Review #7 - Glenrothes 12 Year
This is a bottle we picked up after reading a number of good reviews about IB Glenrothes; since IB bottles are hard to come by in our geographical area, we decided to go ahead and give the OB a try, hoping to find a reasonably priced Speysider with some new or interesting flavors.
Glenrothes hails from the town of Rothes, Scotland, nestled right in the center of Speyside, one of the largest whisky producing regions in the world. Typically known for producing pleasant, easy sipping spirits, some with bourbon maturation and others heavily sherried, this area has diversified in recent years to produce many different flavors and styles; most of the world's best-selling single malts still come from this region.
Glenrothes 12 Year
Scotland/Speyside - Single Malt
Price Paid: USD 60 (2021)
Current Locally Available Price: USD 63 (2023)
Age Statement: 12 Years
Strength: 40% ABV
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 9 months; bottles at 100%, 70%, and 60% fill level at times of review. Tasted neat in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: The complexion of this is generally light and fruity: there is vanilla, some baked goods and baking spice, and then a tropical fruit like cantaloupe or banana. A cleaner spirit overall, mellow, the oak is very faint, and comes across just as a bit of wood sugar. Sweetness from orange and cinnamon, mild biscuits, and maybe a hint of caramel; as the dram opens up, that caramel turns to creme brulee. Tiny bit of a sour note, and once in a while, there is a darker fruit, almost like a sherry influence, but quite mild. Ends with green apple candy.
Palate: Quite mellow again on the palate, starts soft but definitely more dry than the nose was, the sweetness is muted at first. It's a medium-thin mouthfeel, and as the palate develops, a sour, almost bitter note comes through and takes center stage; not wood tannins, but more of a sour fruit, not particularly nice, in all honesty. There are some baking spices, such as imitation vanilla and brown sugar, and some cinnamon pokes through with a stronger oak note. Just a hint of sherry, but has lost a lot of its fruit character at this point.
Finish: Short finish, not too oily either, and that sour and dry note is lingering from the palate into the finish. Very mild oak, and the strongest flavors are light brown sugar, maybe a baked good, and some cheap maple syrup.
Final Note: At first, we wrote that some of the closed nature and bitter notes might be due to a freshly opened bottle that needed some time and air; still, after tasting several more times, and several months of oxidation, we aren't connecting with this as we had hoped. Overall, it's a bit simple and muted, and the sour note on the palate and finish isn't our favorite quality; it's not a bad whisky, it's just alright.
Our Average Rating: 5.8 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 5.93
