Glendronach 18 year old Marsala Cask Finish

Picture this: my partner suggests I can get a bottle I really enjoy, but I need to pick it, purchase it, and then deduct that sum from what I owe her for household costs. It may not sound like the best arrangement, but believe me, I came out ahead! Naturally, I selected a Glendronach 18yo, but a special edition, finished in Marsala Casks. Bottled at 46%abv, it has a beautiful, almost orange hue. On the nose, it's quite distinct. Beautifully floral; with notes of dulce de leche, a milk confection, and white chocolate. Delightful. On the palate, it's wonderfully sweet. Like a biscuit with a vanilla glaze. Light red fruits, tart red fruits. There's a white chocolate character. It sounds odd, but it's like sipping a thorny rose. Truly very floral. The aftertaste has an incredible prune and tart, intensely fruity character. Very dry. On a second taste, it offered a surprising wild berry note, like gooseberries. Overall, if tasted blind, I would never guess this was a Glendronach. That being said, it's the most floral whisky I've encountered from the Scottish Highlands. It resembles a Japanese whisky. My rating for this very intriguing and surprising single malt is 90 out of 100.

The nose presents significant sherry influence, yet carries a subtle note of aged rum. It's nearly tropical in profile. Notes of fruitcake and cocoa are more evident, with that distinct rum characteristic emerging. It's rich and full-bodied, concluding with intriguing bright notes of berry preserves. If you appreciate a sweet whisky, this is exceptional.

I truly, truly enjoy this one! It's smooth, warm, and makes me happy. It's supposedly 24 years old because it's actually 18 plus 6 years that weren't factored into the sherry cask aging.

Smells of ripe fruit, marmalade, butterscotch, and red apple. Tastes of blackberry, cherry, flowers, a little pepper, with a short, dry finish.