Taken: Neat in a Glencairn glass, rested for about 15 minutes.
Distillery: The Glenrothes Distillery, Rothes, Scotland.
Region: Scotland, Speyside – Single Malt.
Proof: 86.
Age: 15 years. No coloring added, aged in European oak sherry-seasoned casks.
Retail Price: $100.00.
Appearance: Toffee.
Nose
Brown sugar, caramel, chocolate, malt, honey, apricots, baked apples, red berry compote, orange peel, vanilla, dried flowers, allspice, smoke, and hazelnuts. The nose leans more towards the darker barrel character flavors, with a great mix of fruits, malt, nuts, floral, and a hint of smoke. The red berries are moderate but noticeable. I love the flavor profile, complexity, and balance of this nose.
Palate
With a medium-creamy mouthfeel, there’s caramel, chocolate, orchard fruits, dried apricot, orange peel, vanilla, and allspice. The spice enters mid-sip, lingering into the finish with toasted oak.
Finish
Allspice lingers with cacao, baked apples, red berries, oak, vanilla, orange peel, floral, and delicate smoke. As the finish continues, spice tingles the palate, with leather and light tobacco developing a delicate medium-long finish.
Conclusion
This profile leans into its barrel-influenced flavors of brown sugar, caramel, and chocolate first, then greets you with a medley of fruit, vanilla, nuts, and spice. The berry notes are delicate yet add a perfect amount of fruitiness to this profile.
The most similar comparison I had to this bottle was The Macallan 12 Sherry Oak. Although they’re a few years apart in age, they’re both similarly priced Speyside single malts, same ABV, aged in Sherry-seasoned European oak casks, and distributed by Edrington. In my local NY state store, Glenrothes 15 costs $85.95, and The Macallan 12 Sherry Oak is a few bucks more, but when you consider the amount of liquid in each bottle, Glenrothes 15 (700 ml) gives you less bang for your buck. In comparison, The Macallan 12 Sherry Oak is much more sherry-forward with caramel, some chocolate, less spice, and a much shorter finish. It’s a delicious dram, but I prefer The Glenrothes 15 and found it to be much more interesting.
I love a good sherry bomb now and then, but what impressed me about The Glenrothes 15 is that the sherry notes aren’t the main attraction. The darker, caramel notes are prominent, but right alongside is a great mix of stone and orchard fruit, nuttiness, vanilla, spice, and a hint of smoke. The Glenrothes 15 is a well-crafted single malt that I’ve been thoroughly enjoying, and surprisingly satisfying at 86 proof.
Rating: 7.3/10.
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all-time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect.
