GLENROTHES 12Y ~ SPEYSIDE, SCOTLAND

85/100 DISTILLER SCORE

A Glenrothes 12 Year Old in classic style: fruity and sweet. Aged solely in sherry-seasoned casks, this Speyside whisky has notes of vanilla, melon, banana and cinnamon. This 12-year-old whisky is part of The Soleo Collection: a range of five whiskies from The Glenrothes, ranging from 10 to 25 years old, which pay homage to the grapes from which some sherries, such as Pedro Ximénez, are made.

Nose: Light fragrance, banana and vanilla.

Palate: Banana, lemon and melon with a hint of cinnamon.

Finish: Long and sweet, galia melon, light spice.

The Glenrothes distillery is quite substantial; its ten stills have a capacity of over 5.6 million litres annually. The distillery runs at 90% of this and stores the maturing single malt whisky in the sixteen onsite warehouses.

Despite this, Glenrothes preserves a rather artisan identity and have shied away from producing a traditional range. Perhaps it is down to current licensees, Berry Brothers and Rudd, the famed London wine merchants. Glenrothes single malt whiskies are offered as a range of vintages. The Glenrothes distillery was founded in 1878 by James Stuart and Co.