Scotland, Speyside: Single malt whisky through the producing distilleries: history, making, production and tasting notes

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Glenrothes

Description of the whisky

The distillery

Glenrothes distillery
Glenrothes Distillery
Burnside Street
Rothes
Morayshire
AB38 7AA
+44 1340 831 248
Owner: The Edrington Group
Creation date 1879

Photos

The Glenrothes distillery was build from 1878 by James Stuart & Co, at that time tenants of the Macallan distillery. James Stuart had some problems with the bank and the William Grand & Co company finished the construction of Glenrothes. The William Grant & Co was formed by three associates: William Grant, John Cruikshank and Robert Dick.
The first distillation happened the same day as the catastrophic accident: the collapse of the "Tay Bridge" who killed all the passengers of the train which was crossing the Firth of Tay.
Business was not good and Glenrothes became part of Highland Distillers (already owners of Bunnahabhain). This change of ownership saved the distillery and things began to be better and better. In 1898, the production was already more than doubled.
A first fire of the warehouse n%1 caused the loss of 200.000 gallons whisky.
Partially destroyed by a second fire in 1962, the distillery was rebuild and extended twice in 1963 and in 1980. The still house was tooled up with 10 stills. The Glenrothes single malt is marketed in an original bottle, remaining the tasting samples used by the distilleries. Previously bottled after 12 years, this single malt is currently available in vintage editions.
The remaining part of the production is used in blends, especially Cutty Sark. Glenrothes is the base of Cutty Sark.
The Highland Distillers group has been bought by the Edrington Group in november 1999 for 601 millions £.

The whisky

A propos des notes de dégustation Your own tasting notes

List of the bottles

Description of the distillery

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 Glenrothes: official bottlings
 

Glenrothes 1989
Age
 12 years
Alcohol percentage
 43%
Bottler
 Official
=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
 
 The distillery is specialised in vintage whiskies. The 1989 version is distinguished by its sweet character, slightly fruity.
The taste is sweet, with hints of oak and ripe fruits.
The finis is very pleasant and exceptionally sweet.
A rather strange feeling at the first contact. The nose would has the tendency to say it is a real superior malt, but there is something which shades this impression. Slight citrus hints on a delicate malt background. The impression in the palate confirms the first nosing, and here also something is missing. This sweet and pleasant whisky has a lack of character. But it is a good bottle, nobody can regret to have bought.
16/20
A rather complex but discrete nose reveals sweet hints of ripe fruits. The taste is very sweet as well, with some remote slightly acid touches on a malt background. The sweetness is still there in the finish which is rather pleasant.
16/20
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Glenrothes 1978
Age
 21 years
Alcohol percentage
 43%
Bottler
 Official
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
 
 
 This great distillery usually produces whiskies which are less marked by the alcohol. This 21 years old edition has of course all the ingredients of a great whisky, a wide aroma range, a very long finish which retains the taste for long minutes, but the beginning is rather aggressive, dominated by an impression of alcohol burning sensation. It is difficult to believe that this whisky stayed for 21 years in an oak cask. The price of the bottle seems to be out of proportion with its quality.
16/20
The second tasting did not really contradict the first one. However the quotation is higher this time.
17/20
The nose is clearly marked by citrus fruit (grapefruit), hiding a malt smell mixed with some hints of dried hay. A nice complexity, but remaining on the acidity. In the mouth, the alcohol impression of the first tasting was not present anymore (aeration, evolution of own taste ?), but the acidity is dominating. A nice evolution to malted notes. The finish is relatively long, but here the acidity is present as well...
17/20
The nose is pleasantly marked by spices, pepper and nutmeg on a nice malty background. The nose announces a great tasting moment. Unfortunately, the mouth is less interesting, with its half bitter half acid notes. A kind of watery feeling and a lack at consistence. The nose was too enticing probably... The finish is nice with its haselnut hints, but not nice enough to compensate the relative deceptoin in the palate.
17/20
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 Glenrothes: independent bottlings
 

Glenrothes1983
Old malt cask 18 years

Age
 18 years
Alcohol percentage
 50%
Particularity
 Non chill filtered
Bottler
 Douglas Laing
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
 
 
 
A slightly acid smell, green apple, is dominating. This acidity remains in the palate, but does not hinder at all. The finish is rather long and the whole makes that this refreshing whisky a quite interesting one. It's alcohol degree, just between too much and not enough makes it a rather good one;
17/20
The nose is pleasantly fresh with a discrete smell of green apple. In the mouth, a mix of malt and a kind of acidity, but not like citrus fruit but like apple, followed by a nice finish, slightly spiced and recalling some menthol touches.
17/20
Nice fruit flavours with hints of yeast and a touch of wood inspire the first impressions In the palate, a nice complexity mixing slightly bitter notes (nut) to slightly acid ones, the whole making part of a whole which is both smooth (honey and malt) and bitter. The finish is quite long and warm, but has lost the taste diversity of the mouth.
18/20
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Glenrothes
1990
Signatory's Un-Chill filtered Collection
Age
 11 years
Alcohol percentage
 46%
Particularity
 Non chill filtered
Bottler
 Signatory
=25 euros< 25 euros
 
