Glenrothes Whisky – Select Reserve Speyside Single Malt
Another night another tasting, it is a Saturday night (October 24th 2009 to be exact) and it is the three Whisky Boys down round the table, tasting glasses, mini oatcakes, fresh still water and tonight’s bottle.
Tonight’s dram looks as if it could be a belter, supplied by Dougie, we have a Glenrothes Whisky – Select Reserve Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 43% Alc/vol.
How nice is that bottle small and round, held in a very simple open cardboard box, all the Whisky Boys thought it looked great.
Glenrothes Distillery,
Rothes,
Morayshire AB38 7AA
telephone 01340 872300
website www.theglenrothes.com
Owners,The Edrington Group.
John Ramsay, the Malt Master, has crafted a selection of The Glenrothes which typifies the distillery house character – ripe fruits, citrus, vanilla and hints of spice.
The Select Reserve is a first for Glenrothes. A non-Vintage-specific selection carefully chosen by John and produced to the same high quality standards as The Glenrothes Vintage selections; only here do they select and vat from casks from different years.
The Glenrothes Distillery lies on a tributary of the river Spey in Scotland. Speyside is universally acknowledged as the heartland of single malt Whisky distillation. The small Speyside town of Rothes is rather coy about what it does best. The only clue, if you drive down the narrow High Street with the window open, is the feint, sweet scent of distillation in the air.
Rothes has been making malt whisky since 1840 and though most is used in blends, it could if it wished produce enough to fill 50 million bottles of single malt each year. At dusk you get a better idea of scale when great clouds of steam can be seen billowing up from the town’s five distilleries of Speyburn, Glen Grant, Glen Spey ,Caperdonich and, of course, Glenrothes.
Among them, tucked away in a tree-lined gorge beside the Rothes burn,is the one that proudly bears the town’s name; Glenrothes – built in 1878 and arguably the best kept secret on Speyside, The Glenrothes has been distilled here since 1879.
Lets dive straight into this grand looking dram.
The Glenrothes Select Reserve Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky.
Colour…Light gold
Jim’s tasting
Nose…A basket full of oranges, quite a gentle aroma, oak with a hint of vanilla.
Taste…Sweet, a complex mix of wood, fruit, spice and don’t forget the oranges.
Finish…Medium length, mellow with a wee hint of spice. Could be my new best friend, a joy to drink.
Nicola’s tasting
Nose…Warm, spicy and a wee bit fruity.
Taste…Smooth, very drinkable, a wee touch of spice.
Finish…Long and smooth, oh I do like my Speyside’s.
Dougie’s tasting
Nose…Lovely warm citrus notes with a honeyed spice on the side.
Taste…Well rounded, smooth citrus and honey with that delightful wood spice tingle on the tongue.
Finish…Medium/long, mellow smooth and rich with a distinct sweetness.
Well that went down very well indeed, this should be one for everyone’s cabinet, it certainly will be in The Whisky Boys stock at all times.
Now guess what Dougie has said, he has just gone and bought a bottle of Glenrothes 1984, 43% Alc/vol. We do have quite a list of tastings to be getting on with, but you guys and gals just might find that this one has just moved up to near the top of The Whisky Boys tasting’s list.
Don’t wait, go and buy this Select Reserve, if you really like a Speyside then this is up there with the best of them and their is no doubting that, well done up there in Rothes.
Remember tell them The Whisky Boys sent you.
Happy “drammin”
