Rich and wonderfully rounded with notes of marmalade and dark chocolate, it’s hard not to give into The Glenrothes Lustau Cask #4. This rare 24 year old whisky spent more than two decades in American oak casks, before being finished for a further two years in an American oak butt that formerly held Oloroso sherry from Bodegas Lustau. Limited to just 648 bottles at launch, it is a must have for any serious whisky collector or Glenrothes lover.
The 1975 vintage from Glenrothes is part of a rare release of just 3,708 bottles, bottled in 2006. Rich and velvety, this is a single malt to be savoured with all the senses.
The Glenrothes vintage series was crafted to showcase Scotches at their drinking peak - forgoing the prevailing convention of age-statements and allowing greater expressive freedom to the Master Whisky Maker to create unique and memorable bottlings. After releasing the first edition in 2004, then Master Whisky Maker John Ramsay held back a number of casks for further maturation. Ten years later, the whisky was deemed ready and bottled as the 1992 Second Edition by his successor Gordon Motion. Uniquely, this was the first Glenrothes to be matured entirely in refill casks and today, only a very small number of bottles of this 22 Year Old single malt remain. If you are fortunate to find one, you will be rewarded with a spectacular bouquet of dark fruits, dried figs and citrus notes. The flavors are bold but refined with the creamy richness of vanilla and coconut, and fruitiness of citrus balanced by soft spice in the finish. An excellent sipping whisky.
The Glenrothes 1978 Vintage is the last of the highly cherished, and incredibly rare 1970s Vintages from the storied distillery, crafted from a small selection of casks hand-picked by then-Malt Master, John Ramsay, at the very peak of their maturity. If you are lucky enough to find one of the remaining bottles of this 29 year old single malt Scotch, you will be greeted with a silky and seductive whisky with notes of vanilla, caramel fudge and fruit compote, leading to a long and spicy finish. A whisky as rare as it is remarkable.
The Glenrothes Peated Cask Reserve pairs the distillery’s elegant spirit with a finishing maturation in casks that had previously held peated whisky from Islay, adding a kiss of smoke to complement but not overpower the whisky’s exquisite character. A whisky vibrant with aromas of orchard fruits and toffee, with subtle hints of charred wood and black pepper. On the palate, flavors of sweet oak, vanilla wafer, and a delicate smokiness give this whisky a pleasantly lingering, refined aftertaste.