 
A light nose with some discrete floral, malty and honeyish notes announces a pleasant whisky. The sweet impression left by the nose remains in the palate, with however a great diversity at sensations, from honey to malt, through a very light touch of non acid citrus fruit. A rather pleasant finish, with malt touches.
17/20
The nose is clearly marked by malt with nice coffee hints and some spicy touches with some floral whiffs A very complex nose. In the mouth a kind of bitterness followed by some discrete acid touches on a malty background. A nice finish, clearly dominated by maot. A very nice bottle.
18/20
 

Comment by Joel Marks

The Glenrothes is an outstanding example of a wonderful and delicious whisky. An outstanding addition to anyone's scotch whisky collection.

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Glenrothes
7 years old
First Cask
Age
 7 years
Alcohol percentage
 56,4
Bottler
 Whisky Import Nederland
=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Glenrothes First Cask 7 years
The nose is clearly marked by strong malty and yeasty hints and some sherry.
In the palate, an strange impression of smoked salmon first, but without the salty character which is usually associated to fish. A drop of water makes the whole much more pleasant dan makes it develop on nice fruity and chocolate notes.
Lingering finish, still clearly marked by hints of malt and sherry.
17/20
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Glenrothes 1983
Gordon & MacPhail Reserve 1978
Cask# 19236
Age
 29 ans
Alcohol percentage
 59,9%
Bottler
 Gordon & MacPhail
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Glenrothes reserve 1978
Pleasure is present from the very first nose, due to the very nice sherry fragrances mixed with very discrete chocolate hints. Nice complexity for this very smooth nose.
The palate is nicely fruity too with very light woody hints. Some tingling on the tong however, due to the percentage of alcohol.
Lingering and very warm finish. Sherry remains present for long minutes
19/20
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Glenrothes samples

Glenrothes
Taste Sill
1970

Age
 35 years
Alcohol percentage
 41,8%
Bottler
 Taste Still
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Glenrothes Taste still 1970
The nose is rather discrete, and amzingly fresh for a whisky of that age. Cut grass and fruits (pear, melen). A very light touch of bitterness. The mouth is slighty more bitter than nose let expect, quite complex, with an evolution from hazelnut to malt, through discrete fruity hints. The finish is lingering, and fine woody hints are slightly dominent. A nice contrast between the nose, the mouth and the finish. A good bottle.
18/20
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Glenrothes
The Ultimate Single Malt Collection
1995
Age
 12 ans
Alcohol percentage
 46 %
Bottler
 Van Wees
A very fresh and fruity nose. Nice hints of ripe peer , a touch of smoke and some peppery whiffs. This nose has everything it needs to be very pleasant.
The palate prolongs perfectly this nose, adding some citrus notes to the nose's pear. Very fresh and pleasant.
The finish is unfortunately less interesting than nose and mouth were. It remains however very decent and the overall appreciation of this bottle is that it constitutes a very nice surprise.
18/20
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Glenrothes
Clydesdale
17 ans

Age
 17 ans
Taux d'alcool
59,9%
Embouteilleur
 Clydesdale
Glenrothes Clydesdale 17
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Glenrothes
1996, Ste Lucie

Age
 10 years
Alcohol percentage
 42%
Bottler
 Dun Eideann
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Glenrothes
Malts of Scotland
1987, sherry butt

Age
 21 years
Alcohol percentage
 53,4
Bottler
 Malts of Scotland
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Glenrothes 1987 mos
A mix of malt and ripe fruits with hints of acid drop characterises the nose. It remains however rather discrete.
In the palate, a nice freshness with unfortunately an obvious presence of alcohol. Slightly more complex than the nose, but nothing very spectacular in this one neither...
Long malty finish.
17/20
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Glenrothes

Glenrothes 1985
Alcohol percentage
 43%
Bottler
 Official

Comment by J.L. Zamora

Nose: sweet a soft
Mouth: Starts sweet and silky but whit a little of time the peper appears. This is a really sweet whisky and so easy to drink. It's similar to macallan 12 fine oak, but I preffer this one beacause have more boy and the peper
17/20

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Speyside

Speyside Map

The Speyside area is situated at the North of the Cairngorm mountain and goes to the Moray firth. It is delimited by two rivers: the Findhorn at the West side and the Deveron on the East side.
The area is named after the river Spey. Most of the distilleries take their water in one of its affluents; the Fiddich, the Livet or the Avon.
About sixty distilleries from Speyside are described on this site.

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