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Glendronach Aged 56 Years, 1968
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Glendronach Aged 56 Years, 1968
Distilled in September 1968, and the oldest whisky the distillery has released. Its first four and a half decades were spent in three Oloroso sherry butts from Jerez; in 2014 it moved into three Spanish oak Pedro Ximénez hogsheads for its final years in dunnage at Forgue. 200 decanters were released, one for each year since the distillery was licensed in 1826. Each is hand-blown Glencairn crystal, in a cabinet hand-carved from American black walnut by John Galvin — 148 separate elements, more than 80 hours of work, lined in quilted maple. Launched at £35,000.
Glendronach's tasting notes: sherry, plush dark fruits and dark cacao, caramelised date, oud wood and blackberry compote on the nose; black cherry, tonka bean and amber-raisin turning to dark chocolate and mandarin on the palate.
Glendronach's tasting notes: sherry, plush dark fruits and dark cacao, caramelised date, oud wood and blackberry compote on the nose; black cherry, tonka bean and amber-raisin turning to dark chocolate and mandarin on the palate.
£35,000 INC DUTY AND VAT
1x70cl
As these products are exceedingly rare, we don't hold stock of them. However, we should have access through our extensive, international network. Please enquire — price and availability will be confirmed and photos will be supplied.
Details
ProducerGlendronach
TypeWhisky
VintageNV
RegionHighland
Age56 years old
Distilled1968
Released2026
Outturn200 decanters
ABV44.9%
Cask typeThree Oloroso sherry butts, 1968–2014; three Spanish oak Pedro Ximénez hogsheads, 2014–2025
Bottle size70cl
Pack size1x70cl
CountryScotland
Producer profile
Glendronach was licensed in 1826 at Forgue, near Huntly in the eastern Highlands, by a consortium led by James Allardice — among the first distilleries in Scotland to hold a licence.
The house is built on sherry. Its whisky goes into Spanish oak that has held oloroso and Pedro Ximenez in the bodegas of Andalucia, and much of it rests in dunnage warehouses at ground level. The stills were coal-fired until 2005.
For most of the twentieth century the spirit was a backbone of the Teacher's blends, under the Grant family from 1920, William Teacher & Sons from 1960 and Allied from 1976. The distillery was mothballed in 1996 and reopened in 2002. What made its name came after: in 2008 a consortium led by Billy Walker bought it and spent seven million pounds on a relaunch, and the 12, 15 and 18 year olds that followed in 2009 set the sherry-matured style it is known for now. Brown-Forman has owned it since 2016. Whisky Auctioneer ranks it among the most desirable brands in the sherried category.
Its landmark bottlings come out of its own warehouses. 'Recherche', released in 2012, was a single oloroso butt — cask 005, filled on 24 September 1968 — bottled at 44 years old in a run of 632, and described by the distillery at the time as the oldest whisky in its warehouses. It has returned to that 1968 vintage since, most recently for the Aged 56 Years of 2026.
The house is built on sherry. Its whisky goes into Spanish oak that has held oloroso and Pedro Ximenez in the bodegas of Andalucia, and much of it rests in dunnage warehouses at ground level. The stills were coal-fired until 2005.
For most of the twentieth century the spirit was a backbone of the Teacher's blends, under the Grant family from 1920, William Teacher & Sons from 1960 and Allied from 1976. The distillery was mothballed in 1996 and reopened in 2002. What made its name came after: in 2008 a consortium led by Billy Walker bought it and spent seven million pounds on a relaunch, and the 12, 15 and 18 year olds that followed in 2009 set the sherry-matured style it is known for now. Brown-Forman has owned it since 2016. Whisky Auctioneer ranks it among the most desirable brands in the sherried category.
Its landmark bottlings come out of its own warehouses. 'Recherche', released in 2012, was a single oloroso butt — cask 005, filled on 24 September 1968 — bottled at 44 years old in a run of 632, and described by the distillery at the time as the oldest whisky in its warehouses. It has returned to that 1968 vintage since, most recently for the Aged 56 Years of 2026.
