The Minty’s Scotch Week: Glendronach Returns with the 15 Year Revival

 

Just in time for The Minty’s Scotch Week, Glendronach re-launched their 15 year. Aptly called Revival, I got to taste it recently at the new Double Barrel in Beverly Hills. DB takes over the old Nirvana space.

DB is a private whisky bar where you buy bottles to be stored in lockers. This is a similar concept as the lockers at Bar Jackalope inside Seven Grand in Downtown Los Angeles.

 

Rory Glasgow, the brand ambassador, put together a cheese and chocolate tasting to go with the four expressions we tried. He’s based in San Francisco so many of the cheeses and chocolates came from his local shops.

Glendronach is known for their Olorosso and Pedro Ximenez casks finishes so it was very cool to also taste these sherries along with their corresponding whiskys.

We tasted the 12 with cheese, the 15 with chocolate, the 18 with cheese and the 21 with chocolate. Going back and forth, my palate really got a workout between the whisky, cheese, chocolate and sherry.

 

Until this evening, I had only had the 12 before at a Glendronach, BenRiach and Glenglassaugh tasting last year. It was nice to taste through the expressions. The Glendronach 21 is called Parliament. You can really taste the sherry from this one.

 

 

While Rory led us through the tasting, we were really all excited to meet the master blender for Glendronach, BenRiach and Glenglassaugh, Rachel Barrie. She is one of the few female blenders in Scotland and holds an honorary degree from the University of Edinburgh.

 

 

We also had some appetizers and drinks at DB. Nirvana was an Indian restaurant and it was interesting they kept the samosas and chicken from that menu for DB (same owners). Nirvana had a large Buddha head in the restaurant and currently a giant copper still is built around it as it was too heavy to move.

I liked the Misfits drink which reminded me of a Black Manhattan (or I suppose in this case, Rob Roy).

The Misfits – Glendronach 12, St. George spiced pear liqueur, amaro, bitters

Highland Penicillin – Glendronach 12, honey, ginger, lemon

 

I would love to try the 15 side by side with an older bottling. If anyone knows where there might be some to be had, let me know in the comments!

 

Glendronach

Double Barrel Room

8689 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211  —  (310) 657-5040

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