05/08/2024 Glenrothes

Glenrothes d.1997 (53.4%, Cask Sample, Hogshead, C#18747): nose: as was the case with the one in June, this is a less-buttery Glenrothes that focuses much more on fruits. Apricots and nectarines come out on top, juicy and fragrant, yet we also catch some berries, namely billberries, tart and plump. It has faded wood too, like a polished-walnut fruit basket that has been sitting on a buffet since the 1970s, and maybe just a pat of butter after all, unsalted, straight out of the refrigerator, hence quite mute. Tilting the glass gives a berry touch to that butter, which makes it close to an extremely-thick fruit yoghurt, perhaps. The second nose cloaks all that in a dusty-tobacco smoke, which some may mistake for cardboard, or dusty newspapers. It is not that dry, however. Berries and other fruits swiftly come back. Mouth: strawberry milkshake on the tongue, it bursts with fruits, only tempered by a more-pronounced woodiness (hazel?) that imparts a distinct (if unintrusive) bitterness. Chewing gives an unlikely combination of strawberry milkshake spilled onto a woodworm-riddled rustic chair in dire need of a lick of oil. Indeed, the woody bitterness turns almost earthy, now, and gingery. The second sip appears more acidic, closer to certain types of grapes, for a moment (falling somewhere between Gamay and Cardinal). It is not long before yellow fruits join again, plums, nectarines, and Mirabelle plums. That rustic wood, though in the background, is never far away, and adds a layer of intrigue. The finish brings back the freshness from the nose, with smashed nectarines and crushed mint, augmented with a generous pinch of ginger powder. We have some pressed green currants too, unripe redcurrants, if unripe redcurrants were less bitter, and, once more, tart billberries. The second gulp feels at once sweeter and tarter, flirting with cranberry compote, at this stage, or quince jelly blended with stem-ginger syrup. Yum! 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, JW)