What drew me to your reviews were the precision, no nonsense nature of your delivery. The mention of Glenallachie and Bunnahabiann 12s stole my thunder but the inclusion of the graphics was excellent. I also like the checking the boxes. I seriously like your style, keep going and growing.
Love mine. I really like that if you pay attention there's this sour strawberry note on the sides of your tongue. Lovely. I still had the unchillfiltered version when I got the newer and and got to try them side by side. I'm not an expert and I've come a long way in my journey since then, but I remember not noticing any differences. I also read somewhere that they already had some level of filtration so they only changed the label to be compliant but didn't really change their process. I obviously took this information with a grain of salt but since I tasted them side by side and didn't notice differences, I won't have a problem continuing buying this. The Revival is ridiculously expensive here in Brazil (in the rare occasion that you find it) and I'm traveling to the US in a few months... I wish it was still the older version but I am definitely picking one up. Can't be all that bad. Cheers!
Geoff would you ever consider doing a distillery breakdown? Not necessarily going through each release but maybe history and a brief synopsis of strengths/weaknesses they bring to the table?
Cheers! My Glendronach experience mirrors yours as well and while I still think they have a solid following they are a cautionary tale on what you give up when you chase mainstream appeal.
I feel very fortunate to have started my whisky journey with this. Non chill filtered of course. It was not long ago when I could keep my budget at 2/$100 and have plenty to try. I stayed away from the big brands and I had access to all the quality drams like Ardbeg10, Arran 10, Clynelish 14, Bunnahabham 12, and Craigellachie 13. I bought a 2nd Glengoyne 12 last year, because it was a decent price and came with a glencairn. Now that my budget is a bit higher I expect more, I really see no reason to buy 43% chill filtered anything. I have a 2020 bottle of the Revival, I may even open it some day. It was $91 and the can still says non-chill filtered. I do think the finish on this 12 offered me a unique chocolate experience that pushed me along the journey, even more than the Glengoyne but it's a one and done for sure. Compared to basic bourbon or decent tequila, even this entry level Scotch was decidedly more complex and enjoyable. I hope Rachel Berrie does well in the Asian market
I personally like this one and stocked up on the NCF. It’s entry level, yes, but it’s not pretentious. Not pleased with the 43% abv but far from disappointed either. I must agree with your brief comparison to GA12 and Bunna 12 as being better - yes, they both got more to offer. But I think having all 3 is the best 😉
Chill filtering is an added process with a cost. Distilleries, why do you add something to make it more expensive when your customers don't want it added?
Honest and entertaining review, as always :) I share the same opinion about this whisky, don’t think there’s anything wrong with it, but nothing exceptional either. Adding to the alternatives you mentioned, to me the Edradour 12 Caledonia is a really good one, it may be a bit more expensive, but you get a much better bang for your buck. It comes at a higher strength of 46% and feels older than 12. Also has a lot more character ;)
Did Brown Forman say that they were going to use chill filtering for all expressions with Low ABV, or did they say that they were keeping that option open and would not state if chill filtering was used for a specific bottling?
I actually enjoy this one. To me the sweetness is more rich and full than the Glenmo Lasanta. Like turbinado sugar versus saccharine. But you’re right, I don’t find myself reaching for it often - it sits right below the Bunnahabhain 12 on my shelf, and I go through three of those bottles for every one of these.
I've had a bottle of this in 2020. Didn't blow me away, for the money I think it is OK. In fact, until the arrival of Glenallachie 12 under Billy Walker, Glendronach 12 and Benriach 12 Sherry Wood were the best priced sherried malts above 40 ABV in Bulgaria. Now I can buy Glenallachie 12 for almost exactly the same price (~33 euros) so it is a no brainer. Still last week I purchased a bottle of Glendronach 12 with the "non chill filtered" on the tube. I don't know how long it will be available and at what price so I reckon it would be nice to have one in the stash. Just for the good old time sake😀 Cheers!
It's perfectly nice. But for me it's a far cry from the Billy Walker stuff (which was substantially older). But certainly for a fun guilt free easy sipper with a sherried kick this one works just fine! Cheers!
@@justincase5124 Yep. However, Tamdhu is blatantly overpriced for what it is IMHO. Generaly I prefer subtler, more undetstated and layered malts therefore sherry bombs are usually not my first choice. Not that I avoid them completely but certainly I'm not willing to pay the premium some brands command. So Tamdhu and also Glengoyne have to offer a little better value to catch my attention. Cheers!
Wow. In Australia Tamdhu 12 goes for $80. The Glendronach 12 goes for $105. The Glengoyne 12 goes for $90. It's actually the cheapest here in Australia! Our pricing is all over the place!! Have a good one!
@@justincase5124 In Bulgaria Tamdhu 12 and Glengoyne 12 are ~43-44 euros, Tamdhu 15 is over 90 euros. In fact Tamdhu 15 costs almost exactly the same as Macallan 15 Double Oak😀 Glendronach 12 and Glenallachie 12 are ~33-34 euros😀 Glenallachie 15 costs ~ 50 euros.
I have moved on to GlenAllachie 12 and prefer it at this point in time still expensive in Canada over 100 dollars. So need to be selective since the costs are becoming out of control for scotch in Canada compared to most of the world. Way over taxed for sin products LOL
This was one of my entry/gateway scotches that I just recently revisited, after being unable to find a bottle of Glendronach 15 in my new surroundings (Maine). I guess I've just outgrown it, because I find it very meh now, especially considering I can easily find Bunnahabhain 12 for the same price.
I know Glen D has a big fan base ... I've never got around to buying any (although the 18year old has now been on my shopping list for a while). I'm not really into ginger notes in my dram, but I'll give it a try.
