In 2026, The Glendronach will celebrate its bicentenary. They are already taking an advance on that, by updating the visual identity. In other words: a new design for both bottles and packaging. Plús a brilliant image campaign by Rankin!
Text: Gerben Bijpost
A relaunch of sorts, then. And as far as we are concerned, a successful mission, as the new jacket more emphatically conveys a sense of class and style. Is that important? Yes indeed! Because those standing in front of the shelves of a liquor store today have a lot to choose from. And because most shopkeepers don't have any bottles open for a casual tasting - if only it were such a party -, your choice depends on what you already know or you go by your gut feeling. And that feeling is primarily guided by what you see: the bottle, the colour of the whisky and possibly the accompanying packaging.
Either way, the quality of the whisky should be underlined by the design of the packaging. As a kind of announcement of the pleasure that will follow later, after opening the bottle. So that even those who don't yet know The Glendronach will confidently grab such a bottle from the shelves, convinced that the contents will be more than fine. And the nice thing is: no one needs to doubt that....
Indeed, The Glendronach is a high-quality whisky, originating from the beautiful Scottish Highlands, in the far north-east of the country, the mystical 'Valley of Forgue'.
Located on the border between the Highland and Speyside regions, this rugged and windswept Forgue valley has been home to the Glendronach distillery since 1826. Here, the robust Highland spirit is slowly matured in carefully selected Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks, sourced from sunny Andalusia in Spain. The result is a prestigious single malt in which the powerful Scottish spirit merges with luscious Spanish notes.
Alongside the new packaging, a creative visual campaign has also been launched, symbolically uniting Highland spirit and Spanish flair. For this, The Glendronach collaborated with renowned Scottish portrait photographer Rankin. Having had icons like Queen Elizabeth and Arnold Schwarzenegger in front of his lens, Rankin has now captured the story of The Glendronach. To do so, he visited the distillery to immortalise "the balance between tradition and imagination". The result is atmospheric homage to The Glendronach's philosophy: to create an extraordinary whisky that unites a distinctive Highland spirit with Spanish warmth.
In the campaign that Rankin created together with master blender Rachel Barrie -also called the First Lady of Scotch Whisky-, for example, we see Spanish flamenco dancer Rocio Dusmet Orellana at The Glendronach distillery. A visual metaphor that highlights the combination of two worlds and redefines the brand's image.
Portrait photographer Rankin: "I know the whisky industry well and this felt really different and exciting. I thrive on creating cultural clashes and finding beauty in the tensions they bring. Plus, as a native Scot, the idea of bringing flamenco to the Highlands sparked a passion in me that I just couldn't resist." (See video below!)
Rachel Barrie, master blender: "For me, The Glendronach is a surprise, a revelation and a flavour crescendo. At the first sip, it has a layer that is so much richer than you expect. Our philosophy is exactly that: by creating the most exceptional sherry whisky, we raise expectations. We are now setting a new standard to match the exquisite nature of the whisky with a new visual identity."
The Glendronach single malts, 12-year-old, 15-year-old and 18-year-old, are the first whiskies to be presented with the new visual identity.
THE GLENDRONACH AGED 12 YEARS
Master blender Rachel Barrie: "The Glendronach Aged 12 Years is of exceptional complexity and balance and embodies the distillery's character."
TEST NOTES
COLOUR - Rich amber gold
NEUS - Autumn fruits with sherry mingle with soft chocolate praline, gingerbread and sun-dried sultanas
FLAVOUR - Caramelised blackberry, silky orange and sultanas envelop the palate with warming spices. This expression is bottled at 43% with only natural cask-applied colour.
THE GLENDRONACH AGED 15 YEARS
Master blender Rachel Barrie: "The Glendronach Aged 15 Years has a refined character. Elegant and complex, with luscious depth and the full richness for which The Glendronach is so celebrated."
TEST NOTES
COLOUR - Antique copper with a golden hue
NEUS - An intoxicating explosion of maraschino cherry, ripe blackberry and dark chocolate mint with hints of orange bitters and walnut liqueur
FLAVOUR - Honey glazed apricot and ripe fig with a crescendo of black cherry, angelica and muscovado. This expression is bottled at 46% with only natural cask-applied colour.
THE GLENDRONACH AGED 18 YEARS
Master blender Rachel Barrie: "The Glendronach Aged 18 Years is a sumptuous expression of greatness, with the full depth of Oloroso sherry cask maturation. Extraordinarily rich and intense, with an endless velvety finish."
TEST NOTES
COLOUR - Antique bronze with an amber hue
NEUS - Deep aromas of fudge and dark muscovado sugar. Fruit compote and morello cherries add layers of complexity
FLAVOUR - Rich, dark and seductive. Remarkable flavours of stewed fruit and allspice mingle with classic aged Oloroso and toasted walnut bread and chocolate orange
This expression is bottled at 46% with only natural cask-applied colour.
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