Jameson Black Barrel

”Thin Lizzy”

Whisky Review # 973

Country: Ireland 🇮🇪

Brand: Jameson Black Barrel

Distilled at: Midleton Distillery (1975), Cork, Ireland
Type: Triple Distilled Blended Irish Whiskey

Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: Double-Charred Bourbon Barrels
Chill Filtration: Yes

Price Range: US$ 25-35 (December 2022)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😀 Okay at around US$ 25
Buying Advice: 👎 If you like affordable Jameson, stay with the Crested

Colour: Golden Sunlight (Artificially Colored)

Nose:

Light, Young and a little Dusty. Perhaps 5 Years on Average. There is an initial waft of Varnish so give it some time in the glass before Nosing. It's quite Sweet with Fruit, Vanilla and Butter as the main drivers. The Alcohol is noticeable. Nothing special I'm afraid.

Main Aromas:

Malted Grain, Sugared Breakfast Cereals, Vanilla, Butter Biscuits, Apple, Red Berry, Cherry-Flavored Candies, Grass, Forest Floor, Charred Oak, Cinnamon, Ginger and Pepper.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toffee, Syrup, Honey, Marzipan, Nectarine, Orange, Lemon, Resin, Nuts, Dusty Old Shelves, Glue, Varnish, Mint Chocolate, Tea & hints of Metal, Leather & Raw Meat.

Palate:

Young, Thin and slightly Raw. Mostly Bitter-Sweet with a few Sour and Salty notes for company. Too much Caramel was added IMO. The Alcohol is noticeable.

Main Flavours:

Sugared Breakfast Cereals, Caramel, Vanilla, Buttered Toast, Grass & Hay, Charred Oak, Apple, Nectarine, Strawberry, Grapefruit, Pepper, Cinnamon and Ginger.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Toffee, Bourbon, Dusty Shelves, Forest Floor, Resin, Orange, Lemon, Nuts, Marzipan, Cocoa, Herbal Tea, Licorice and Metal.

Finish:

Short, Young, Thin and a bit Raw. Mostly Sweet but with a few Bitter, Sour and Salty notes as well. I would assume that a generous amount of Caramel was added. I find Sugared Grains, Caramel, Vanilla, Toffee, Apple, Strawberry, Nectarine, Grapefruit, Orange, Dusty Track, Charred Oak, Honey, Cocoa, Herbal Tea, Nuts, Marzipan and Spices like Pepper, Cinnamon and Ginger. Hints of Espresso and Licorice.

Drinking Advice: No need to add Water to the Black Barrel

Rating: 79 - Stars on a 1-10 scale: 6.5 (******1/2)

Nose: 20.5 - Taste: 19.5 - Finish: 19 - Overall: 20

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

A few of my loyal readers have pointed out that every once in a while my final Rating note does not seem to be totally in line with the written text. I recognize that. When I started this Whisky Blog back in 2011, I was not at all experienced in tasting and scoring Single Malts & Blends. Looking back I realize that during the early years I probably scored the good Whiskies too low and the not so good Whiskies too high. Ever since the beginning I try to remain consequent in my rating, always comparing the outcome to the rating of comparable whiskies in terms of quality and taste and adjusting the final rating if necessary. This might lead to the discrepancy I mentioned before. It would have been much easier if I would have chosen a simple 1-10 rating since the beginning but after having reviewed 950 whiskies I thought it would be confusing to change the system now. I will however from now on add stars on the 1-10 scale so you will have a better idea of what I thought of the whisky reviewed. And I have now decided to start using the 1-10 scale as of January 1, 2023. Please feel free to comment!

Drinking Experience Neat: Borderline Acceptable

Drinking Advice On the Rocks: Okay but on the Thin side

Conclusion:

According to the information on the label, this Jameson matured in Double-Charred Ex-Bourbon barrels. I suspect however that a bit of Sherried Wood was used also.