I left my bottle untouched for a long while with less than 1/4 left. Only pulled it out these past few days because I found a deal on a replacement... Not sure if my palate was off or what... but it feels like oxidation didn't do this whisky any flavors. Got a bit of a damp note I didn't get before (only on the palate), it actually reminds me of something I don't love about the Glenfarclas 12. Still, I think there's a good chance my palate was just off, it happens sometimes...
@@Gwhisky This is gonna be my 4th bottle (I didn't have as many whiskies during my first 2 bottles so they didn't stay opened taking air in very long), so yeah, I think it's gonna be ok. lol. But lesson learned though, once this one is opened I'll probably keep coming back to it until it's gone. Other whiskies like my GlenGarioch 12 became 5x better after some proper oxidation. We learn new things with every bottle :)
@@Gwhisky I'm starting to think the cork was bad and it messed with the taste after several months. We all know it's chillfiltered now and there are a lot of fragments floating at the bottom, that can only be from the cork. Well, I hope that was the case at least and not my palate evolving past the GlenDronach 12... I'll know once the new bottle gets here. Cheers!
Regarding the chilled filter situation, it depends on the price. If the product is good still, I would expect chill filtered to be a "better value" meaning less expensive than a non chill filtered
It’s my understanding that the reason 46% is the abv for craft presentation is because go below this without chill filtration and you run the risk of the whisky breaking down and off notes creeping in. I think it was Billy Walker who said this during his interview with Roy @Aqvavitae. It’s great thing BW exists for the Sherry heads out there but I do roll my eyes when I hear him called a genius. He is obviously a shrewd operator to get himself where he is but if it wasn’t him someone else would be doing it. Note popularity of Macallan-obtain invisible blend filler distillery-give all existing stock a sherry overcoat- put out whisky at craft presentation at half the price of macallan- wait for hype train to go into overdrive- sell shares to corporate suits with no insight for quadruple the original value- obtain invisible blend filler distillery- wash rinse repeat
I like this one. I usually have it on hand during the Christmas season. It's also easy to give to my bourbon fanatic friends for them to enjoy and branch out into something different.
100%, rather support Billy Walker with GlenAllachie & his doing phenomenal work there. Plus the GlenAllachie 12 is at 46%, which is a win. I was lucky enough to get a couple bottles of the 18yo that was older than 18yo, so I’ll leave my memories of GlenDronach there.
Hi Geoff, the glendronach 12 was (is?) a decent sherried malt especially for the price. Its still better and cheaper than Dalmore 12 though. My Glendronach’s (12, 15, 18) are Billy Walker versions. Don’t think I’ll be buying the new versions though.One can tell if one’s bottle is a B. Walker version by just looking at the bottling date on the bottle (if one has not got the package). Cheers Geoff think your review is spot on and agree with you. Have a happy new year and looking forward to your reviews next year.Slàinte Mhath 👍🥃
Thanks so much David! I've got some Billy Walker 18s stashed away. I had an old 12 that I believe was 17 years old. I finished it last year qnd it was delicious. Unfortunately those older versions now cost an arm and a leg here. Btw a Dalmore 12 comparison is setting the bar pretty low... 😉🥃
@@Gwhisky Hi Geoff, yeah ok, your right, wasn’t very fair of me was it, too compare these whiskies 🥴. The prices for the Billy Walker bottlings are certainly going up though.Cheers Geoff, have a great day.
I had a flight of the 12, 15 and 18 from miniatures.They were all good and I honestly couldn't tell them apart. At least not in any clearly distinguishable way, I wonder if it would have been a different experience if I had them in full sized bottles.
Sometimes side-by-sides don't help. I find they can muddy your palate at times, especially when the whiskies are similar, like 3 different Glendronachs. Often everything starts tasting “samey.” I think the difference will be much more clear when theyre approached individually.
What else do we know about Billy Walker's magic touch? I see he's at Glenallachie now. Am I correct that he went to Glenlassaugh for a bit? I'd be fascinated to know more about these impactful characters of/behind whisky.
Ive been curious about the bottle I have. The tube states Non chill filtered Natural cask inparted color. But the bottle itself does not state non chill filtered. Any insight on this? Thanks again and enjoyed the video and your channel
Sorry, not sure what the deal is there. I know that Glendronach often keeps some the important info on the tube, such as who master blender was. I'd assume the whisky's non-chill filtered and everything you see on the tube is correct, but I can't be sure.
I skip almost all 12's with a couple exceptions. I can't adjust my palate backwards. GlenDronach 18 and 21 have me in their grip with an occasional taste of the 15, but ever since the old stock from shuttering the doors disappeared, all of them have come down a notch with the 15 being hurt the most.
Yeah I gave the new Rachel Barrie 15 an 89 in my (very old) review, which I regret. By the end of the bottle it was an 84. I'm over the 15 myself. Cheers. 🥃
I'm lucky enough that there are Mom n Pop stores that have the Billy Walker GlemDronach 12 year at $55 to $68 USD. It's been awhile since I had one. I remember the Sherry with a touch of funk and it was good. I'm very surprised by the score here. Also I'm one of those not buying the newer Chill Filtered GlenDronachs.
I don't know how good it will be, as that's before my time. What I can say is a lot of collectors and whisky enthusiasts are willing to forgive weak specs on older whiskies because the overall profile of whisky has changed over the decades... and mostly not for the better. 🥃
I don't know, the bottle is finished. It was recent though. 2019 or 2020 if memory serves. Proper 12 year old. Produced well after the distillery reopened.
