Glendronach Masters Anthology Collection, Ode to the Valley, Sherry & Port Cask, 2024, 46.2%

BirchCloud5 Aug

The fruit and chocolate sound generous, but cinnamon spice, oak and a dry, bittersweet finish keep the sweetness from feeling one-note. That balance suits me.

The Sherry & Ruby Port cask detail gives this a clear point of interest. Raisin, prune and berry notes meet dark chocolate and cinnamon, while the finish brings oak and dryness to keep the sweeter side in check. I like that contrast: there’s plenty of dark fruit, but it doesn’t sound like sweetness all the way through. A rich, fruit-led character with a drier edge makes for an appealing balance.

CinnamonCloud1 Mar

The sherry and ruby port casks are named, but I wouldn’t assign either one sole responsibility for a particular flavour. The more useful story is the contrast: raisin and brandy-soaked prunes on the nose lead into chocolate-coated raisins, dark chocolate and vanilla cream on the palate. That’s a combination I’d generally welcome, especially with bittersweet cinnamon bark spice alongside the sweeter notes. The finish gives oak, cocoa powder, dryness and soft tannins a clearer role, while red berry sweetness lingers. I like that progression more than an unbroken run of jammy fruit; the drier ending sounds like a useful counterweight. There’s plenty going on, but the fruit and chocolate don’t have to do all the talking.