Wednesday, September 17, 2014

The World's First Taste of Glenrothes 1992

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I don't think that small Asian girls are commonly pegged as Scotch enthusiasts (for shame!), but I have to admit that I do love to enjoy a sip of smokey whisky every now and again, especially with my favorite albums on slow burn at home.

And tonight I had the special delight of a vertical tasting of Glenrothes Scotch—in particular the unveiling of the second edition of the Glenrothes 1992 ($249.99), which was just released into the world this evening.

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At 88 proof, it's an elegant Scotch, perfect for a celebratory sip with friends. It's light, smooth, and runny in viscosity with delightful  notes of honey suckle and jasmine, round notes of melon, and a citrus burst at the end like tangerine. The last release of the 1992 was in 2004 before it had fully matured in its refilled Sherry Butts and American Ex-Bourbon Hogshead barrels. This new pour is said to be lighter and less formal. 

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Glenrothes, in general, focuses in on a lighter style of scotch that celebrates smooth vanilla, citrus, and spicy flavors in its whisky. 

The 1998 is a light sip, smelling full of honey and dry cocoa. It is less smokey than many scotches with just a subtle burnt note and white pepper on the finish. A nice pour for the beginning of a good conversation. 

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The 2001 is a bit richer, with cherry notes on the nose and smooth stone fruit (especially peach) on sipping. It ends with a seaweed-like briny finish which prevents the Scotch from becoming too cloying.  It paired well with ribeye!.

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The 1995 was the richest of those we tried, the most structured, and the one that most resembled the typical scotch. With a heavier mouth feel, the 199 brought in sweet notes of butterscotch and caramel and citrus and heavily spiced finish. 

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Lastly we had a taste of Glenrothes's ginger liqueur—still a sweet proposition, but with much more spicy bite on the back and nose (compared to other ginger liqueurs out there).

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Now all I need is a good record to play. :-)

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