GlenDronach and the village that gave it a name: the story behind Forgue
If you've ever stood in an airport duty-free and spotted a GlenDronach bottle you didn't recognise, there's a good chance it was the Forgue 10 Year Old. Created as the distillery's very first Travel Retail exclusive, Forgue has quietly built a devoted following among whisky travellers worldwide. We're now stocking it at Whisky Estate, and it's the kind of bottle that deserves a proper introduction.
The distillery: nearly 200 years in the Highlands
GlenDronach Distillery was founded in 1826, making it one of the oldest continuously operating distilleries in Scotland. It sits near the village of Huntly in Aberdeenshire, in the heart of the Highland whisky district, and it takes its very name from the Dronac burn, the stream that flows through the distillery grounds.
For most of its history, GlenDronach was something of an insider's secret. Whisky enthusiasts who knew, knew. The distillery built its reputation on one thing above all else: an unwavering commitment to sherry cask maturation. While many Scottish distilleries use sherry casks as one element among many, GlenDronach made it the centrepiece of everything they produce.
The distillery draws its water directly from the Dronac burn on the property and, unusually, maintains its own floor maltings. Two wash stills and two spirit stills work in combination to produce a spirit with the body and depth that sherry cask ageing demands. In 2016, GlenDronach was acquired by Brown-Forman Corporation; the American spirits group also behind Woodford Reserve and Old Forester, alongside sister distilleries BenRiach and Glenglassaugh.
Sherry cask mastery: the Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso combination
What truly sets GlenDronach apart, and what makes Forgue such a compelling expression, is the distillery's use of Spanish oak sherry casks. For the Forgue, two cask types are used in combination: Pedro Ximénez, which imparts deep sweetness, dark fruit and raisin character; and Oloroso, which contributes nuttiness, dried fruit and a savoury, complex edge.
This pairing isn't accidental. GlenDronach has spent generations refining how these two cask styles interact with their spirit, and Forgue is the result of that accumulated knowledge applied to a 10-year-old whisky. The outcome is a bottle that punches well above its age statement; rich, layered and immediately recognisable as GlenDronach.
What does Forgue mean?
The name is a direct tribute to the distillery's origins. Forgue is the name of the area where GlenDronach was founded in 1826, a fitting choice for an expression that celebrates the distillery's roots and identity. When GlenDronach chose a name for its first-ever Travel Retail release, it looked back to where it all began.
Tasting notes
The Forgue 10 Year Old opens on the nose with Seville blood orange, dark cherry and sweet barley, alongside roasted chestnuts and a hint of cocoa. On the palate, Valencia orange and blackcurrant lead into toffee praline, brambles and nutmeg, with a whisper of tobacco adding complexity. The finish is long and warming, underpinned throughout by that signature deep sherry sweetness.
Bottled at 43% ABV, non-chill filtered, and awarded Gold at the World Whiskies Awards and Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Available now at Whisky Estate
The GlenDronach Forgue 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky is available now in store and online, priced at $139.99. If you've been hunting this one down, your search is over.
Questions about this bottle or GlenDronach's range? Get in touch, we're always happy to talk whisky.
