Style: Complex and Gingery
Nose:
Robust, vanilla coated ginger slices punch through. Gunpowder mist shrouding in, which extends into a stream of sulphur. Behind the smoke screen, we have sweet orange drop descending deep into the core while white flowers and barley malt dressed on the side. The lurking sulphur notes becoming more evident overtime. Shredded ginger spice pinging at the tail.
Palate:
Bright ginger slicing in and hitting all the high notes. Another thread of sulphur anchoring onto the palate, a little less apparent comparing to the nose. The palate becomes cleaner after you “adjust” to it after putting aways a few drams. Malt syrup binds with crystallized oranges. Vanilla cream stepping in for a brief moment while more fresh ginger spice firing a blazing trail. Gunpowder combines with wood smoke, vanilla milkshake whipping up at the back. Coconut shreds, finishes with a sprinkle of cacao powder.
Finish:
Ginger candy, sweet lemon tea, dark chocolate and floral malt. Spearmint overtone to finish.
Thoughts:
After 25 years Glenrothes remains a massive ginger bomb, there is an excellent range of elements on display behind the ginger spearhead. However, as you can read it from my tasting notes, the spirit is tainted by sulphur at various points. Look, the suphur is there, but not overwhelmingly so. I did not pick it up until Nic pointed out. I find it is quite drinkable if you can adapt to the “profile” (took me 3 drams to forget about it). The light and bright sweetness slowly transcends to multiple form of complexities. Honestly, I am really okay with it, but if you are sulphur-sensitive, my advice is tread at your own risk…
[55.5% • 1991 Distilled • 2017 Bottled • Independent Bottling • Single Cask • Cask Strength • Non Coloured • Non Chill Filtered • 1 of 167 bottles • Cask Number: 5113 • x]
-Esmond
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