The Glenrothes Vintage 1992, 2nd Edition Single Malt Scotch

The Glenrothes Vintage 1992, 2nd Edition: Last week we looked at this Vintage Reserve, this week we are looking at the Vintage 1992. The award-winning distillery who hail from Speyside are guilty of creating some of the most distinctive Whisky on the market and this is due to a combination of many factors, including their unusually slow distillation process in tall copper pot stills, that deliver characteristics which are sweet, fruity and elegant. Further flavours are derived from their extensive knowledge of maturation in oak casks. The Glenrothes distillery believe that malt whisky matures at its own pace, so it is only selected for bottling when it has reached its zenith of maturity; each cask is carefully checked, nosed and tasted many times. An age statement does not reveal the maturity of the whisky and so the Glenrothes is bottled only when ready, meaning mature and at its peak of perfection.

On the nose: you’ll be welcomed with sweet notes of clementines and a waft of fresh citrus zest. Notes of marzipan will start to appear followed by notes of mixed fruits and a hint of lychee. Some candy apple notes will start to appear along with some vanilla, butterscotch, cinnamon and the slightest hint of aniseed. On the palate: those notes of clementines nosed are very present, followed by those zesty lemon flavours. These will then be followed by a very spicy and peppery kick, cinnamon, a touch of marzipan and the most beautiful soothing flavour of butterscotch. Surprisingly there is a lovely note of coconut cream towards the end alongside a hint of green herbs!  The finish: long, zesty with a lingering spices.

The verdict: The Glenrothes Vintage 1992, 2nd Edition is  such a well-balanced dram, that has some very beautiful warming notes and flavours with a silky, creamy texture on the palate. The Glenrothes Vintage Reserve has an ABV of 44.3%. A whisky that again, in my opinion, didn’t really require any water due to its low ABV percentage level – though if you do need to then only add a very, very small amount. If you don’t feel the urge to add any water then allow the scotch to breathe for approx. 5 – 10 minutes to open up the nose and palate.