WORLD CUP MEMORIES KICK OFF AS GLENDRONACH RELEASES NEW SINGLE CASK BOTTLINGS
 
WITH WORLDWIDE football fever coming to the boil in the next twenty-four hours, there’s a strong World Cup link to the seven vintages comprising the second batch of GlenDronach’s single cask bottlings released this month.
 
Amongst the seven single malt vintages from the Aberdeenshire distillery, there are two notorious World Cup years – 1978 and 1990.
 
GlenDronach’s Regional Sales Director Alistair Walker said: “If you’re a Scot, you shudder at the memory of 1978…and then laugh uncontrollably at the absurdity of the campaign. It’s synonymous with euphoria, despair, brilliance, incompetence, bad haircuts and mad optimism.
 
“Argentina were the hosts, Scotland was the only home nation represented and the squad left these shores with overblown expectations. The effervescent manager Ally McLeod said we were going to win the World Cup.
 
“And then disaster ensued, followed by near-redemption – humiliation at the hands of Peru and Iran followed by Archie Gemmell’s wonder goal against Holland in the final game.
 
“Fast forward to 1990 when Italy were the hosts and Scotland were back in the competition. It was the year of Toto Schilachi, Pavarotti, Gazza’s tears in the semi-final, Roger Milla, and Scotland’s further humiliation at the hands of Costa Rica followed by an amazing victory over Sweden.”
 
Alistair quipped: “But there is some good news; Scottish fans of GlenDronach will be relieved to know we were unable to find a 1966 vintage!
 
“And in retrospect, maybe it was a mistake not to release a 1986 vintage in honour of Maradona’s “Hand of God” or finding a 1982 to celebrate Dave Narey’s 25-yard toe-poke against Brazil!
 
“The truth is we Scots have yet to realise our true potential in footballing terms, but we’re pretty good at producing single malts like GlenDronach. We hope that as our customers raise a glass from this batch to their lips, they’ll recall some of the World Cup memories we’ve highlighted…and it might help them forget some of the tragedies!”

NOTES 
 
This is the second batch of single cask bottlings to be released by GlenDronach since the distillery changed ownership in 2008.
 
The seven vintages are 1971, 1972, 1978, 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1993. 
 
71, 72, 90 and 93 were matured in Oloroso sherry butts, 78 in an Oloroso sherry puncheon and 89 and 91 in Pedro Ximinez sherry puncheons.
 
On the nose, they range from “a fruit-laden basket containing brambles, apples and candied orange peel” to “bitter chocolate orange with balanced earthy notes”.
 
And on the palate, the taste sensations range from “liquorice and cloves” to “walnut, baked apples and sweet prunes”.
 
For more information, go to www.glendronachdistillery.com
 
Ends                         10 June 2010
 
INFORMATION – Alistair Walker, 01324 682220