GlenDronach Parliament 21 Years is a Highland single malt Scotch whisky made at the GlenDronach Distillery near Huntly in Aberdeenshire. It is made from 100% malted barley and matured for at least 21 years in a combination of Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. It is non-chill filtered, bottled at 48% ABV and sells for roughly $325 to $350 in the U.S.
The palate opens big and luscious, echoing toffee along with cocoa and leather, drying into an exceedingly long, complex finish that resounds with dried date, fig and cherry plus dusty cinnamon and cayenne spice.
By Richard Paterson OBE, Joel Harrison, David Stewart MBE, Becky Paskin, Sandy Hyslop (judging panel)
Rich fruitcake on the nose with sweet and spicy cloves leading to a balanced palate of dark chocolate, savoury notes and firm tannins giving complexity and balance and finishing on a long juicy raisin mouthfeel.
The chocolate fruit and nut candy bar profile is nicely balanced with the barrels spices and alcohol proof allowing the whisky to be a pleasure and not what I'd call a sticky situation.
Mexican chocolate; hot pepper; watercress; oloroso sherry gains the upper hand; a fatty red meat note hangs back, as of beef brisket; wet ash; furniture polish; ginger snaps; black strap rum; menthol (at an acceptable level); vanilla bean; dry oaky tanins that turn bitter, along with anise.
Once again, you need to step into this dance, because it’s not jumping out at you. It’s full of earthy, slightly bitter cocoa; dried cherries and figs; a little toffee; and a sliver of green oak.
Hugely sherried and sweet, thick and chewy, brimming with marzipan and toasted hazelnuts, densely fruited cake, brown sugar. There’s enough spice and oak to keep the sweetness in check.