I am not surprised by your review.. I want someone who has different opinions than me...I know my Billy Walker 12s are entry level. I have no intention of ever buying brown foreman Glendronachs.. I will look tomorrow for the alternatives you mentioned on my whisky buying trip to the capitol. Mainly going for some 18s and some core standards I cannot find here. Should be a fun trip. Ride a bus 6 hours...hop in a tuk tuk..buy whisky...hop in a tuk tuk...ride bus 6 hours...home for dinner.. If I find the Bunna or Glenallichie I will buy them for sure. Thanks for your personal subjective review... Hey dude, I grew up in the USA and lived a lot in LA and I don't like blonds.. Ha ha.. Cheers. I hope you are out of quarentine!
Well to be clear, I'm talking about the non-chill filtered version, but not the Billy Walker version. This was a Rachel Barrie release. She took over in 2017/18 and the brand only made the switch to chill filtering in 2021. Few more days left in the proverbial slammer. Hah... thought everyone liked blonds! 😉
@@Gwhisky I think people were used to the Billy Walkers and the older scotch they had...and his wizardry.... I got a line on Glendronach 12s in Phnom Penh tomorrow ..liters for $55us...I will check the laser date...So far, here in Siem Reap I have bought from two markets..7 liters total.Both must of gotten their orders from the same distributor...They all had March 25, 2016 as bottling date...my 18s came from the sister store of one of the markets and were bottled January 8, 2016.. But, I sure want the Bunna and Billy's new line up...My opinion on the Glendronach 12 is solely based on the 3 liters I killed and the one I opened the day I bought a Macallan 12 sherry cask to do a comparison... I have 3 unopened liters. So, maybe I got a hell of a batch? I never had the 15.. The 12 does not compare to my 18s...Which it shouldn't...My 21 was a bit sulphuric upon opening..but, has released that and I pour it an hour before I am going to drink it.. Shit buddy, I love your reviews...Just like the Deanston...I am going to buy a Deanston 12 tomorrow..$40us...find out for myself.. He has Glenlivet 18...I will see if it is 43%... Dying for Bunna and would love to find the 18... Where are you in quarantine? Canada, Taiwan? I have not been out of Siem Reap for almost 2 years after going back to my house in Kansas 2-3 times a year for many years...I lived in Argentina half the year before coming to Asia.. Yeah, I would be dating a hot blond back in the day when I looked like Snake Plisken and had an Italian convertible ...I realized I just preferred black hair brown eyes...Latinas or Asians...or Greek... Women are like whisky buddy...We all have our tastes... I am living what I call the Charles Bronson phase..My Khmer lady is 36...I just turned 64... Best of luck.. Happy New Year.. I look forward to your anniversary vids! I sure loved seeing you with Roy the other morning...and Tim from New Zealand... The Scotch Test Dummies are from my home state in the USA..just west of my house 150 miles... Small world!
Not that impressed by this one, and would (perhaps controversially) say that the Macallan 12 Sherry is head and shoulders better than this one, even though they're totally destroying their line too. I'm searching for darker notes in my sherried scotches. Yes, I sound like an 88 year old granny here but I'm always trying to find prune (especially), then things like coffee, tobacco and leather. We've missed the Glendronach train in my market. I absolutely LOVE the Parliament and thankfully have a few in the bunker but now a bottle will run you $350 Canadian where I am. I'll probably get a 2021 if it comes around but that price is a bit nuts and if I do, I doubt I'll ever buy another. The 15 and 18 have never been available here as far as I know and I've given up trying to find a 15 which I was really motivated to track down for a long time. I'm thinking the new version just isn't going to give me what I want out of it. Big fan of sherried scotches but I'm finding a lot of them to be very bright and fresh - excellent and delish, but I find myself wanting more - the dark side! I know everyone's going bonkers over Glenallachie but it just isn't really there for me yet (only had up to the 18) but I'm looking forward to the next few years and thinking we're going to get some great things coming from them.
Sounds like you prefer those darker more “brooding” sherried notes. I love those too. Glenallachie is the spiritual successor to GlenDronach, but there are other dark heavily sherried options out there. Kavalans, Edradours, etc.
I prefer my Billy Walker 12s over the Macallan 12..But, I like the Mac a lot...Maybe because I can get 3 Billy Walker era liters for 2, 70cl Macs my opinion is skewed. I have never found the 15 either..I have 2 Billy Walker 18s...and a 21... I can get the 21 for $145us....I will buy another soon.. I also had an issue with that fancy Mac cork...my locking mechanism broke the first time I opened it. It sits ajar..crooked.. But, damn it is tasty...
I find the newer bottlings too overoaked from the tired European oak casks involved and far too little sherry to balance against the oak and spirit. The quality of Glendronach bottlings have just been going on a downtrend now that they have less old stock to prop up the general quality of their releases.
@@Gwhisky story time. Later the days came to the same shop, despite they've ran out of NCF 15 revival which i wanted to try, couple of bottles were on the counter instead of shelves. I've asked like may I have one? They said sorry it's a special reservation for the customer that spends around 40 k usd (equivalent) a month on whiskey with us. So new years wish to you and everyone around here : wish we all have the same budget always available 😎🎄🥃 cheers yall! I'll go finish my work and grab a bottle of something
i was spoiled by being introduced to the 12 year during the unicorn years up to 2013....since then its been downhill and then the takeover really sent it rolling down the hill
I remember those early 2010s bottlings. Amazing. I've got a couple Billy Walker bottlings in the stash from 2018. Just after he sold the distillery his “last hoorah” whiskies were also excellent. Modern GD12 is a far cry from the Walker stuff!
Sad to say that any company, even distilleries, order their packaging in volume, and not to the exact number of chill filtered whisky bottles coming out of the factory.
