Glendronach 21 Year Old Parliament Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Category Winner at the 2020 World Whisky Awards.
Anyone looking to experience 'old school' sherry styles without a $500+ outlay should try this.

Matured in a combination of Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks for a minimum of 21 years. Bottled at 48%, the 'Parliament' is named after the colony, or ‘parliament’, of rooks that have been nesting in the trees that overlook the GlenDronach distillery for almost 200 years.

Tasting note: [2015 batch] A whisky that needs plenty of air to show its best. We recommend at least ten minutes in the glass to take off the initially sharp acidic edge. Just like the 18 year old, it rewards focus and long attention. Deep copper with gold ochre edges. Opening sniff issues a gentle nose prickle and detects mild sulphur. A little disjointed in the first few minutes, air contact releases a classic Glendronach rush including raisin cake, candied orange, dried apricot, dates as well as cocoa, damp cedar and walnut slice. In the mouth, aeration seems to reduce the initial bittersweet attack, in fact, this gets better and better with exposure and continues to richen up. Overall on the drier side, it unfolds with dark chocolate, gently bitter peel, hints of hazelnut underscored by warming spirit, spicy wood tannins with the latent sugars emphasised on the finish as ginger bread, trademark fruit cake and trace sulphur linger with deceptive length. Terrifically complex. Anyone looking to experience 'old school' sherry styles without a $500+ outlay should try this - a near extinct breed in its price bracket. 48% Alc./Vol.

Other reviews... Part of the core range from GlenDronach, Parliament has been aged in a mix of oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks and is non-chill filtered. Quite sweet sherry on the nose, with fresh leather, nutty peach notes, cloves, and pepper. Rich sherried fruits on the full palate, with more pepper, ginger, and plain chocolate. The finish is long, with licorice and oak tannins. Not to be rushed! 93 points whiskyadvocate.com, Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2017)