There have been a lot of these as of late, by which I mean heavily sherried Glenrothes from 1997. Each and every one of them sold out in an instant. I remember the first one by Whiskybroker, which wasn’t that long ago and sold for something like 75 euro. The second wave cost about 110 euro. The most current releases will probably set you back closer to 150 euro.
If something is popular, the price will go up. That’s basic economics. If that something is whisky, it doesn’t simply become a bit more expensive, it rather doubles in price. Just like that. But even still, at 150 euro, a 20 year old Glenrothes is competitively priced in today’s market. That’s just the reality.
Glenrothes 1997 20 Years Old (47,9%, Whisky-Fässle)
Nose: This shouldn’t surprise you, but is a sherry bomb. Noses very dry, with room for damp wood, basil and also cocoa powder, tobacco and shoe polish. Slightly acidic too, with sour cherries and balsamic. Finally some cinnamon and milk chocolate. Especially the latter becomes more dominant after a while.
Taste: Rich and syrupy. Dry, but not as dry as I expected. Sour cherries and chocolate pralines, which is actually a pretty decent combination. It also has a more bitter, dark chocolate-y side. And there’s some espresso here too, as well as nutmeg.
Finish: Spicy, chocolate. Drying.
Rating: 88
Simply put, these heavily sherried Glenrothes from 1997 are basically all very similar, if not pretty much the same. If you like heavy, dark, meaty sherried whiskies, than this is for you. Otherwise, stay away.
Photo: Whiskybase
Sample provided by Whisky-Fässle