GlenDronach’s Missing Port Pipe from Sean Russell’s Batch 17 Review – Cask 5976 (55.6)

If you read the original post of Sean Russell’s review of Batch 17, you’ll recall that the European Port pipe wasn’t included in the review due to a technical difficulty.

It has been added in the original post, but is also offered here for those who just want to make up the missing review.

 

1993 / Cask #5976 / 25 years / Port Pipe / 55.6%

Appearance: Dark Amber. Long and slow oily legs.

Nose: Jammy-sweetness with some freshly baked bread. A lovely soft sour note comes to the fore and then swaps with a mouth-watering sweetness. A gentle peppery hit is there to prickle the nose. As expected, the longer it sits in the glass the more aromas present themselves – frangipane, marzipan, dried cherries. This seems more like a thick-sherrybomb than Port Pipe. But I guess this is exactly what you do get when it’s done at this level.

Palate:  Oily with a gentle nutty-sweetness that isn’t over-powering. Gentle dryness moves
around in perfect harmony with the sweetness.  Now there are dried cherries and raisins,
cake spice and cooked banana. It’s just lovely and sweet with nuts and oil.

Finish:  Very long with a lovely balance of sweet/bitter/sourness. There’s a very faint
element of ash on the exhale.

Water adds… A new hit of wine and nutty caramel on the nose. Slight increase of
burnt sugar on the palate with extra roasted almonds and hazelnuts.
The finish is slightly thinner with less oil.

Conclusion

Fabulous and extremely decadent. Not to ever be confused with other,
lower ABV Port cask whiskies you’ve had from the distillery. This (and cask 5896),
are on another level.  I wouldn’t add any water to this. It’s perfect as it is.

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