I bought the chill filtered version recently just to see and man it really sucks! I hadn’t had a Glendronach since the Billy Walker days, so it was quite the step down. There was very little on the nose. Palate was mainly oak and some very neutered sherry notes. Very dull overall! Sounds quite a bit worse than the one in the review coz I certainly wouldn’t describe it as “full and forward”.
Billy Walker or no Billy Walker, I've never understood the hype around the brand or him with all due respect. Even the mucho over-hyped 15 Revival was just okay IMHO. The NAS Cask Strength tends to be their best release and their best value ✌️
He's good but it's a very particular style, obviously heavily sherried. I think there are equally skilled master distillers out there who don't get the same credit or recognition as him. I have heard it said that he's a one-trick-pony with all the sherry bombs, although I don't think that's true myself. I'm a big fan of his.
@@Gwhisky In all honesty I'd be hard-pressed to name three Master Dstillers in the Scotch whisky industry; the fact that I know his name means something. I've only tried the 12 after it was Ralfy's WOTY, but I'm not the biggest GlenAllachie fan either. I've recently seen the 15 for $100, but I'm not buying it.
The root of the controversy is in removing NCF from the label, but that by itself does not mean that they're now suddenly chill filtering. Everybody needs to stop acting on assumptions just because it's ostensibly something that doesn't fall under these simplistic stats on the label that enthusiasts keep blindly demanding. Filtering processes that may fall under "chill filtering" can still be more or less aggressive between different distilleries, and removing NCF from the label does not therefore mean a sudden or drastic change in the quality. Our peace of mind over having these "craft presentation stats" is not a substitute for the first-hand experience of whether the product still actually tastes good or not. It's cases like these with Glendronach that cement my belief that demanding simplistic black-or-white standards like NCF and natural color hurt more than they help. They've become a default basis for prejudice, instead of tools for actual critical thinking.
Prejudice? Lol it's a drink, not an oppressed minority. We pay good money for single malt whisky. Nothing wrong with wanting it to be as natural as possible.
@@Gwhisky Hey, I understand why enthusiasts want craft presentation stats. I used to. But please understand that there's something wrong when you see people using such criteria (or lack thereof) to jump to all sorts of conclusions, which is what we call prejudice, or pre-judgment if you prefer something more neutral. Communication from distilleries could of course be better, but it doesn't help when people responded with so much overraction and endless speculation. I won't take it to speak personally of you that you'd prefer to just give a snide and evasive retort, and I'll appreciate even just getting a response at all. I'll just make my case that making craft presentation into a checklist of stats, while of course preliminarily useful (ie, I'm not suggesting that it should stop entirely), also becomes an excuse for a lot of people out there to treat it like dogma. I don't necessarily think we should ignore craft presentation stats, but I do think people need to recognize when these criteria start getting taken for granted, and then start to unconsciouly and unfairly color our subsequent impressions.
I don't like the sour sherrytaste in this one. Some of Glenrothes 12 is the same, and I dislike that part, but the rest of Glenrothes is better tasting to me. Neither is very good though.
What drew me to your reviews were the precision, no nonsense nature of your delivery. The mention of Glenallachie and Bunnahabiann 12s stole my thunder but the inclusion of the graphics was excellent. I also like the checking the boxes. I seriously like your style, keep going and growing.
Thank you Cecil, very kind words! No plan on slowing down! Cheers. 🥃
Love mine. I really like that if you pay attention there's this sour strawberry note on the sides of your tongue. Lovely.
I still had the unchillfiltered version when I got the newer and and got to try them side by side. I'm not an expert and I've come a long way in my journey since then, but I remember not noticing any differences. I also read somewhere that they already had some level of filtration so they only changed the label to be compliant but didn't really change their process. I obviously took this information with a grain of salt but since I tasted them side by side and didn't notice differences, I won't have a problem continuing buying this.
The Revival is ridiculously expensive here in Brazil (in the rare occasion that you find it) and I'm traveling to the US in a few months... I wish it was still the older version but I am definitely picking one up. Can't be all that bad.
Cheers!
Geoff would you ever consider doing a distillery breakdown? Not necessarily going through each release but maybe history and a brief synopsis of strengths/weaknesses they bring to the table?
I like the idea! I'll add it to my notes for video concepts. Thanks! 🥃
Cheers! My Glendronach experience mirrors yours as well and while I still think they have a solid following they are a cautionary tale on what you give up when you chase mainstream appeal.
I feel very fortunate to have started my whisky journey with this. Non chill filtered of course. It was not long ago when I could keep my budget at 2/$100 and have plenty to try. I stayed away from the big brands and I had access to all the quality drams like Ardbeg10, Arran 10, Clynelish 14, Bunnahabham 12, and Craigellachie 13. I bought a 2nd Glengoyne 12 last year, because it was a decent price and came with a glencairn.
Now that my budget is a bit higher I expect more, I really see no reason to buy 43% chill filtered anything. I have a 2020 bottle of the Revival, I may even open it some day. It was $91 and the can still says non-chill filtered.
I do think the finish on this 12 offered me a unique chocolate experience that pushed me along the journey, even more than the Glengoyne but it's a one and done for sure. Compared to basic bourbon or decent tequila, even this entry level Scotch was decidedly more complex and enjoyable.
I hope Rachel Berrie does well in the Asian market
It's decent stuff if it's cheap, but one of those cases where the whisky used to be a) better and b) cheaper.
I personally like this one and stocked up on the NCF. It’s entry level, yes, but it’s not pretentious. Not pleased with the 43% abv but far from disappointed either. I must agree with your brief comparison to GA12 and Bunna 12 as being better - yes, they both got more to offer. But I think having all 3 is the best 😉
Entry level? Maybe in the states, in Canada this bottle is $125
Chill filtering is an added process with a cost. Distilleries, why do you add something to make it more expensive when your customers don't want it added?