I bought a bottle of the Black Barrel at the Duty Free Shop here at the Sao Paulo International Airport. I bought it because it was cheap and I had not yet reviewed it. The good thing about this purchase was exactly that. I have now reviewed it and it is indeed Cheap. Did I like it a lot? No. It's Thin, Young and a bit Rough. It's not interesting enough as a sipping Whiskey so I will probably finish my bottle on the rocks perhaps adding a bit of JW Black for additional flavor. I'm not a big fan of the regular Jameson expressions and this Black Barrel does nothing to change my mind. If you are into affordable Jameson though I think you should go for the Crested. 

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                   December 29, 2022

Aberfeldy 16 Years

”Thin Line Between Love and Hate”

Whisky Review # 972

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Southern Highlands

Brand: Aberfeldy

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 16 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: Unknown. My guess: Re-Fill Bourbon casks and some Sherried Wood
Chill Filtration: Yes 

Price Range: US$ 50-70 (December 2022)

Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Okay at around US$ 50

Buying Advice: 👎 Thin, boring Single Malt that reminds me of Blended Scotch

Colour:

Old Gold (Artificially Colored)

Nose:

Thin. It reminds me of Blended Whisky and Re-Fill casks. Sugary Sweet with some Fruity & Floral notes as well as lots of Caramel and Cake. The Alcohol is noticeable.

Main Aromas:

Sugared Breakfast Cereals, Caramel, Buttered Toast, Artificially-Flavored Candies (Melon, Nectarine, Green Apple), Orange-Flavored Cake, Straw, Caffe Latte, Nuts, Dusty Wood, Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg and Mint.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Sweet Barley, Honey, Toffee, Vanilla, Floral Perfume, Lemon, Wet Leaves, Varnish, Herbal Tea, Raisins, Pepper, Licorice and Cloves. Traces of Tobacco and Leather.

Palate:

Very Thin delivery. A 16-Year old Single Malt deserves an ABV of around 46%. It is very Sweet and the first thing that comes to mind is Cotton Candy. After a while some Bitter and Sour notes develop as well. I can't get rid of this Blended Whisky feeling. Needless to say I'm not impressed.

Main Flavours:

Sugared Breakfast Cereals, Cotton Candy, Caramel, Caffe Latte, Artificially Flavored Candies (Melon, Green Apple, Mandarin), Grass and Straw, Dusty Oak, Dusty Track, Pepper, Ginger, Nutmeg, Cinnamon and Mint.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Vanilla, Toffee, Buttered Toast, Biscuits, Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit, Apricot Jam, Sugared Almonds, Herbal Tea, Chocolate, Aniseed, Licorice and Cloves.

Finish:

Short/Middle Long, Thin and slightly Dusty. Sugary Sweet with some Bitter and Sour notes for balance. Medium-Dry/Dry towards the end. I find richly Sugared Breakfast Cereals, Cotton-Candy, Caramel, Vanilla, Toffee, Honey, Sugared Almonds, Grass & Straw, Green Apple, Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit, Dusty Track, Dusty Wood, Caffe Latte, Herbal Tea, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Menthol and Boiled Melon & Mandarin-flavored Candies. A hint of Chocolate.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water kills this Aberfeldy 16 Years.

Rating: 81.5  - Stars on a 1-10 scale: 6.5 (******1/2)

Nose: 20.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 20.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

A few of my loyal readers have pointed out that every once in a while my final Rating note does not seem to be totally in line with the written text. I recognize that. When I started this Whisky Blog back in 2011, I was not at all experienced in tasting and scoring Single Malts & Blends. Looking back I realize that during the early years I probably scored the good Whiskies too low and the not so good Whiskies too high. Ever since the beginning I try to remain consequent in my rating, always comparing the outcome to the rating of comparable whiskies in terms of quality and taste and adjusting the final rating if necessary. This might lead to the discrepancy I mentioned before. It would have been much easier if I would have chosen a simple 1-10 rating since the beginning but after having reviewed 950 whiskies it would not be wise to change the system now. I will however from now on add stars on the 1-10 scale so you will have a better idea of what I thought of the whisky reviewed. Please feel free to comment! And I'm planning to only use the 1-10 scale as of January 1, 2023. Please feel free to comment!

