Glenrothes 2010

The large size of a sherry butt implies a slower pace for maturation of whisky, and this is especially true with 2^nd fill wood: this is the reason why we waited 66 months of finish, much longer than usual, until we judged this Speyside malt to be ready. The influence of Oloroso is obvious: not heavy handed or thick, but very dry and nutty. The nose is fruity, winey, with a pleasantly sour note. Red cherries, balsamic vinegar, a hint of strawberries. The spicy and winey character is unmistakeably found at the palate, too: extremely dry, a bit tannic, peppery, with a sweeter touch of candied oranges and cereals. The compromise between sweet and sour can actually be altered with careful addition of water, and we left the choice to you: more water will make it less spicy, but also less sweet, making it probably very suitable for an aperitif (maybe paired with some hard seasoned cheese). The finale is particularly spicy and peppery, with a lingering sour note.