Honest and entertaining review, as always :)
I share the same opinion about this whisky, don’t think there’s anything wrong with it, but nothing exceptional either. Adding to the alternatives you mentioned, to me the Edradour 12 Caledonia is a really good one, it may be a bit more expensive, but you get a much better bang for your buck. It comes at a higher strength of 46% and feels older than 12. Also has a lot more character ;)
Love Caledonia. Great suggestion? 👍
I had this bottle a year ago and I don't want to come back to it anymore...
Thanks for your honest reviews!
Happy New Year and Shalom from Israel 🙏🏻
Thanks for watching Ron. Happy New Year and Shalom! 🥃
I'm fairly new to Scotch. Bought this today. I wasn't aware of the NCF difference. Hopefully I'll still enjoy when I open
Did Brown Forman say that they were going to use chill filtering for all expressions with Low ABV, or did they say that they were keeping that option open and would not state if chill filtering was used for a specific bottling?
They said it was an option. They didn't specify which expressions will/won't be chill filtered.
I actually enjoy this one. To me the sweetness is more rich and full than the Glenmo Lasanta. Like turbinado sugar versus saccharine. But you’re right, I don’t find myself reaching for it often - it sits right below the Bunnahabhain 12 on my shelf, and I go through three of those bottles for every one of these.
Glad you enjoy it. Don't let anyone take that away from you! 😉🥃
Turbinado versus saccharin. That is an excellent description
Tried this 4 years ago..was a bit disappointed,but tempted to try again and compare to Glengoyne 12...
I've had a bottle of this in 2020. Didn't blow me away, for the money I think it is OK. In fact, until the arrival of Glenallachie 12 under Billy Walker, Glendronach 12 and Benriach 12 Sherry Wood were the best priced sherried malts above 40 ABV in Bulgaria. Now I can buy Glenallachie 12 for almost exactly the same price (~33 euros) so it is a no brainer. Still last week I purchased a bottle of Glendronach 12 with the "non chill filtered" on the tube. I don't know how long it will be available and at what price so I reckon it would be nice to have one in the stash. Just for the good old time sake😀
Cheers!
Can you get the Tamdhu 12 or 15 in Bulgaria?
It's perfectly nice. But for me it's a far cry from the Billy Walker stuff (which was substantially older). But certainly for a fun guilt free easy sipper with a sherried kick this one works just fine! Cheers!
@@justincase5124 Yep. However, Tamdhu is blatantly overpriced for what it is IMHO. Generaly I prefer subtler, more undetstated and layered malts therefore sherry bombs are usually not my first choice. Not that I avoid them completely but certainly I'm not willing to pay the premium some brands command. So Tamdhu and also Glengoyne have to offer a little better value to catch my attention.
Cheers!
Wow. In Australia Tamdhu 12 goes for $80. The Glendronach 12 goes for $105. The Glengoyne 12 goes for $90. It's actually the cheapest here in Australia! Our pricing is all over the place!!
Have a good one!
@@justincase5124 In Bulgaria Tamdhu 12 and Glengoyne 12 are ~43-44 euros, Tamdhu 15 is over 90 euros. In fact Tamdhu 15 costs almost exactly the same as Macallan 15 Double Oak😀
Glendronach 12 and Glenallachie 12 are ~33-34 euros😀 Glenallachie 15 costs ~ 50 euros.
I have moved on to GlenAllachie 12 and prefer it at this point in time still expensive in Canada over 100 dollars. So need to be selective since the costs are becoming out of control for scotch in Canada compared to most of the world. Way over taxed for sin products LOL
Blows me away how expensive scotch is when I go home to Montreal...
This was one of my entry/gateway scotches that I just recently revisited, after being unable to find a bottle of Glendronach 15 in my new surroundings (Maine). I guess I've just outgrown it, because I find it very meh now, especially considering I can easily find Bunnahabhain 12 for the same price.
Yeah I think that sums up nicely the way a lot of people feel about the brand these days. Cheers. 🥃
Appreciate the honest review. I prefer the Tamdhu 12 over this. Not as overt on the sherry notes, but better balance.
I agree. I much prefer the Tamdhu myself! 🥃
I like it. I like it a lot. 15 is better, but this is dang good whisky.
I know Glen D has a big fan base ... I've never got around to buying any (although the 18year old has now been on my shopping list for a while). I'm not really into ginger notes in my dram, but I'll give it a try.
I think there are better options, but if you want to check the brand out this does give you a snapshot of the style.
I left my bottle untouched for a long while with less than 1/4 left. Only pulled it out these past few days because I found a deal on a replacement... Not sure if my palate was off or what... but it feels like oxidation didn't do this whisky any flavors. Got a bit of a damp note I didn't get before (only on the palate), it actually reminds me of something I don't love about the Glenfarclas 12.
Still, I think there's a good chance my palate was just off, it happens sometimes...
Hmm. Yeah maybe too much air? Hopefully you enjoy it more next time around! 🥃
@@Gwhisky This is gonna be my 4th bottle (I didn't have as many whiskies during my first 2 bottles so they didn't stay opened taking air in very long), so yeah, I think it's gonna be ok. lol. But lesson learned though, once this one is opened I'll probably keep coming back to it until it's gone. Other whiskies like my GlenGarioch 12 became 5x better after some proper oxidation. We learn new things with every bottle :)
@@Gwhisky I'm starting to think the cork was bad and it messed with the taste after several months. We all know it's chillfiltered now and there are a lot of fragments floating at the bottom, that can only be from the cork. Well, I hope that was the case at least and not my palate evolving past the GlenDronach 12... I'll know once the new bottle gets here. Cheers!