Drinking Experience:

Borderline acceptable for a Single Malt

Conclusion:

The Aberfeldy distillery is located in Aberfeldy (Perthshire) in the Southern High-lands. It was founded in 1896 by John & Tommy Dewar. They needed a Single Malt for their blended Whisky Dewar's White Label. Since 1998 it is owned by the Bacardi Group. A beautiful visitor centre was finally opened in 2002. The annual production amounts to around 3.4 million litres. The core ranges consists of the 12, 16 and 21 Years Old. We visited the distillery and the visitor centre in May 2017.

The Aberfeldy 16 Years might be a place to start if you're looking for your first sip of Whisky. It's Thin, Sweet, Unpeated and totally harmless at 40%. If you're longer into Whisky you better leave this Single Malt alone as it's way too Thin and utterly boring. Many people would consider it to be a Blended Whisky in a blind tasting. The ample use of 3rd or worse Re-Fill casks does not help either and the ABV of 40% kills any good intentions in the first place. I really love this distillery as a location and I urge anyone who goes to Scotland to visit the place. But I can't recommend this 16 Years I'm afraid.

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                     December 8, 2022

Bruichladdich 1993 (WM Cadenhead)

”Wooden Heart”

Whisky Review # 971

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Islay

Brand: Bruichladdich 1993

Aged by and Bottled for: WM Cadenhead, Campbeltown for Bresser & Timmer (NL)

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Scotch Whisky - 240 Bottles
Age: 25 Years (1993 - 2018)

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 49.3% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon Hogshead - Cask #: Unknown
Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 180-220  (November 2022)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Reasonable for a 25-year old Single Malt

Buying Advice: 😐Woody Woodpeckers might love this one. Disappointing for the rest of us I'm afraid

Colour:

Golden (Natural Color)

Nose:

I advise you to give this Bruichladdich some time in the glass before Nosing to avoid the initial waft of Varnish. The Nose is quite timid and you will need patience & time to unravel its Aromas. You will find Sweet, Sour and Bitter notes after a while. It's also quite Woody to the point that it probably should've been bottled a few years earlier. The Nose is not bad but on the Light side and I was certainly expecting much more from a 25 Year old Bruichladdich. The Alcohol is noticeable but does not interfere with the Nosing procedures.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, German Butter Biscuits, Vanilla, Grass & Straw, Banana, Grapefruit Juice, Gooseberry, Lemon, Wet Rocks and Sand, Sea Spray, Dusty Oak, Cinnamon, Mint and Ginger.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toffee, Brown Sugar, Bounty Bars, Nougat, Almonds, Floral notes, Nectarine, White Apricot, Pear, Green Apple, Polished Leather, Tobacco, Nutmeg, Pepper, Varnish and hints of Char, Sea Shells and Shrimps.

Palate:

A mix of Bitter, Sweet, Sour and Salty notes. The Malt shows its age and Wood and Wood Spices take over from this point. Quite Dry and a bit Dirty and Musty.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel/Toffee, Vanilla, Grass and Straw, Grapefruit, Lemon, Gooseberry, Nectarine, Wet Rocks, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Mint & Cardamom.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Brown Sugar, Honey, Almonds, Sea Spray, Mandarin, Pear, Green Apple, Slivovitz, Bounty Bar, Nougat, Char, Dusty Track, Polished Leather, Herbal Tea, Licorice, Clove and Currie.

Finish:

Quite Long, Bitter-Sweet, Salty and very Dry. The Alcohol is quite noticeable now. I find Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel/Toffee, Brown Sugar, Hay, Shredded Coconut, Almonds, Nectarine, Pear, Grapefruit, Lemon, Gooseberry, Polished Leather, Herbal Tea, Varnish, Dusty Oak, Licorice, Menthol, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cardamom, Cloves, Ginger, Char and Spicy Currie.

Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water and that helps to develop the Malty, Fruity and Vanilla notes on the Nose. Palate and Finish do not really show new developments but the Alcohol is much better integrated this way. In this case I prefer it with a little Water.

