Glendronach 1995 19 year Cask 3292

I read a blog where the authors frequently complain about the secondary market and bottle flipping. While it's a valid point to raise occasionally (and it's a good blog otherwise), they discuss it so much that they risk becoming tedious. More importantly, they're mistaken. There's enough good whisky available that I believe the harm from flipping is exaggerated, and if some individuals prefer to keep bottles unopened, they have the right to that enjoyment. A friend of mine still has original Star Wars toys in their packaging, and no one accuses him of denying children their fun. Personally, I've never had difficulty finding the bottles I desire, even the limited editions. It simply requires effort, some online savvy, and quick reflexes. And if some people want to spend exorbitant amounts on Pappy, then I say let them part with their money foolishly. An occasional sample at a whisky event is sufficient for me. But my main reason for defending the secondary market is that I'm convinced it does more good than harm. Consider the whisky I'm discussing here: a bottle I purchased from someone who acquired it at auction, which I then shared with several others at cost. Without the secondary market (or more accurately in this instance, the tertiary), I would never have considered trying this whisky, let alone had the chance to buy it. But thanks to the two or more resellers who facilitated this transaction, my fellow purchasers and I have now gained a more refined understanding and appreciation of Glendronach and learned more about the characteristics of an extended PX sherry maturation. Everyone benefits, including the distillery. The bottle in question isn't precisely the one listed, but it's close enough not to require a separate entry. Cask 3804 was also distilled in 1995 and aged for 19 years in a PX sherry puncheon. It yielded 694 bottles at 54.2% ABV, exclusively sold under the Whiskybase.com label. It appears a deep rosewood color and gives off aromas of peanut skins, orange oil, pencil shavings, and maple syrup, with a hint of vapor rub. There's marmalade and caramel on the palate, along with a touch of marzipan, but the flavors are tightly integrated and difficult to distinguish. The finish is long, oily, and sweet. It drinks smoothly without water, and is no worse for it. Overall, it's a fine example of extended sherry aging, though the palate was a bit too rich for my liking, and I didn't feel the need for more than the 5oz I kept from the shared bottle. But if this sounds like your preference, the good news is that another bottle or one similar to it will likely become available at auction eventually. And that's something to be thankful for.