Regarding the chilled filter situation, it depends on the price. If the product is good still, I would expect chill filtered to be a "better value" meaning less expensive than a non chill filtered
It’s my understanding that the reason 46% is the abv for craft presentation is because go below this without chill filtration and you run the risk of the whisky breaking down and off notes creeping in. I think it was Billy Walker who said this during his interview with Roy @Aqvavitae. It’s great thing BW exists for the Sherry heads out there but I do roll my eyes when I hear him called a genius. He is obviously a shrewd operator to get himself where he is but if it wasn’t him someone else would be doing it. Note popularity of Macallan-obtain invisible blend filler distillery-give all existing stock a sherry overcoat- put out whisky at craft presentation at half the price of macallan- wait for hype train to go into overdrive- sell shares to corporate suits with no insight for quadruple the original value- obtain invisible blend filler distillery- wash rinse repeat
Hah sounds like you cracked the code. I'm a fan of his, but it's a hell of a lot of sherry...
I like this one. I usually have it on hand during the Christmas season. It's also easy to give to my bourbon fanatic friends for them to enjoy and branch out into something different.
I can see bourbon lovers getting behind this. 🥃
Thanks for honest review! Loved it!
For next reviews ( if u can) can u also fo : connemara peated or yellow spot?
I've been looking for Yellow Spot for ages now...
@@Gwhisky did u heard about connemara peated? It was ma discovery of the year. In canada I bought it for 45$, and OMG it was worth it.
Good to know. Heard of it. 🥃
100%, rather support Billy Walker with GlenAllachie & his doing phenomenal work there. Plus the GlenAllachie 12 is at 46%, which is a win.
I was lucky enough to get a couple bottles of the 18yo that was older than 18yo, so I’ll leave my memories of GlenDronach there.
Fair enough! Shame it seems things are on a downward trajectory at GlenDronach, but nice to have an alternative! 🥃
Hi Geoff, the glendronach 12 was (is?) a decent sherried malt especially for the price. Its still better and cheaper than Dalmore 12 though. My Glendronach’s (12, 15, 18) are Billy Walker versions. Don’t think I’ll be buying the new versions though.One can tell if one’s bottle is a B. Walker version by just looking at the bottling date on the bottle (if one has not got the package). Cheers Geoff think your review is spot on and agree with you. Have a happy new year and looking forward to your reviews next year.Slàinte Mhath 👍🥃
Thanks so much David! I've got some Billy Walker 18s stashed away. I had an old 12 that I believe was 17 years old. I finished it last year qnd it was delicious. Unfortunately those older versions now cost an arm and a leg here. Btw a Dalmore 12 comparison is setting the bar pretty low... 😉🥃
@@Gwhisky Hi Geoff, yeah ok, your right, wasn’t very fair of me was it, too compare these whiskies 🥴. The prices for the Billy Walker bottlings are certainly going up though.Cheers Geoff, have a great day.
I had a flight of the 12, 15 and 18 from miniatures.They were all good and I honestly couldn't tell them apart. At least not in any clearly distinguishable way, I wonder if it would have been a different experience if I had them in full sized bottles.
Sometimes side-by-sides don't help. I find they can muddy your palate at times, especially when the whiskies are similar, like 3 different Glendronachs. Often everything starts tasting “samey.” I think the difference will be much more clear when theyre approached individually.
What else do we know about Billy Walker's magic touch? I see he's at Glenallachie now. Am I correct that he went to Glenlassaugh for a bit? I'd be fascinated to know more about these impactful characters of/behind whisky.
Benriach, Glendronach, and Glenglassaugh were and still are owned by the same group. He's done work for all of those distilleries.
I’d like to get your take on GlenDronach 21 Parliament
Getting pretty pricey these days. Had I been smart I'd have stocked up when they were still reasonable.
I really think the 8yo is quite underrated🤔. I did have a 18yo a couple of years ago... great stuff
Yeah the 8 is decent. The old 8 was amazing. It was called Octarine and it was one of my favourite entry level value buys.
Ive been curious about the bottle I have. The tube states Non chill filtered Natural cask inparted color. But the bottle itself does not state non chill filtered. Any insight on this? Thanks again and enjoyed the video and your channel
Sorry, not sure what the deal is there. I know that Glendronach often keeps some the important info on the tube, such as who master blender was. I'd assume the whisky's non-chill filtered and everything you see on the tube is correct, but I can't be sure.
I skip almost all 12's with a couple exceptions. I can't adjust my palate backwards. GlenDronach 18 and 21 have me in their grip with an occasional taste of the 15, but ever since the old stock from shuttering the doors disappeared, all of them have come down a notch with the 15 being hurt the most.
Yeah I gave the new Rachel Barrie 15 an 89 in my (very old) review, which I regret. By the end of the bottle it was an 84. I'm over the 15 myself. Cheers. 🥃
Hey G, what bottling year did they use Chill Filtration? i was buying online and was curious maybe they just swap the bottles with the tin can
I think the chill filtration came into effect last year. It's possible they could swap bottles, but why would they?
This one is my first try of Glendronach, and I feel just ok so haven't go other core range since then. Maybe try older Billy version if lucky enough.
I'll have to save a dram for you when I pop my old BW18! 😉
@@Gwhisky That's so great! Thanks bro!
I'm lucky enough that there are Mom n Pop stores that have the Billy Walker GlemDronach 12 year at $55 to $68 USD. It's been awhile since I had one. I remember the Sherry with a touch of funk and it was good. I'm very surprised by the score here. Also I'm one of those not buying the newer Chill Filtered GlenDronachs.
