Glenrothes 1978 vintage

This Glenrothes from 1978 matured on sherry casks. It won Best Speyside Whisky in 2008, the year of its release, at the World Whisky Awards and Jim Murray (who?) scored it 90.5 points. This is one of the few times that I wholeheartedly agree with him (but I do not do halves). It was distilled on 3rd November 1978 and bottled on the 7th January (my birthday!) 2008. The whisky is thus 29 years old.

The nose is creamy on butterscotch with fruit. Think sultanas and gooseberries mostly. A basket full of apricots and loads of sweet honey. There is also a herbal side to it that I cannot quite identify. Heather? Eaglefern (what?!). Nice touches of mint, vanilla and cinnamon and – if you leave it long enough – a bit of licorice. Anise. Yes, anise that gets louder all the time. What a beautiful, sweet, creamy and complex nose!

The arrival, unfortunately, is rather weak. But the fruit and the wood go hand in glove, creating a beautiful balance. Honey becomes fruit becomes spices. Nice evolution. A touch of woodsmoke. Tobacco, maybe? Nice!

The finish is wonderfully spicy and sweet and lasts impressively long.

It would be an absolute cracker if it were bottled at 46% or even 50%. At this strength it is still a top notch whisky, though. Around 340 EUR. Thanks a lot, Filip!

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