GlenDronach 9 Year Old 2002 PX Sherry ‘Cask in a Van IV’

Cask in a Van is a concept from GlenDronach in which they tour Belgium with a cask of whisky in their van. With the enforcement of the new law, this was no longer possible in 2012. But the GlenDronach boys found a solution. They had already decanted the cask into a plastic container and put that in the back of their van. Not as romantic, maybe, but the whisky remained great. Last summer, this was a Pedro Ximenez sherry puncheon (a 500 liter cask) that was put to sleep in 2002.

At first, I get a big prickle of alcohol on the nose. Once past that I get a nice mix of honey, Turkish delight, hints of oak and a mild touch of candied sugar. Gooseberries and walnuts take care of a slightly sour and bitter note. Nice balance. Hint of balsamico and espresso. Almond paste.

It is very creamy on the palate. Good mouthfeel, great body. Vanilla and crème brûlee precede dark fruit and loads of spices. Woodspice, cloves, pinch of saffron. A litte more oak towards the end.

In the long finish, which is nicely warming, the spices clamour for attention.

This is a spicy GlenDronach, that surprised me mostly with its good balance at this young age. This was the fourth edition of the Cask in a Van tour.

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