Tastes

My second review of "Ballantine's Single Malt series" is this very nice dram, another not-so-famous Speyside distillery called "Glentauchers", in its 15yo expression. Bottled at 40%abv. On the nose, as speysider as a dram can be: Apples, Pear, Berries, Fresh fruit and Cinnamon. On the palate, Pleasant, very easy drinkable. Oak spice. Chocolate and cocoa butter. Tobacco leaf. Aftertaste is all about tobacco and chocolate. short finish. Overall this is yet another very balanced, fruity, nice whisky. Very easy drinkable and within a reasonable price for a 15yo. 82 over 100.

I have never had a bad Glenrothes. Absolutely complex, difficult, rewarding, that is the proper way to describe this dram. Bottled at 43%abv, with an Amontillado Sherry color. On the nose it evolves with every sniff, starts with butter and cream notes, then changes into lemon peel, wet forest, prunes, pepper and after tasting it, you can find toasted sugar or caramel in it. On the palate is rich, flavorful and complex. A little bitter, a little sweet. Main notes are: ashes, caramel, tobbacco, oak, honey and spent fireworks, very balanced, a nice wrap. Finish is long and fruity with prune notes on it. Very good dram, i give this one a solid 92 over 100.

I HAVE HAD A WONDERFUL WHISKY NIGHT, i am in Buenos Aires, Argentina in Whisky live, the most important (and only ever) whisky tasting event in south america. I have tasted 16 whiskies tonight, some of them really amazing. Glenrothes is a great distillery. Definitively my favorite speysider after Glenfiddich, and this dram was not a dissapointment. Bottled at 40%abv. On the nose, LOTS OF SHERRY. Blackberry Marmalade, and wedding cake. Great aroma. On the palate, very smooth, a pleasant oakyness, very creamy with a bitter ending. Finish was quite lovely. Overall i give this dram a solid 88 over 100. Cheers!

Glenrothes used to be a wine company, that is why they release their bottles with a year statement. This is the 2001 expression, which wasn't a bad whisky, but definitively not a memorable one. Bottled at 43%abv On the nose is quite good; Vanilla cream, Prunes, Fresh forest, Orange jam, really Complex and changing aromas. On the palate is very smooth, and that is rare for the notes it has: Allspice, Liquorice, Butter, Chocolate butter and Tobacco. Finsish is medium and full of liquorice. Overall i give this dram a good 87 over 100.

My first Glenrothes ever was a good one. Bottled at 40%abv with a pale staw color. On the nose it is very nice, with grape juice, butter cookies, tobacco, chocolate butterscotch notes. A little dim but very good. On the palate, main notes are oranges, orange candy, pleasant oakyness, spices, ashes, and cough syrup. Mout watering medium finish full of spices. Overall it is an 82 out of 100, a nice Whisky.

My second Glenrothes, i also liked it and i am starting to build a good impression over this distillery. Bottled at 40%abv, with a deep copper color. On the nose very sweet, and appealing, maybe soft. Almonds, caramel, dry chocolate cake, sherry, grape juice, those sweets from formal parties, dry brown grasses and custard cream notes. Really nice. On the palate, starts with cough syrup, the some pepper and ginger, with a mild citrus or prune note, and the taste of the finish is lovely with cremé brulee, almonds and little tobacco, medium long. Overall i give this fellow a 91 over a 100. Actually pretty good.

I haven't had a bad Glenrothes. But to prove my point, i went young. Maybe the youngest Glenrothes (idk) and i had a glass of this 10yo expression. The nose on this one is spectacular. It is a very easy enjoyable dram and for $40, it can be declared as an everyday whisky. Bottled at 40%abv. On the nose: Vanilla soooooooo lovely. Roasted coffee. A dim sherriness coming through. Caramel beatiful. Dulce de leche A hidden fig sonewhere. Actually remarkable. On the palate is way too straightforward and normal. Vanilla and a little plum, but mostly it feels watery. Aftertaste is nice, it has a slight smoky note; tobacco and dry grass. Overall, if this were a little better in the palate, it would be amazing. Still it is a good dram, 83 over 100.

Fancy! This is my review for the Glenmorangie 1990 Grand Vintage Malt, which is now a yearly tribute to some bond warehouses that this distillery had. This is a 25yo expression, bottled in 2016 (math teachers required, lol). A really beautiful bottle that goes for around $460 - $520. Bottled at 43%abv The aroma is such a perfect treat for your nose: Orange candy. Caramel very refined. I am getting some sherriness out of this, Definitively figs and maraschino cherries. Amazing complex aroma. Coffee, brown sugar, Apples. So complex! It just throws you different aromas every time. Orange madness. Vanilla. On the palate it is a lot less complex and down to earth, very well balanced though. Vanilla surrounded by Oak spice. Sherriness a little bit. Caramel. A bit Fancy, Refined dram. Maybe a little boring. Aftertaste gives you something more, enhancing the experience of tasting it. It is Dry, Grassy. Hay and Ginger spice. Overall this is a very good whisky. Palate can be better, but i understand that fancy whiskies are often easy to drink rather than complex and full of layers of flavor. Still, it makes it to a solid 90 over 100, which might be consider poetic justice for a 1990 dram.

A bit uninpressed, this rather rare expression of Glenmorangie (maybe its just my perception) is finished in "sweet french wine casks" for a sweeter profile. Lets see if that is true. Bottled at 43%abv On the nose: for a 43%abv it is a very light whisky. Chocolate, varnish, paint, acetone, orange, honey, red fruits. On the palate is very sweet. Strawberry, spicy pepper, chocolate and almonds. Aftertaste has a dim note of burnt hay and clove. Overall this whisky delivers the promise of been sweet, but lacks character and is a little boring. Dont get me wrong, there is nothing off putting here, it is just nothing to die for. 85 over 100.

My third Glenmorangie's Legends whisky, very different from the Lasanta and Duthac, matured in amontillado sherry casks. (I don't know if Signet is part of the "legends") Bottled at 43%abv, with a deep copper color, the bottle is very beautiful. On the nose, orange jelly, reeks of vanilla cream, orange spray (glade?) (For your house, the ambientator) (i dont know the english term for this lol), spicyness on the nose but dim, fresh herbal note. On the palate: nuts. Lots of nuts, it is a little hot (oily not oaky), clove spicyness is very overwhelming, and the finish is medium with ashes and the aftertaste is just like eating crazy dips, that is the feeling you get. It is a very balanced dram, i will give 22 points on each category (nose, palate, finish and balance) so it is an 88 over 100. Cheers!