GlenDronach The Hielan' 8 Year

A friend gifted me this GlenDronach 8 year old, a U.K. exclusive, for my birthday. I opened it in October and have savored it over the past weeks. Bottled at 46% ABV, this non-chill filtered spirit presents a natural yellow-gold hue. It's matured in a mix of sherry and bourbon casks, a departure from GlenDronach's signature full sherry aging. Let's see what the 8-year-old stock can do. Before nosing, a heads-up: this requires patience. It's a 'slow breather' that needs to be approached gently to appreciate its nuances. Rushing it results in a muddled experience, unlike some whiskies that benefit from aggressive nosing. The nose offers rich, dark, fruity sherry notes: apricots, dates, raisins, figs, and tangerines. It's like cinnamon-drenched, syrup-laden buttered pancakes. Intense oak transitions from refined to sharp and spicy, then back, with enough wood spice to counter the sweetness. Milk chocolate, salted caramels, and full sherry dominate, with barely a hint of bourbon casks. Creamy vanilla, grassy notes, almonds, and hazelnut appear, alongside red berries and chocolate oranges. Bourbon notes emerge with air, presenting as mint, fennel, and more cinnamon. It's remarkably complex for its age, making me wonder about the inclusion of older casks. The palate is spicy, a GlenDronach characteristic, with strong black tea and dark sherry. Chocolate, anise, and dark caramel are present. Dark fruits like dates, raisins, prunes, grapes, and black cherries emerge, along with red wine notes, spicy oak, and a subtle bourbon presence. Cloves, cinnamon, heavily toasted nuts, ginger, and apricots round it out. The palate can be a bit sharp, revealing its youth, but it remains highly enjoyable. A medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, creamy and shifting from mouthwatering to dry. The finish is medium in length, featuring sherry, oak, wood spice, and a dry character. The spice has a lasting presence. Despite being an 8-year-old, this doesn't taste young. I suspect older stock, perhaps 12-15 years, is blended with the majority of 8-year-old spirit. The bourbon maturation brings a new dimension to GlenDronach, adding depth. It's unfortunate this isn't widely available, especially at its modest price of around $36, making it a must-buy. GlenDronach is now a favorite Highland distillery, and this bottling is a significant achievement. Thanks again to my friend; this was excellent. The occasional palate harshness slightly impacts the score, but it's a solid 4. Cheers

So, I abstained from alcohol for Lent. Today is Easter. Despite the global pandemic, I managed over 40 days through this period, reading all your excellent reviews and resisting the urge to raid my own collection. After such a dry spell, what do you pour for yourself? A Macallan 18? A Glendronach 21? Wild Turkey Rare Breed? No, friends, instead, I present the humble Glendronach 8 Year Old, "The Hielan'." This bottling is exclusively available in Europe for Glendronach, and unlike their usual sherry-aged process, this one is matured in a mix of bourbon and sherry casks (more on that later). Since I'm not in Europe, I purchased it from Fine Drams, the only online vendor that ships to Texas, for a total of $32. A great deal for a Glendronach. It pours a striking golden amber color, is not chill-filtered, has natural color, and is bottled at 46% ABV. I'm tasting a neck pour here and anticipate it will develop further over time, with subsequent reviews to follow. The nose exhibits Glendronach's signature spice and creamy malt. It's comparable to the GD 12 Year, but with added caramel and vanilla notes from the bourbon barrels. It's also more spirit-forward, which is expected given its young age. I suspect the blend contains more bourbon barrels than sherry barrels, as the sherry influence is barely noticeable on the nose, which is unusual for Glendronach, a distillery typically known for its sherry-forward expressions. Upon tasting, the palate is coating and creamy, reflecting the classic Glendronach profile, but it's light and effervescent. There's very little fruit. The finish starts soft, but the alcohol content eventually makes its presence known, leaving a slightly astringent note that lingers, though not unpleasantly. There are the sherry barrels at play. This astringency likely comes from older, refill sherry casks that previously held more robust Glendronach spirits. The bottle doesn't specify the type of sherry used for maturation, a notable difference compared to the 12, 15, 18, 21, or nearly any other expression they release. I don't have a definitive conclusion for this one yet. I'll let it rest and open up. It's not bad or poorly crafted; rather, it's a complex and intriguing dram that strips away the typical sherry character of Glendronach's usual offerings, showcasing their strong, spicy Highland spirit. This bottle is certainly not for everyone. Glendronach enthusiasts might not appreciate it. However, this initial tasting has helped me better identify the distillery's spirit character in its other expressions, thus enhancing the overall Glendronach experience. My current rating is 3.75, but I expect it to increase with time, oxidation, and patient exploration. Cheers.

