It is not often we get to celebrate a centennial, let alone a bicentennial, for that matter. Yet as the whisky gods would have it, we celebrate 200 years of The Glendronach this year. Steeped in Spanish flair and a distinct Highland spirit, Dr Rachel Barrie now holds the baton that founder James Allardice has passed down from generation to generation. “We’re custodians of the distillery,” Dr Barrie shared during her pit stop in Singapore. “The elements of nature that have created The Glendronach and made it unique must remain. My role is to nurture the beauty of the distillery.” Part of that identity is consecrated by Spanish oak cask maturation, pioneered by Allardice.

While Singapore was the final stop of Dr Barrie’s gruelling two-week Asian tour schedule, she was full of vigour and passion from the intimate tasting of the exceptional 56-Year-Old to our conversation together and then to the 14-Year-Old Boynsmill House Edition launch dinner. I am truly certain that her energy stemmed from a deep love and personal connection to the distillery. “I was born only a few months after this particular expression [the 56-Year-Old] was laid down. I grew up picking brambles near the distillery and was running through those fields [as a kid],” Dr Barrie shared contemplatively, with a tinge of awe and perhaps a pinch-me-moment of disbelief when I asked what the bicentennial meant to her on a personal level.

The Glendronach unveiled two commemorative expressions to mark this momentous occasion: an exceptional 56-Year-Old and the 14-Year-Old Boynsmill House Edition. As Dr Barrie mentioned earlier, the new make spirits of the 56-Year-Old were left to mature months prior to her birth. “It’s a beautiful synchronicity of going back in time to 1826, and creating a whisky that really pays homage to The Glendronach character in its richest possible way,” Dr Barrie shared in her opening address when she presented us with a dram of the 56-Year-Old.

The whisky itself is an assemblage of three Pedro Ximénez hogsheads, each carrying a distinct facet of The Glendronach’s character after first spending 46 years in Oloroso sherry butts. One contributed sandalwood and fragrant oak notes, another offered black cherry and Medjool dates, while the third brought stewed fruits and ancient spices. Dr Barrie carefully selected the proportions of each cask to create what she described as “the most seamless integration of all the facets of Glendronach”.

As we lifted our glasses, it became immediately apparent what she meant. The whisky unfolded in layers rather than arriving all at once. Black cherry, ripe plum and dark fruits emerged first before giving way to Medjool dates, sandalwood, oud wood, and warming spices. Despite its age, the spirit had remarkable vitality and generosity. More importantly, it retained what Dr Barrie calls The Glendronach’s “stoic depth” — an earthy, dark-fruited foundation that has remained at the heart of the distillery’s character for generations. The setting then shifted as the tasting concluded, and I spent some time alone with Dr Barrie to understand more about The Glendronach, its centennial and more.

James Allardice founded The Glendronach in 1826. How do you think he’ll feel seeing the distillery thriving 200 years later?
I hope he would be very proud and appreciate how The Glendronach is expressed today, and that he would love the whisky we’re making today. From what I understand of his character, he was very stoic, very serious about making whisky, and deeply dedicated to his craft, much as I am. But he also had a flamboyant side. He loved to entertain, had a great sense of humour, and plenty of charisma.

The Glendronach 14-Year-Old Boynsmill House Edition

What was interesting about his character that you came across during your research into his life?
He was a builder by trade, a stonemason, so he literally built the distillery, obviously with help. Apart from that, he seemed like a very sociable character; very charismatic and enjoyed hosting people at the Boynsmill House. When I look at how we connect with people through The Glendronach today and bring his gift to the world in a beautiful and expressive way, I hope he would be very proud and very happy.

Do you feel you are preserving a legacy or adding your own chapter to The Glendronach as its master blender?
It has to be both. We’re custodians of the distillery, and the soul of the distillery has to be protected. The elements of nature that have created The Glendronach and made it unique must remain. My role is to nurture the distillery’s beauty. It’s an incredibly expressive spirit. You get all these layers of flavour; it’s not a one-trick pony. My job is to bring those expressions of The Glendronach to life artistically.

It’s a bit like art. You honour the Spanish oak and the duality of character The Glendronach possesses: depth on one side and elegance on the other. The most beautiful wines, spirits, and experiences have that duality, and for me, that is what The Glendronach is all about: an expression of character.

And it all stems from intuition…
Yeah, it’s very much a feeling. The Glendronach is intertwined with everything I’ve learned throughout my journey: my memories, travels, and experiences in Jerez with the sherry casks. From there, I imagine how a whisky will express itself. I suppose it’s like being a composer of a symphony; you create music if you have an ear for it. I have a nose for whisky; I listen to the whisky and then create what feels right.

Has your impression of the brand changed from the first time you experienced it until where you are today?
Absolutely, simply because I’ve come to know it so much more deeply. I knew of The Glendronach when I started, but I hadn’t sampled the tens of thousands of casks sitting in the warehouses. It’s only when you immerse yourself in that and understand how the spirit changes with age, how it behaves in different wood types and how it expresses itself that you really fine-tune and create those symphonies.

How has your perception of time changed when working with a whisky house that has already existed for two centuries?
I think you have to honour history, appreciate the whiskies that have already been distilled from the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, and make them the very best they can be. I’ll consider transferring certain casks to another if it benefits the whisky. For instance, we’ve transferred whisky into Amontillado sherry casks, something that had never been done before. It brought everything together and created a new symphony of flavour. So yes, I work with what I’ve inherited, but I also bring my own artistry to the way it is expressed.

How much are you willing to venture beyond the boundaries?
Yes, absolutely. What I love about The Glendronach — the Valley of the Brambles, the dark fruit character — is that it is rooted in the essence of that place in Scotland. That said, I love château wines and have ventured into Bordeaux and Burgundy casks because their elegance and structure work beautifully with that duality of character.

Again, it’s about honouring The Glendronach’s character while exploring possibilities. The same applies to different sherry cask styles. I mentioned Amontillado earlier, but I’ve also worked with Palo Cortado. Even though they do not reveal their full potential straight away, I allow them to develop and see how the character evolves. It may be another ten years before those casks become perfect for The Glendronach.

As you and your team work with maturing stock today, do you ever find yourself thinking about the decisions made by master blenders and distillery teams before you arrived?
Yes, I do, although it’s important to remember that circumstances were often different. Sometimes it comes down to economics. I’m fortunate today to have the backing and investment to source the very best wood. Previous generations may not have had the same resources or ability to focus on the distillery in the same way.

Sherry casks are incredibly expensive, and we spend millions of British pounds every year on wood quality. Back in the 1970s and 1980s, The Glendronach was primarily used for blends, so the philosophy at the time would naturally have been different from what it is today, as single malt whisky continues to grow.

And when you’re laying down new make spirits for future generations, what kind of notes are you leaving behind?
Every batch of new make spirit is nosed and assessed. I have a panel, so it’s not just me making the decision. We work with a gold standard and compare everything blind against it. Is it green, amber or red? Ninety-nine per cent of the time it’s green. Occasionally it’s what I’d call triple green, and then we ask ourselves what happened and how we can recreate that. We record all those notes for every filling that goes into oak. Beyond that, I also determine the wood policy each year, which becomes part of the legacy we leave behind.

To close this interview, what does The Glendronach’s bicentennial mean to you on a more personal level?
I feel honoured and grateful to be part of it. Personally, it’s a rich experience to work with a highly revered distillery of this quality and reputation, especially one so closely connected to where I was born and raised. I was born only a few months after this particular expression was laid down. I grew up picking brambles near the distillery and running through those fields. In many ways, I feel as though I’ve come full circle and eventually found my way back home.