Rating: 85.5 - Stars on a 1-10 scale: 7.5 (*******1/2)

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

A few of my loyal readers have pointed out that every once in a while my final Rating note does not seem to be totally in line with the written text. I recognize that. When I started this Whisky Blog back in 2011, I was not at all experienced in tasting and scoring Single Malts & Blends. Looking back I realize that during the early years I probably scored the good Whiskies too low and the not so good Whiskies too high. Ever since the beginning I try to remain consequent in my rating, always comparing the outcome to the rating of comparable whiskies in terms of quality and taste and adjusting the final rating if necessary. This might lead to the discrepancy I mentioned before. It would have been much easier if I would have chosen a simple 1-10 rating since the beginning but after having reviewed 950 whiskies it would not be wise to change the system now. I will however from now on add stars on the 1-10 scale so you will have a better idea of what I thought of the whisky reviewed. Please feel free to comment! And I'm planning to only use the 1-10 scale as of January 1, 2023. Please feel free to comment!

Drinking Experience Neat: Good but overly Woody

Conclusion:

Bruichladdich was founded in 1881 by Barnett Harvey. During its long history it was mothballed various times, the last time in 1998. In 2012 the Islay distillery was bought by Remy Cointreau (France). Since, Bruichladdich is showing a healthy growth again. The distillery produces 3 types of Single Malt, i.e. the unpeated Bruichladdich & the heavily peated Port Charlotte & Octomore. The basic core range includes the Classic Laddie and a 10-year old Port Charlotte. The annual production amounts to around 1.3 million litres.
 
It does not happen a lot that I get the chance to taste a 25 year-old Single Malt. So I was looking forward to try this Bruichladdich. It was not as good as expected and there are two main reasons for that regarding the Spirit & the Wood. As you might know, Bruichladdich was mothballed several times during its history. One of these events happened in 1995, less than 2 years after this Bruichladdich was distilled. This might have affected the middle-running time through the Spirit Safe as the management was looking for quantity rather than quality. It would account for the slightly Dirty feeling on the Palate. And as far as the Wood is concerned I'm of the opinion that this Bruichladdich should probably have been bottled a few years earlier. You don't notice this so much on the Nose but the Palate and the Finish are totally dominated by Wood & Spices. It was interesting to try a sample but I would not buy a full bottle of this Bruichladdich.

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                   November 24, 2022

All pictures were taken during our visit in May 2014

Writer's Tears Copper Pot Deau XO Cognac Cask Finish

”No More Tears”

Whisky Review # 970

Country: Ireland 🇮🇪

Brand: Writer's Tears Copper Pot Deau XO Cognac Cask Finish

Bottled/Distilled/Matured for: Walsh Whiskey Ltd, Carlow
Distilled at: Undisclosed. Probably 50/50 Middleton and Bushmills
Type: Blend of Single Malt and Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey - Single Cask -# NA

Edition: Limited Edition - Discontinued

Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46% (Triple-Distilled)
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon casks with Finish in French Oak Cognac casks
Chill Filtration: No

Sample provided by Jan from The Netherlands. Many Thanks!

Average Price: US$ 45-75 (November 2022)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Okay at around US$ 45
Buying Advice: 👎 Go for the Redbreast 12 Years instead

Colour: Light Amber with shades of Orange (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Young and Light but not unpleasant. A mix of Sweet and Sour, Fruity & Floral notes accompanied by chunks of Toffee and Vanilla. The Alcohol is noticeable. The Cognac influence is limited.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Toffee, Green Apple, Pear, Orange and Lemon Peel, Floral Perfume, Cinnamon and Cloves.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Caramel, Honey, Demerara Sugar, Banana, Nectarine, White Apricot,  Nuts, Slightly Sour Grapes, Berries and Cherries, Nuts, Ginger and Dusty Oak.

Palate:

Young, Thin and Edgy. The Alcohol is clearly noticeable. Mixed Sweet & Sour Fruity and Floral notes. There's a New Make Spirit feel to this Copper Pot.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Caramel, Vanilla, Toffee, Green Apple, Pear, Sour Grapes and Berries like Gooseberry, Bitter English Marmalade, Floral Perfume, Pepper, Cinnamon, Dusty Oak and Marzipan.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Butterscotch, Banana, Lemon, Nuts, Cocoa Powder, Sultanas, Cloves, Ginger and Licorice. A hint of Espresso.