I'm finally reviewing a bottle opened during hotel room happy hour before Whiskyfest DC in April. This GlenDronach 8 year old, also called “The Hielan”, is an age-stated, non-US release. It's non-chill filtered, has no added color, and is bottled at 46% ABV. It's pale yellow, oily, and shows few legs. The nose is pure GlenDronach, revealing its sherry heritage immediately. Plenty of sherry sweetness and candied fruits are present, with a restrained oak note. Spicy pepper notes are somewhat subdued but still detectable. The palate offers orchard and berry fruits mixed with typical GlenDronach spices and oak. It's remarkably smooth for its young age, which I believe is why the age statement is proudly displayed. Achieving this complexity at such a young age is difficult, but they succeeded here. The mouthfeel remains slightly thicker. Good stuff. The finish is medium, fruity, and warming from the 46% ABV. Sweetness persists as the warmth gradually fades. It's mouthwatering and makes you want another sip... and another... you get the idea. Overall, this expression truly shines. A friend and I couldn't believe how solid it was for only 8 years old. The kicker? This bottle was $36! An unbelievable price for such quality, in my opinion. I recently reordered it from the U.K. for $41, which is still an incredible deal even with $22 in shipping and customs. If this were imported to the US, I'd always keep a bottle on hand. If you can get this bottle, I strongly recommend it. I'd rate it close to 5 stars considering the price, but based on flavor profile alone, I'd say 4-4.25, and I'll bump it up to 4.5 for value for money. Cheers.

This is quite a letdown. I suspect one of my preferred distilleries, Glendronach, produced a very young whisky. It wasn't fully aged in their traditional sherry casks, as a significant portion seems to have matured in ex-bourbon barrels. "Hielan" likely signifies "highland" in Scottish dialect. Presented at 46% ABV with a burnished gold hue. The aroma is somewhat reminiscent of Glendronach, yet surprisingly, there's a hint of Ardbeg? Impossible. Here's the situation: initially, for the first couple of minutes, it offered an aroma like glazed pork. That seemed incorrect. However, I realized that young sherried whiskies possess a distinct sherry fragrance. (Comparing its sherried notes to a Glenfiddich Reserve Cask revealed some similarities), and it wasn't truly glazed pork, but rather a form of sherry sweetness evoking that scent. Subsequently, it opened up to reveal chocolate, maraschino cherries, ABUNDANT SPICY CINNAMON, black pepper, blackberry jam, cherry cola, and plum. While this sounds like a fantastic aroma, it genuinely lacks distinctiveness. The taste is somewhat youthful and a bit sharp. But that was anticipated. Plum, youthful, pepper, overly oaky and young. Predominantly spicy. Young and spicy sherry. The finish is rich with clove and pepper. Considering it's an 8-year-old whisky (approximately $35), it's not terrible. However, from Glendronach, one can certainly anticipate more. I believe a reasonable rating would be 72/100.

This is not about the bottle itself, but a five-star score for the people who introduced me to it. It’s not sold in the US, and shipping alcohol to Texas is extremely difficult (Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt refuse). So, thanks to the person who pointed me toward Fine Drams (it was either a friend or a friend), and I wish you and your family well. After seeing excellent feedback on this from some people, I needed this to complete the standard age statement collection for GlenDronach. A review will come later, but just smelling the bottle indicates a very distinct GlenDronach. It has the typical GD spice, yet it’s wrapped in bourbon notes of caramel and vanilla. I’m eager to dive deeper into this one. I just wanted to express my gratitude to everyone here for supporting my exploration of spirits and helping me make smart purchases. Salud!

The aroma is dominated by sherry, with notes of prunes, dark cherries, milk chocolate, nutmeg, and a trace of licorice. It also has butter biscuits and a strong yeast presence, almost like fresh dough. It's young and straightforward, yet enjoyable. On the palate, the malt is prominent, always carrying yeast notes, along with hints of herbs and plenty of almonds. There's licorice, a touch of ginger, and vanilla. It also presents pain au chocolat and a citrus note. The texture is full and rich, sweet without being overwhelming. The finish is medium in length, featuring bread, almonds, and licorice with an underlying woody character. Although young, it already shows clear direction. It's like a first grader who knows which high school they want to attend. This demonstrates GlenDronach's talent for creating an engaging and flavorful young whisky with a distinct character, where the limitations of its youth become strengths.