GlenDronach 21 Year Old - Parliament Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Review/Tasting

[@WhiskyRiffs]

Thanks to simpl3lang and Robin Bezemer for pointing out that the whisky in this bottle is 25 years old because of the way GlenDronach is doing their labeling. Here's a detailed article about it: wordsofwhisky.com/glendronach-is-a-lot-older-than-the-label-says/.

[@Brad-ic4bp]

I finally bought a bottle (from the locked glass display case at Total Wine, for $270 in the Denver burbs). I'm mainly a bourbon fan, but the only scotch I drink is Glendrinach (12 year, 15 year and the Port-Cask no-age purple label). I'm picky about artificial colors, so that really narrows down my scotch options to Glendronach or Macallan. I've never seen the 18 year Glendronach anywhere, but I'm guessing that's the missing link between the 15 and 21, because the 21 tastes nothing like the 15 year. That's not a complaint - It's great, just different. The 21 is very leathery and tobacco - which is like nothing else I've ever tasted. It's great, but for the cost, I'm gonna ration it for at least a year, to keep it on my shelf.

[@WhiskyRiffs]

Hi, Brad! If you don't want E150a in a whisky, I recommend trying Bruichladdich expressions. The Classic Laddie is unpeated, has no color added, and is also not chill filtered: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rnrVZYCZl9Jrl6s. Cheers!

[@Brad-ic4bp]

@@WhiskyRiffs Thanks for the tip, and the review - I've seen the eye-catching, Tiffany's-blue Bruichladdich tube a hundred times, but never actually read it to see that it's natural color and not chill-filtered. For $51, it was a good buy - very easy-drinking, even at 50% ABV, straight or on ice.

[@WhiskyRiffs]

@@Brad-ic4bp I'm glad I could help, cheers!

[@Flurb_Xray]

Thank you for tasting this one. I have GlenDronach 21 Parliament in my collection but I keep it closed for a special occasion to open it with my father to celebrate.

[@WhiskyRiffs]

You’re welcome and I hope you and your dad enjoy it! I’d love to hear your thoughts after you do.

[@Flurb_Xray]

@@WhiskyRiffs Hi. I will do, but I can take some time :)

[@stsnoc]

I loved the intro skit and you continue to be a good watch with your clear passion for the subject. Keep it up.

[@WhiskyRiffs]

Thank you so much, Landon! I’ve been working to improve the intros and pacing. It’s so nice hear it’s working. Cheers!

[@brunovangasse2137]

Sorry that my reaction is so late to date Kevin. I have had this wonderfull whisky in my collection for some years now, and I totally agree with you. It is an exceptional whisky and certainly worth finding it, though it is sad to see that prices are so high. But when it comes down to it, a whisky like this is worth every dollar, pound or Euro you pay for it.

[@WhiskyRiffs]

No apologies necessary, Bruno. I love any comments no matter what the timing. This is actually good, now I have a reason to go back and taste this expression again. Cheers!

[@brien1301]

Fellow guitarist and Scotch lover and I'm loving this channel! Have a bottle of this stashed away. I enjoyed the 18 but wasn't blown away. The 12 is nice but I prefer the Glenallachie 12. Can't beat sherry cask finishes in my opinion, especially those from Islay.

[@WhiskyRiffs]

Shout out to the guitarists! Thanks for watching and commenting. I need to revisit the Glenallachie 12, adding it to my list. Cheers!

[@TomTubbs]

Great presentation and relaxed knowledgable style - just spending a half day digging into your back catalogue of reviews (haven’t even got to the Hibiki one that I was originally here for!). Feels almost like you could sell a kit of say 5 drams at a time of 5 whiskies you taste so we can experience these too! Probably a fun way to finish off the bottles or make a competition for new subscribers maybe. Can’t wait to see that Timelapse of you waiting the full 20 minutes breathing time hehe.

[@WhiskyRiffs]

Thanks for the kind words and for watching! So many states restrict shipping liquor that it’s not even worth the effort. It’s a shame because I’d really like to use your idea. But do let me know if there is an expression that you’d like me to review. Cheers! 🥃

[@jonathanbean7097]

This bottle is now a collectors item. I tried a 50 ml sample a couple years ago. Mind glowingly good whisky. If I can ever find one, I'd trade a guitar for it.

[@WhiskyRiffs]

Trading a guitar for it? That's a serious trade. ;) Cheers!

[@reinmenke1720]

Hi Kevin, coolest background of all whiskytubers. 👍 What's that nice blue semi hollow body? New addition to your collection?

[@WhiskyRiffs]

Thanks, Rein! Yes, the blue guitar is brand new to my collection. It’s a 2020 Epiphone Uptown Kat and has a more vintage tone from its mini Probuckers.

[@ayersfamily1034]

What’s better the 21yr or the 18yr?

[@WhiskyRiffs]

I'd love to be able to answer that question, but I haven't tried the 18 year yet. I'll add it to my list of whiskies to review, but right now it's showing a price of $160 and out of stock. The 21 year is $230 and also out of stock near me. The question comes down to: Which can you get and would the 21 be worth a price that nearly 50 percent higher?

[@simpl3lang]

Thanks for the review. What year is the bottling? (Its engraved in the back side ...on the bottom). If its a 2020 bottling then its actually 25years old.

[@WhiskyRiffs]

It's labeled as a 21 year old Scotch and time in a bottle doesn't count, since whisky stops aging after it leaves the casks. Why would you think it's older than the stated age?

[@rb1084]

@@WhiskyRiffs Because Glendronach was closed from 1996 till 2002, so what simpl3lang is saying is true. A lot of Glendronach whisky is older than what the label says. If you have a bottle from 2019 the whisky is 24 years old, 2020 makes it 25 years old. That is because it has to be distilled before 1996. (2020-21 years = 1999, but during 1999 they didn’t make any whisky, so it’s at least from before 1996). The same is the case by the 18 years Allardice, which now in 2020 is reset again to 18 years btw.

[@WhiskyRiffs]

@@rb1084 Hi Robin! Thanks for adding this explanation. The printed backside date is 2020/06/16. But I'm still confused why the date is reset. Why would a distillery not count years in a cask, even during a closure? As long as a whisky is in a barrel, the years count. For example, Bruichladdich was shut down for several years before restarting in 2001, but my 1990 Black Art bottle shows "Aged 26 years" on it. I'm not saying that you and @simpl3lang are wrong, just that I'm confused why this date gap isn't included in the age statement.

[@rb1084]

@@WhiskyRiffs Hi Whisky Riffs, In fact it happens more, when a whisky is bottled out of different batches/casks then some times the distillery puts some older whisky in, so what the label means is that at least the youngest whisky in the bottle is 21 years. Ofcourse with single cask bottelings this is different and more acurate. In this case of Glendronach, what i understand is that they wanted to continue the old labels, in a lot of the Glendronach reviews on youtube they talk about it, i will give you an interesting link where you can also see a diagram with the exact age statements for your botteling. Here is a review of the 21 (2019 botteling) where they explain this Glendronach situation. Excuse for my poor English, gr. from The Netherlands.

[@WhiskyRiffs]

@@rb1084 Your English is good, Robin. Thank you for this explanation. I am aware of the "youngest cask" rule for whisky labels, I've just never heard of a distiller not using the full maturation age of the younger cask. Cheers!

[@peterwhite507]

Glendro 21 and SRV riff, subscribed!

[@WhiskyRiffs]

Thanks! Let me know if there are drams you want reviewed. Cheers. 🥃🎸

[@vangstr]

It’s $340 USD now in 2023.

[@WhiskyRiffs]

Yikes! That's way too high. Thanks for sharing the pricing.