Finish:

Short/Middle-Long, Young & slightly Edgy with a light Alcohol Burn. It doesn't really invite me to have another sip. I find Toasted Grain, Brown Sugar, Caramel, Vanilla, Honey, Banana, Lemon, Bitter Orange Marmalade, Sour Berries & Cherries, Nuts, Cocoa Powder, Floral Perfume, Sultanas, Varnish, Dusty Track, Green Apples, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Cloves, Cinnamon, Licorice and Espresso.

Drinking Advice:

Due to the size of the sample I only tasted this Writer's Tears neat

Rating: 80.5 - Stars on a 1-10 scale: 6.5 (******1/2)

Nose: 21 - Taste: 20 - Finish: 19.5 - Overall: 20

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

A few of my loyal readers have pointed out that every once in a while my final Rating note does not seem to be totally in line with the written text. I recognize that. When I started this Whisky Blog back in 2011, I was not at all experienced in tasting and scoring Single Malts & Blends. Looking back I realize that during the early years I probably scored the good Whiskies too low and the not so good Whiskies too high. Ever since the beginning I try to remain consequent in my rating, always comparing the outcome to the rating of comparable whiskies in terms of quality and taste and adjusting the final rating if necessary. This might lead to the discrepancy I mentioned before. It would have been much easier if I would have chosen a simple 1-10 rating since the beginning but after having reviewed 950 whiskies it would not be wise to change the system now. I will however from now on add stars on the 1-10 scale so you will have a better idea of what I thought of the whisky reviewed. And I'm planning to only use the 1-10 scale as of January 1, 2023. Please feel free to comment!

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay

Conclusion:

The Walsh Whiskey company was founded as Hot Irishman Ltd in 1999 by Bernard & Rosemary Walsh. In 2006 the company signed a long-term supply agreement with a distillery for the distilling and maturation of Irish Whiskey to their specifications. The Irishman blend was launched in 2007 followed by Writer's Tears in 2009. The latter is a vatting of Single Malt & Single Pot Still Whiskeys. In 2014 the construction of Royal Oak distillery (Carlow) was started in a partnership with Lllva Saronno, the Italian drinks giant. The distillery started production in 2016. Unfortunately the partnership with Lllva Saronno as well as the involvement with the Royal Oak distillery ended a few years ago as the partners differed with respect to the development of the distillery in the future. I would not be surprised if the dispute was about the concept of Craft Distillery Vs. Global Whiskey Producer. Most likely, the Whiskey for the Walsh Brand is currently being distilled by Middleton and/or Bushmills.

The Copper Pot Deau XO Cognac Finish was released in early 2019 and is a premium edition of the regular Copper Pot. It is a Blend of aged Single Malt and Single Pot Still Whiskey that was finished for 9 months in 12 French Limousin Oak casks from the Allary cooperage that were seasoned for 10-15 Years with Deau XO Cognac from the Legaret family.

Generally speaking, I'm not a huge fan of Irish Whiskey and/or other Triple-distilled spirits. This Writer's Pot Deau XO does nothing to change my opinion. It's Young, rather Thin and Edgy and the Alcohol is never far away. The Cognac influence is very limited. The Nose is okay but Palate and Finish do not really challenge me to have another sip. Give my portion but to Fikkie as the Dutch would say!

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                  November 17, 2022

Glenrothes 18 Years

”Bitter-Sweet Symphony”

Whisky Review # 969

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Speyside

Brand: Glenrothes - Soleo Collection

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 18 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation: (Partly 1st-Fill) Sherry-Seasoned European Oak casks
Chill Filtration: Yes

Price Range: US$ 90-120 (November 2022)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Border-Line acceptable

Buying Advice: 😐 Okay at most but too Bitter and Unfinished for my liking

Color:

Golden (Natural Colour)

Nose:

There are initial wafts of Varnish, Rubber & perhaps a little Sulphur so I advise you to give this Malt some time in the glass before Nosing. The Nose is quite Fruity with Sweet, Sour, Dried and Fresh varieties. It's a little Dirty and Earthy and the Alcohol is noticeable.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Cake with Cream and Strawberries, Butter, Vanilla, Syrup, Dried Fruit like Apricots, Raisins, Plums, Dates and Figs, Sour Cherries, Green Notes, Orange, Lemon, Dunnage Warehouse, Musty Oak, Nougat, Dairy, Cinnamon, Ginger, Caffe Latte and Licorice.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Butterscotch, Caramel, Honey-Melon, Blueberry Muffins, Grass & Straw, Dusty Road, Pear, Apple, Banana, Grapefruit, Pine, Pineapple, Varnish, Rubber, Sulphur, Tobacco, Leather, Pepper, Cardamom, Cloves and Charcoal.

