Life’s twists and turns cannot keep a whisky blogger down. I am finally back with my next review, The Glenrothes Select Reserve. This was launched in 2005 and was the first official bottling that did not have a vintage.
Whisky: The Glenrothes select Reserve, 43% ABV
Region: Speyside, Scotland
Style: Single Malt
Age: NAS
For a very good long time the distinctive difference between The Glenrothes and other whisky brands was that they did not sport a regular range of ‘core’ whiskies. Instead they would release vintage whiskies instead (I still would love to try the one from my birth year – 1975).
That changed in 2005 when they launched their first official bottling not to carry a vintage – the Select reserve. Supposedly a blend of 11 different vintages with a 50/50 split between bourbon and European Olorosso sherry casks for the maturing of the whisky.
Colour: Bright old gold with nice long, slow and thick legs.
Nose: Sweet, burnt caramel and citrus (to me a mix of glazed orange wedges, marmalade and citrus fruit polish). There is also a slight sweet smokiness and vegetal notes with hints of wood spiciness and baked vanilla dessert sweetness. Over all quite clean and fruity.
Palate: Spicy yet floral. The spiciness is sweet and leaves a warm spice tingle on tip of one’s tongue. The citrus notes and wood spices follow from the nose quite nicely. There is also an interesting wet woodiness around. Time turns the spices from sweet to hot.
Finish: Fairly long with a wood spice tingle to warm ‘heart’ at the end
Overall: A great whisky that is one that could easily be used to show a non-whisky drinker what whisky can be like without completely over powering their senses. Once can also see why this is a popular whisky used in blends.
My Score: 81
The Smoky Dram 