Glendronach Uncorks New 30- and 40-Year-Old Single Malt Whiskies
The Glendronach 30-Year-Old retails for $1,300, and is bottled at 46.8 percent ABV. Glendronach 40-Year-Old 2025, which is bottled at 43.9 percent ABV, retails for $6,700.
One of the most respected whiskies in the Scottish Highlands is releasing two incredible new whiskies this month. Glendronach distillery will launch Glendronach 30-Year-Old and Glendronach 40-Year-Old worldwide, with a modest supply of this rare liquid coming to the U.S. market. If you’ve never heard the Glendronach name before, it’s likely due to some gatekeeping. Glendronach is one of the great Highland whiskies — an oily, rich single malt often defined by a deep and intense sherry profile. Glendronach is perhaps the name in so-called sherry bombs — whiskeys bursting with the deep, velvety fruit and dessert characters of Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez sherry finishes.
Glendronach 30-Year-Old, referred to as “A Symphony of Sherry Casks,” is a blend of several sherry styles. In addition to the Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez casks that Glendronach is known for, this bottle will feature a portion of Amontillado in the blend for the first time in the distillery’s history. It’s a style of sherry known for its nutty and tobacco notes. Judging by master blender Rachel Barrie’s tasting notes, these might be some of the best bottles from Glendronach in years. 30-Year-Old has a “dark cherry walnut” color, with a rich nose of cherries, raisins, dates, brazil nut toffee, and caramel. On the palate, it’s described as “seductively smooth,” with flavors of glazed cherry, cinnamon raisin, toffee, and chocolate hazelnut cafe creme.
As for Glendronach 40-Year-Old (which is being called “The Pinnacle of Artistry”), it’s a new achievement in the distillery’s mastery of PX and Oloroso blending. Notes provided by Glendronach describe the 40-Year-Old as deep and dark in color, and plush and velvety in texture. The color is described as black ochre, and aromas of black cherry, blackberry, stewed plum, and sherry soaked chocolate cake will be your first experiences with this liquid. On the palate, blackcurrant, bramble compote, prune, raisin, and mexican hot chocolate echo those aromas.
Glendronach has been making moves in the lead-up to a major anniversary. The distillery, which turns 200 next year, refreshed its entire portfolio last year with fresh branding. In the past several years, Glendronach has also debuted new collections and retooled some of its classic blends under the supervision of Barrie. Getting your hands on this newest liquid is certainly going to be a challenge due to the limited production volumes for each bottle; there are only 1,300 bottles for the 30-Year available for the U.S. market, and as for the 40-Year, well, there are just 70 bottles.
The new Glendronach 30-Year-Old has a suggested retail price of $1,300, and is bottled at 46.8 percent ABV. Glendronach 40-Year-Old 2025, which is bottled at 43.9 percent ABV, will retail for $6,700. The bottles are available starting today, September 9th, though actual availability may vary market to market. Likewise, prices will likely rise — there are a lot of Glendronach lovers out there.
If you’re not in the running for either of these bottles, though, I’d highly recommend a much more affordable pour from their portfolio, the Glendronach 18 at around $250. A pour of that liquid will be the easiest way to understand why these two bottles are going to be so hard to find.
G. Clay Whittaker is a Maxim contributor covering lifestyle, whiskey, cannabis and travel. His work has also appeared in Bon Appetit, Men’s Journal, Cigar Aficionado, Playboy and Esquire. Subscribe to his newsletter Drinks & Stuff for single malt and other whisky trends, perspectives on drinks, and stuff.