For those who like their Scotch defined as much by the ex-sherry barrel aging as the liquid itself, you’re in luck: The Glendronach recently announced two new ultra-aged expressions of their renowned single malt Scotch whisky, The Glendronach 30-Year-Old and a 40-Year-Old, 2025 Edition.
Known for its sherry cask maturation, The Glendronach — located in the Valley of Forgue in the Scottish Highlands — has been crafting single malts continuously since 1826, with one break from 1996 to 2002 (meaning, the new expressions use barrels predating the brief shutdown). Most of its acclaim has come recently: The brand released its flagship 12-, 15- and 18-year-old bottles in 2009, and in 2016, drinks giant Brown-Forman purchased The Glendronach and appointed Rachel Barrie as master blender (Dr. Barrie was a previous Whisky Master Blender of the Year winner for InsideHook).
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Rachel Barrie already broke barriers in the spirits world. Now, she’s crafted our favorite Scotch of 2020.The distillery ages its spirits in rare Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso Spanish oak sherry casks, each selected exclusively from the bodegas of Andalucía, Spain. The new expressions are both older than The Glendronach’s core releases (though they’re not the oldest ever from the distillery) and offer something a bit different. In particular, The Glendronach 30-Year-Old is aged in Pedro Ximénez, Oloroso and, for the first time, Amontillado sherry casks.
“With the 30-Year-Old, we have composed a symphony from our most historic sherry cask styles,” Barrie said in a statement. “Three decades of maturation have resulted in a sublime and charming single malt, with generous layers of rich and complex character. It is the ultimate expression of our dedication to the art of sherry cask maturation.”
The 40-year expression, meanwhile, is composed of a small number of hand-selected casks from 1978, 1983 and 1984, married for four decades in Spanish oak Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. Here, the deviation is more about the presentation — the 2025 Edition is housed in a box crafted from dark-stained rosewood, featuring brass handles and resting on a golden plinth.
We were able to try a small sample of each. The 30-Year-Old ($1,300 | ABV 46.8%) features a velvety mix of rich milk chocolate, cherry, hazelnut and caramel. As someone who’s hit or miss on the sherry-forward Scotches, I think this is a home run and offers something unique. The 40-Year-Old, 2025 Edition ($6,700 | ABV 43.9%) leans a bit more into the classic sherry-cask profile, full of dried fruits, dark chocolate, ginger, cherry and a pleasant nuttiness.
Both expressions are available “in select global markets” starting Tuesday, September 9.
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