Story and two images follow.

ALAN CLARK
 
TWO NEW GLENDRONACH “FASCINATING AND FABULOUS” CASKS SNAPPED UP BY BANFF’S PARKER’S WHISKY

http://www.glendronachdistillery.com/

http://www.parkerswhisky.co.uk/

GLENDRONACH has made available two single cask bottlings to Banff-based Parker’s Whisky, providing 1200 stunning bottles from 1992 and 1994.
 
One is a GlenDronach 1992 Single Cask, Cask # 401. It was distilled 10 July 1992, bottling July 2009, aged 17 years old, and matured in Oloroso Sherry Butt with a cask strength of 58.8%.
 
The other is a GlenDronach 1994 Single Cask, Cask # 2311. It was distilled 25 November 1994, bottling July 2009, aged 14 years old, and matured in Oloroso Sherry Puncheon with a cask strength of 58.5%.
 
They are the first single cask distillery bottlings to be made available in the UK since Glendronach was purchased last year by Billy Walker and his associates at the BenRiach Distillery Company Ltd.
 
Available from late July, each 70cl bottle is individually numbered by hand and contains personal Tasting Notes from the author of the Whisky Bible, Jim Murray.
 
GlenDronach Regional Sales Director Alistair Walker said: “Richard Parker approached us with his interest in bottling a cask of GlenDronach towards the end of last year, before we had even started looking at our own selection of single casks to bottle, so it’s fair to say he was pretty quick off the mark.
 
“We were delighted to make these two casks available to Richard, as GlenDronach is the local distillery for Banff and Parker’s has been a good supporter of both of our malt brands, GlenDronach and BenRiach, over the last three or four years. The casks were personally selected by Richard himself and he clearly has good taste, as the chosen casks are truly exceptional.”
 
Richard Parker said: “This is a big coup for us. We sampled a number of different GlenDronach casks and found two we especially liked. But they were so good, we couldn’t choose between them so we ended up bottling both! We just came along at the right time and I’m delighted to say they’re pre-selling really well.”
 
Concluding that the malts are “fascinating and fabulous”, Jim Murray’s tasting notes underline how special and extraordinary the bottlings are – apparently the drams he tasted almost brought tears to his eyes! Selected excerpts from Jim’s tasting notes follow:
 
GlenDronach 1994 cask 2311
 
Nose – playfully light… fragile barley… lazy nuttiness…
Taste – mouth-watering barley pounds the tastebuds relentlessly from the start… a lively character…
Finish – minty chocolate… hazelnuts and vanilla… considerable length…
Balance – quite unique to this little-known distillery… fascinating and fabulous!
 
GlenDronach 1992 cask 401
 
Nose – Molasses sweetens the high roast Java…
Taste – the palate is swamped in luxuriant, lush sugar-coated burnt raisins…
Balance – ultra distinctive… unmistakable rum character on a sherry theme… a memorable and massive malt
Finish – excellent soft oils… a long fade… juicy barley finale…
 
Our pictures show the two bottlings.
 
For more information, contact sales@parkerswhisky.co.uk
 
ends                                                                                  16 July 2009
 
INFORMATION – Alistair Walker, 01324 682220
                                  – Richard Parker, 01261 812353