Palate:

Sweet at first but with developing Sour and "Dirty" Bitter notes. I feel the casks are to blame. At least the Palate is consistent with the Nose except for the Bitterness. Not as Fruity as on the Nose. Wood and Spices come to the forefront.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Apricots & Plums, Apple, Orange, Pear, Lemon, Banana, Dark Chocolate, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon, Menthol & Strawberry-flavoured Yogurt.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Salty Caramel, Toffee, Honey, Grapefruit, Pineapple, Cranberry Juice, Straw, Nougat, Tobacco, Leather, Dusty Track, Green Vegan notes, Cappuccino, Charcoal, Cloves, Cardamom, Nutmeg, Sulphur, Varnish and Alcohol.

Finish:

Middle-Long and a little Thin. Sweet and Sour at first with increasing Bitter notes towards the Dry end. I must assume that Re-Fill casks are in the majority here. I find Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Caramel, Breakfast Cereals, Sour Cherries, Grapefruit, Orange, Lemon, Banana, Pear, Apple, Nougat, Straw, Forest Floor, Dusty Oak, Tin Cans, Rocks, Black Tea, Dark Chocolate, Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, Cardamom and Menthol. The Strawberries return after a while.

Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water and that seems to relax this Malt. It gets a little on the Thin side but it takes out some of the "dirty" notes. A little Water goes a long way here but don't overdo it as this Malt drowns easily.

Rating: 82.5 - Stars on a 1-10 scale: 7 (*******)

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 20.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

A few of my loyal readers have pointed out that every once in a while my final Rating note does not seem to be totally in line with the written text. I recognize that. When I started this Whisky Blog back in 2011, I was not at all experienced in tasting and scoring Single Malts & Blends. Looking back I realize that during the early years I probably scored the good Whiskies too low and the not so good Whiskies too high. Ever since the beginning I try to remain consequent in my rating, always comparing the outcome to the rating of comparable whiskies in terms of quality and taste and adjusting the final rating if necessary. This might lead to the discrepancy I mentioned before. It would have been much easier if I would have chosen a simple 1-10 rating since the beginning but after having reviewed 950 whiskies it would not be wise to change the system now. I will however from now on add stars on the 1-10 scale so you will have a better idea of what I thought of the whisky reviewed. And I'm planning to only use the 1-10 scale as of January 1, 2023. Please feel free to comment!

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay

 

Conclusion:

The Glenrothes distillery is located in Rothes (Morayshire) & was founded by James Stuart & Company in 1878. Between 1963 and 1989 the number of Stills increased from 4 to 10. The reason was that Blenders highly appreciated the Glenrothes Spirit and used it in great quantities for Blends like the Famous Grouse and Cutty Sark. The distillery is owned by the Edrington Group since 1999. The current production amounts to around 4.2 million litres. Because of the high Blender's demand, the first Single Malt was only launched in 1994. They are currently trying to conquer the USA market. Their bottles are quite interesting and different. They actually look like hand grenades! The core range includes the 10, 12, 18 and 25 years.

I have tasted various older and more recent Glenrothes Malt over the years. You can find them in the Archive. They all seem to have a few characteristics in common. They are Dusty and Musty and show above average Bitterness. As the Spirit shows enough Fruity notes, I can only conclude that indifferent Cask Management is the villain here. Not too long ago the vast majority of the output of this distillery went straight to the Blenders, a business that is much more quantity-driven. Glenrothes is trying to change this image & present themselves also as a Single Malt Distillery. That's something completely different as Monty Python would say and although they are certainly on their way, they are not completely there yet IMHO.

Cheers 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                   November 10, 2022