Origin: Speyside (Scotland)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Strength: 50.1%ABV
Ageind casks: Ex-Bourbon hogsheads
Chillfiltered: No
Added colouring: No
Owner: J & A Mitchell & Co Ltd.
Average price: € 120.00
Official website: www.cadenhead.scot
Vote: 87/100
To our taste – it should always be specified – Glenrothes is an inconsistent distillery in terms of results, at least as far as OBs are concerned: the classic 12yo, for example, seemed to us an excellent entry level, while the Sherry Cask Reserve and Select Reserve appeared to be completely unremarkable. We are therefore curious to put Scotland’s oldest IB’s whisky from this classic Speyside distillery to the test.
Today, we find ourselves with two ex-Bourbon hogsheads in which matured a distillate from 1996, bottled in 2019, at 50.1% ABV, in its natural colour and without chillfiltration, in a total of 942 bottles now almost impossible to find. Also for this reason, the price, more than on other occasions, is to be considered purely indicative.
Tasting notes
A beautiful full gold shines in the glass.
On the nose, the very first note is of shortcrust pastry, but this is, in the final analysis, a very fleeting impression because, after a few moments, it’s tropical fruit, in the form of mango, that takes centre stage, dressed in a light spicy hint of nutmeg and accompanied by a hint of yellow apple and rosemary, a yeasty note and, as the drinking continues, a vanilla fragrance. A fresh menthol suggestion of not inconsiderable intensity envelops the entire perceptive spectrum.
On the palate, it’s still the shortcrust pastry that comes first, but it is the fruit that dominates, with apricot, peach, ripe pineapple and a slight touch of spice. As on the nose, the gradation appears perfectly calibrated, while here the original lunge arrives with a completely unexpected note of Grana Padano cheese, which lingers in the mouth, once the sip is over, for quite a long time.
A varied, unpredictable dram with a couple of captivating twists, showing once again that whisky is always capable of surprising. And that it isn’t so much a question of experience, but rather of willingness of spirit (in every sense of the word).