I've got a few of the old Billy Walker 12 myself. Good stuff. Still not a favourite, but a huge step above the modern iteration. Cheers buddy! 🥃
Hello I am new to this and I have a question about this whiskey
I have a 2000 bottle at 40% abv is it good?
I don't know how good it will be, as that's before my time. What I can say is a lot of collectors and whisky enthusiasts are willing to forgive weak specs on older whiskies because the overall profile of whisky has changed over the decades... and mostly not for the better. 🥃
Best whiskey ever.
Rather relevant info regarding this bottle is the bottlecode. What is it?
I don't know, the bottle is finished. It was recent though. 2019 or 2020 if memory serves. Proper 12 year old. Produced well after the distillery reopened.
I am not surprised by your review..
I want someone who has different opinions than me...I know my Billy Walker 12s are entry level.
I have no intention of ever buying brown foreman Glendronachs..
I will look tomorrow for the alternatives you mentioned on my whisky buying trip to the capitol.
Mainly going for some 18s and some core standards I cannot find here.
Should be a fun trip.
Ride a bus 6 hours...hop in a tuk tuk..buy whisky...hop in a tuk tuk...ride bus 6 hours...home for dinner..
If I find the Bunna or Glenallichie I will buy them for sure.
Thanks for your personal subjective review...
Hey dude, I grew up in the USA and lived a lot in LA and I don't like blonds..
Ha ha..
Cheers.
I hope you are out of quarentine!
Well to be clear, I'm talking about the non-chill filtered version, but not the Billy Walker version. This was a Rachel Barrie release. She took over in 2017/18 and the brand only made the switch to chill filtering in 2021. Few more days left in the proverbial slammer. Hah... thought everyone liked blonds! 😉
@@Gwhisky I think people were used to the Billy Walkers and the older scotch they had...and his wizardry....
I got a line on Glendronach 12s in Phnom Penh tomorrow ..liters for $55us...I will check the laser date...So far, here in Siem Reap I have bought from two markets..7 liters total.Both must of gotten their orders from the same distributor...They all had March 25, 2016 as bottling date...my 18s came from the sister store of one of the markets and were bottled January 8, 2016..
But, I sure want the Bunna and Billy's new line up...My opinion on the Glendronach 12 is solely based on the 3 liters I killed and the one I opened the day I bought a Macallan 12 sherry cask to do a comparison...
I have 3 unopened liters.
So, maybe I got a hell of a batch?
I never had the 15..
The 12 does not compare to my 18s...Which it shouldn't...My 21 was a bit sulphuric upon opening..but, has released that and I pour it an hour before I am going to drink it..
Shit buddy, I love your reviews...Just like the Deanston...I am going to buy a Deanston 12 tomorrow..$40us...find out for myself..
He has Glenlivet 18...I will see if it is 43%...
Dying for Bunna and would love to find the 18...
Where are you in quarantine? Canada, Taiwan?
I have not been out of Siem Reap for almost 2 years after going back to my house in Kansas 2-3 times a year for many years...I lived in Argentina half the year before coming to Asia..
Yeah, I would be dating a hot blond back in the day when I looked like Snake Plisken and had an Italian convertible ...I realized I just preferred black hair brown eyes...Latinas or Asians...or Greek...
Women are like whisky buddy...We all have our tastes...
I am living what I call the Charles Bronson phase..My Khmer lady is 36...I just turned 64...
Best of luck..
Happy New Year..
I look forward to your anniversary vids!
I sure loved seeing you with Roy the other morning...and Tim from New Zealand...
The Scotch Test Dummies are from my home state in the USA..just west of my house 150 miles...
Small world!
The 15 is of course a flat 15 yo now.
* Was * older malt bottled as a 15, like the rest of them too.
As we all know.
I agree with your review. Unless it’s heavily discounted I ain’t buying
Yeah if it's cheap it works as a guilt free sherry sipper, but nothing special imo...
SHHHHH we have to keep quiet about glen elgin !!! secret gem.
Not that impressed by this one, and would (perhaps controversially) say that the Macallan 12 Sherry is head and shoulders better than this one, even though they're totally destroying their line too. I'm searching for darker notes in my sherried scotches. Yes, I sound like an 88 year old granny here but I'm always trying to find prune (especially), then things like coffee, tobacco and leather. We've missed the Glendronach train in my market. I absolutely LOVE the Parliament and thankfully have a few in the bunker but now a bottle will run you $350 Canadian where I am. I'll probably get a 2021 if it comes around but that price is a bit nuts and if I do, I doubt I'll ever buy another. The 15 and 18 have never been available here as far as I know and I've given up trying to find a 15 which I was really motivated to track down for a long time. I'm thinking the new version just isn't going to give me what I want out of it. Big fan of sherried scotches but I'm finding a lot of them to be very bright and fresh - excellent and delish, but I find myself wanting more - the dark side! I know everyone's going bonkers over Glenallachie but it just isn't really there for me yet (only had up to the 18) but I'm looking forward to the next few years and thinking we're going to get some great things coming from them.
Sounds like you prefer those darker more “brooding” sherried notes. I love those too. Glenallachie is the spiritual successor to GlenDronach, but there are other dark heavily sherried options out there. Kavalans, Edradours, etc.
I prefer my Billy Walker 12s over the Macallan 12..But, I like the Mac a lot...Maybe because I can get 3 Billy Walker era liters for 2, 70cl Macs my opinion is skewed.
I have never found the 15 either..I have 2 Billy Walker 18s...and a 21... I can get the 21 for $145us....I will buy another soon..
