Glendronach ODE to The Dark Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 50,8%

PX only. No oloroso to dry it out, no bourbon to lighten it. Ode to The Dark is the most uncompromising of the three in The Master’s Anthology, and the name was not chosen at random.

The expert's description

Glendronach Ode to The Dark is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured entirely in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks and bottled at 50.8%.

PX is the sweetest and most concentrated sherry type, and a whisky that sits in it alone picks up a depth and a colour no other cask combination can give. The 50.8% is pitched high to keep the heavy fruit in check — at a lower strength the sweetness would easily turn cloying.

The bottling forms part of The Master’s Anthology, a trio of Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky composed by master blender Rachel Barrie and launched in December 2024. The three releases carry no age statement and are each built around their own cask direction — Ode to The Valley, Ode to The Embers and Ode to The Dark.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dark chocolate and black cherries, with dates and a hint of bitter coffee. There is a heavy syrup note that PX casks always lay in.

Palate

Dense and sweet. Dates, raisin and dark chocolate, with a coffee bitterness cutting through. The cask strength gives the whisky enough structure not to collapse under its own sweetness.

Finish

Very long. Cocoa, dark fruit and a dry, almost burnt close.

Specifications

Name: Glendronach Ode to The Dark Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 50.8%
Distillery: Glendronach
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 50.8%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Pedro Ximénez sherry casks
Edition: The Master’s Anthology - Ode to The Dark
EAN no.: 5060716145506

Flavour profile

Sherried · Dark fruit · Chocolate · Sweet · Powerful

Did you know?

The Master’s Anthology was launched in December 2024 as three releases at once. That is unusual for Glendronach, which normally sends out single releases, and the three are meant to be tasted alongside each other rather than separately.

See our full range of Glendronach

Listen to our podcast:

Frequently asked questions about Glendronach Ode to The Dark

What does it mean that it sits only in PX casks?

That the sherry character is the most concentrated Glendronach makes. Pedro Ximénez is the sweetest sherry, and with no oloroso or bourbon to balance it the whisky comes out denser, darker and sweeter than anything else in the range.

How does it differ from the other two in the series?

Ode to The Valley is the brightest and fruitiest, Ode to The Embers is the peated one, and Ode to The Dark is the darkest and sweetest. The three are built to show how broadly sherry casks can play — same distillery, three different directions.

Is it too sweet?

It is sweet, but not without a counterweight. Coffee bitterness and the dry close cut through, and the 50.8% gives structure. If you prefer dry whiskies, Ode to The Valley is the better call. See the other Scottish styles in our Scotch Whisky selection.

Why does it carry no age statement?

Because Rachel Barrie composed it by cask rather than by year. An age statement would have to follow the youngest cask in the marriage and would say less about the whisky than the cask type does.

Should I add water?

Yes, give it a try. At 50.8% and with this much PX there is plenty to work with, and a couple of drops loosen the fruit and soften the syrup sweetness. Taste it neat first so you can feel the difference.

Is it peated?

No. The peated one in the series is Ode to The Embers. Ode to The Dark is pure sherry, and the burnt note in the finish comes from the PX casks, not from peat.

What does it go with?

Dark chocolate of a high cocoa percentage or a chocolate dessert. The cocoa and dark fruit in the whisky pull the same way as the dessert, and the cask strength has enough body not to disappear.