finish. Even a puff of smoke can be found. Overall this is a great whisky for $60 and for its age. Is a good expression to open the doors of this distillery to travel retail exclusives. 89 over 100.

I got this courtesy of my good buddy @LeeEvolved. Thanks Lee for the pour. So...Lee’s notes on this are spot on. Nothing offensive about this, and nothing to blow your socks away. It’s a good no-fuss standard everyday dram. Light color—like gold. Maybe 2nd fill casks? Weak nose of roasted nuts. Indicative of sherry... no surprise there being a GD. Straightforward vanilla, some oak and shortbread on the palette. It’s simple and one dimensional—and there’s nothing wrong with that. It can go head to head with a Balvenie 12 and maybe even better than a Macallan 12. The knock on it though is the price. Close to $70 is premium territory—and at that price, you can do much better ( Kilkerran 12, Ardbeg 10, Laphroaig 10). That leads me to think this is solely targeted towards die-hard GD fans. Rest of us—move on, you can do better at the same price.

Brown-Forman's recent stock performance mirrors GlenDronach's fall from grace, and overpriced travel retail bottlings like Forgue show you why. A bit bumpy but still pleasant, the nose greets with grapes, prunes and baking spices, mingling with porridge, cantaloupe and hints of sulfur. The fruity arrival offers canned peaches, oranges and ginger, but there is a spirity/sharp undertone that never disappears. Dried fruits, almonds and a touch of IPA subside in the hot finish. This malt wasn't ready yet, so you have to ask yourself: why invest in disappointment? RATING: 3.0/5.0 stars ≙ 79 pts → AVERAGE

A step up from The Glendronach 12 y.o. Both finished in Pedro Ximenez. Very mellow cocoa/hot chocolate on the nose with hints of spice. Toffee and dried fruits on the palate. Good rich nutty heartwarming finish.

Ah Glendronach. When Billy Walker was in charge you wouldn't be pumping out garbage like this. It's not terrible but it is disjointed, bland etc. Avoid.