Golden Glenrothes in a bottle resembling a pot-bellied keg with a laconic, like a recipe, label is known among collectors and whiskey lovers in eighty countries of the world. Each type of Glenrothes is original, has a unique set of characteristics, has an exposure of at least 10 years and is produced in a limited release.
Single malt scotch became famous among connoisseurs only at the end of the last century, although master blenders made it one of the three most sought after as the basis for many Scottish blends, including the most vanilla whiskey – Cutty Sark.
Interesting facts about the brand
- The Glenrothes Distillery, built in 1879 by James Stewart for Wiiliam Grant & Sons, is today owned by the Edrington Group Ltd.
- This is the largest distillery in Speyside, with a production volume of 6 million liters of spirits annually.
- Distillation of spirits lasts 12 hours, then copper distillation cubes settle for 12 hours. Copper during this time has time to slightly oxidize, and when the cubes are recharged, new spirits wash off the patina of oxidation, which gives the drink a characteristic aftertaste.
- The single malt is sold by Berry Bros & Rudd, which owns the Cutty Sark brand.
- Since 2010, the Glenrothes distillery has been hosting a whiskey connoisseur competition every autumn on its website. The four finalists are invited to the distillery, where they are introduced to all the nuances of the production process and given the opportunity to make their own drink.
Types of Glenrothes Whiskey
The line of vintage Glenrothes is quite extensive and consists of:
- aged in bourbon barrels and cold filtered Single Speyside Malt;
- obtained without a cold filtration step Alba Reserve;
- blended from spirits aged from 10 to 30 years Vintage Reserve;
- aged in Sherry Cask Reserve sherry casks;
- drink with final aging in a rum container – Individual Cask Wood Finish Rum.
Glenrothes Single Speyside Malt, Select Reserve (43%). The drink is golden-straw in color with the aroma of plums, coconut and a barely perceptible astringency of oak wood. Balanced taste with notes of vanilla and orange peel. Warm long aftertaste with a hint of dried fruit. Scotch is drunk clean, it is good as a digestif and goes well with coffee.
Glenrothes Single Speyside Malt, 2001 (43%). The light golden drink matured in two types of barrels – bourbon and sherry, and was bottled in 2012. The aroma has notes of sandalwood, dried cherries and lime. Soft taste with hints of vanilla and nutmeg. Long aftertaste with astringency of oak. Recommended as a digestif, drink clean.
Glenrothes 12 years old, 1996 (46%). Scotch spirits distilled in 1996, aged 12 years in American oak, bottled in 2009 as a limited edition of 657 bottles. Light golden drink with spicy aromas of cinnamon, nuts and maple syrup has a multifaceted taste with hints of mint, honey, kiwi and toffee. The aftertaste is warm, fruity, of medium duration. It can be served as an aperitif and digestif, with ice and pure.
Glenrothes John Ramsay Single Speyside Malt (46,5%). Honey golden scotch smells pleasantly of chocolate, oranges and vanilla. The taste is rich with hints of mango, kiwi and Sicilian orange. Warm aftertaste with spicy notes. Recommended by bartenders as a digestif, can be served with fruit and coffee.
Glenrothes Single Speyside Malt, 1970 (40,5%). One of the oldest Glenrothes scotches from single barrels spilled in the 70s was bottled in 2012. The small release consisted of only 179 crystal bottles. Each is packed in a small leather case with a certificate. The drink is light amber in color with golden glimpses and smells of apples, toffee and vanilla muffin. Taste with citrus and eucalyptus hints. Warm chocolate aftertaste. Recommended pure as a digestif.
