And so here we are, today the blog turns 5 years old, and it seems so far away that 19 July 2019, when I was training for the lockdown to come by being stuck at home for three months after a foot operation.
Combining my passion for writing with that of whisky was at the time just a way to occupy the all too much time on my hands, and although it’s sowmthing you always say in these occasions, I never really expected to reach over 1,000 bottles reviewed (not all by me, of course, thanks to the help of Giovanni, Felice and the unfortunately now flown elsewhere Vincenzo).
Five years in which I got to know a welcoming and exciting community of enthusiasts, helpful professionals and above all the Whisky Club Italia, which with Claudio, Serenella and Alice gave me a second home.
My goal remains to create a whisky community in the Veneto region, and perhaps this year some important steps will be taken.
To all of you who read me, in the meantime, I can only say thank you for the trust and affection with which you follow me (and us), and I hope as always to meet you at the next live events.
Five days of the Rose (finale): Rosebank 31yo Legacy Release Two
Origin: Lowlands (Scotland)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Strength: 48.1%ABV
Ageing casks: Ex-Sherry and ex-Bourbon
Chillfiltered: No
Added colouring: No
Owner: Ian MacLeod Distillers
Average price: € 2,000.00
Official website: www.rosebank.com
Vote: 89/100
And I close this pentalogy dedicated to Rosebank with the second release (from mid-2022) dedicated to the distillery’s rebirth under new ownership, which was followed by a third (aged 32 years) a few months ago.
Matured in a mix of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry refill casks, starting from a distillate produced in the final years before closure, which closes, for now, the journey through the character of this Lowlands jewel.
Tasting notes
Usual fruity grandeur on the nose, with a rich fruit salad of white and stone fruits and tropical fruit, with a certain predominance of peach and pineapple juice with a few drops of lime. A waxy note surrounds the aromas, in which the vegetal part plays a more incisive role than usual, with a vein of mouldy wood and a slight mineral note. Vanilla, honey toffee and orange peel complete the elegance of an always recognisable profile.
On the palate, it’s lively and creamy at the same time, with a spicy inflection of ginger and white pepper that teases the fruity elements, while remaining harmonious and sparkling thanks to forays of citrus and mineral notes with a hint of liquorice root. It’s a subtle interplay between the sweet and bitter sides, alternating and balancing between slightly tannic and vegetal notes. Almond confectionery and green tea come in at length.
The finish is long and dry, where the sweet/bitter dichotomy returns with spicy afflatus and a slight tannic astringency, with a clear woody note.
You can feel the long maturation here, with the wood more present than it should be, especially in the finish, a slight discordant note in an otherwise excellent score like its predecessors, similar yet different in its evocations and balances, and always involving.