GlenDronach 12 vs Macallan 12 Sherry Oak: Discover the Better!

Discover the differences between GlenDronach 12 vs Macallan 12 Sherry Oak in this in-depth comparison and decide which whisky is better for You!

GlenDronach Original 12

• Nose: Caramel, honey, apple.
• Palate: Vanilla, caramel dried fruit.
• Finish: Oak, dried fruit, sherry.

The nose is quite aromatic, rich in toffee and honey, along a touch of apple.

On the palate, the GlenDronach has a creamy feel as the body feels thick. Flavor delivers caramel and vanilla up-front, followed by a rich dried fruit note.

The finish is long with very little warmth to it, leaving an aftertaste of oak, dried fruity and sherry behind.

GlenDronach (Review) drinks beautifully making one of the best 12 year malts. No harshness or off-putting notes and a tasty profile makes it entirely satisfying.

No need to add water or ice, it’s perfect as it is.

The GlenDronach ages for a dozen using in a combination of Oloroso, a variety of fortified wine, and Pedro Ximenez, a velvety and sweet sherry wine from Spain, casks.

This combination of casks is what gives the GlenDronach the strong Sherry wine presence and the nutty and sweet flavor.

GlenDronach is a great option for those fond of Scotch rich in sherry wine notes.

There are a few facts worth knowing about the GlenDronach 12:

• Bottled at 86 proof (43% ABV).

• Gold at the 2017 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

• Gold at the 2017 World Whiskies Awards.

• The GlenDronach distillery dates back to 1826 when it was founded by James Allardes.

• Dr. Rachel Barrie is the current master distiller and one of the few women distilling whisky in Scotland.

• It has suffered a lot of hardship throughout its existence as it shut down from 1996 to 2002 and has changed ownership several times.

• It has belonged to Glenfiddich, Teacher’s, Chivas Regal and today Brown-Forman (Jack Daniel’s) is the owner.

Macallan 12 Sherry Oak Cask

• Nose: Vanilla, dried fruit, oak.
• Palate: Vanilla, dried fruit, oak, prune.
• Finish: Oak and sherry.

The nose is rich in vanilla, followed by dried fruit and a tad of oak.

On the palate, the Sherry Oak provides a nice creamy texture. First sip is pleasantly warming and sweet, with hints of vanilla, dried fruit and prune and a gentle touch of oak.

The finish is long, with notes of and sherry and just enough heat to remind you that you are sipping a fine malt.

The Macallan Sherry Oak is a nice and smooth mellow dram with no harshness whatsoever and quite easy to sip.

This is the sherried version of the Macallan 12 Double Cask and more appealing to most consumers as it easier to sip, due to the additional sherry wine sweetness.

This is the type of whisky that I drink neat or rocks using large ice cubes as I don’t like watering-down my drams.

There are a few facts worth knowing about the Macallan 12 Sherry Oak:

• Bottled at 86 proof.

• Aged for 12 years in Oloroso Sherry-seasoned oak casks.

• Described by F. Paul Pacult, as ‘simply the best 12 Year Old single malt around’.

• Macallan is owned by the Edrington Group along Highland Park, Glenrothes and the Famous Grouse.

What do GlenDroanch and Macallan have in common?

These are two of the few distillers that do not add artificial colorants to the whisky making in them completely legit.

This practice is allowed under the set of regulations that govern Scotch Whisky but is frowned upon by some traditionalists.

GlenDronach 12 vs Macallan 12: Price comparison

Prices are approximate and stated in USD:

Whisky	Price
GlenDronach 12	$68
Macallan 12 Sherry Oask Cask	$85

Glendronach 12 or Macallan 12 Sherry Oak Cask: Which is better?

The GlenDroach beats the Macallan due to its price

Whiskey	Glendronach 12	Macallan 12 Sherry Oak Cask
Nose	✅	✅
Body	✅	✅
Palate	✅	✅
Finish	✅	✅
Value	✅

• These malts taste practically the same. They are so similar that 99% of consumers would fail at telling one from the other in a blind taste.

• Hence, I recommend buying the GlenDronach which has a huge price gap in its favor.