I also had an issue with that fancy Mac cork...my locking mechanism broke the first time I opened it.
It sits ajar..crooked..
But, damn it is tasty...
The batch i have right now was really meh for the first half of the bottle...
I love Glendronach, but I'm not going to buy the chillfiltered version.
Respectable! ✔
I find the newer bottlings too overoaked from the tired European oak casks involved and far too little sherry to balance against the oak and spirit. The quality of Glendronach bottlings have just been going on a downtrend now that they have less old stock to prop up the general quality of their releases.
Agree!
Can you still find the Non-Chill Filtered version??
Tbh I haven't been looking. Probably tough to find these days, though.
@@Gwhisky indeed, love your channel. Thanks for the content.
I'm. The lucky one to have tthe unchillfiltered tasted! In my opinion was grrrreat.
Glad you like it! 🥃
@@Gwhisky story time. Later the days came to the same shop, despite they've ran out of NCF 15 revival which i wanted to try, couple of bottles were on the counter instead of shelves. I've asked like may I have one? They said sorry it's a special reservation for the customer that spends around 40 k usd (equivalent) a month on whiskey with us. So new years wish to you and everyone around here : wish we all have the same budget always available 😎🎄🥃 cheers yall! I'll go finish my work and grab a bottle of something
i was spoiled by being introduced to the 12 year during the unicorn years up to 2013....since then its been downhill and then the takeover really sent it rolling down the hill
I remember those early 2010s bottlings. Amazing. I've got a couple Billy Walker bottlings in the stash from 2018. Just after he sold the distillery his “last hoorah” whiskies were also excellent. Modern GD12 is a far cry from the Walker stuff!
Sad to say that any company, even distilleries, order their packaging in volume, and not to the exact number of chill filtered whisky bottles coming out of the factory.
👍🏻
I bought the chill filtered version recently just to see and man it really sucks! I hadn’t had a Glendronach since the Billy Walker days, so it was quite the step down. There was very little on the nose. Palate was mainly oak and some very neutered sherry notes. Very dull overall! Sounds quite a bit worse than the one in the review coz I certainly wouldn’t describe it as “full and forward”.
Sad to hear this((((
Oof that doesn't sound promising. How to damage a brand 101...
Should you buy this? Yes.
Billy Walker or no Billy Walker, I've never understood the hype around the brand or him with all due respect. Even the mucho over-hyped 15 Revival was just okay IMHO. The NAS Cask Strength tends to be their best release and their best value ✌️
He's good but it's a very particular style, obviously heavily sherried. I think there are equally skilled master distillers out there who don't get the same credit or recognition as him. I have heard it said that he's a one-trick-pony with all the sherry bombs, although I don't think that's true myself. I'm a big fan of his.
@@Gwhisky In all honesty I'd be hard-pressed to name three Master Dstillers in the Scotch whisky industry; the fact that I know his name means something. I've only tried the 12 after it was Ralfy's WOTY, but I'm not the biggest GlenAllachie fan either. I've recently seen the 15 for $100, but I'm not buying it.
Oh my, this is one of my favorites, always have a bottle. But okay, I forgive you.
Hah thanks buddy! 😂🥃
After Billy Walker,its been downhill for glendronach distillery...
💯% agree!
Review the 15 :D
Yeah this one is banger for your $$$
It’s a good whiskey.
Glad you like it. 🥃
The root of the controversy is in removing NCF from the label, but that by itself does not mean that they're now suddenly chill filtering. Everybody needs to stop acting on assumptions just because it's ostensibly something that doesn't fall under these simplistic stats on the label that enthusiasts keep blindly demanding. Filtering processes that may fall under "chill filtering" can still be more or less aggressive between different distilleries, and removing NCF from the label does not therefore mean a sudden or drastic change in the quality. Our peace of mind over having these "craft presentation stats" is not a substitute for the first-hand experience of whether the product still actually tastes good or not. It's cases like these with Glendronach that cement my belief that demanding simplistic black-or-white standards like NCF and natural color hurt more than they help. They've become a default basis for prejudice, instead of tools for actual critical thinking.
Prejudice? Lol it's a drink, not an oppressed minority. We pay good money for single malt whisky. Nothing wrong with wanting it to be as natural as possible.
@@Gwhisky Hey, I understand why enthusiasts want craft presentation stats. I used to. But please understand that there's something wrong when you see people using such criteria (or lack thereof) to jump to all sorts of conclusions, which is what we call prejudice, or pre-judgment if you prefer something more neutral. Communication from distilleries could of course be better, but it doesn't help when people responded with so much overraction and endless speculation.
I won't take it to speak personally of you that you'd prefer to just give a snide and evasive retort, and I'll appreciate even just getting a response at all. I'll just make my case that making craft presentation into a checklist of stats, while of course preliminarily useful (ie, I'm not suggesting that it should stop entirely), also becomes an excuse for a lot of people out there to treat it like dogma. I don't necessarily think we should ignore craft presentation stats, but I do think people need to recognize when these criteria start getting taken for granted, and then start to unconsciouly and unfairly color our subsequent impressions.
Soon as the video start... the bottle is empty.. it literally says Yes buys it😂
I don't like the sour sherrytaste in this one. Some of Glenrothes 12 is the same, and I dislike that part, but the rest of Glenrothes is better tasting to me. Neither is very good though.
No thx on chill filtered product. Since they took over I agree the product is not as good as in the past. For what they are asking in price no thx
Respectable.
When he smell it and talk about 13 differents flavours in 30 seconds , do you guys think it's possible ??? It's hard for me to trust it
I write down the tasting notes in advance. It's scripted so the video doesn't drag.