Glenrothes 1988 25 YO Sansibar

Glenrothes 1988 25 YO Sansibar, 47,2 %

There are so many whisky distilleries and so little time to taste... I have been drinking whisky for three years now. I did not give score to many whiskies the first year, but since 2012 I have scored 900 whiskies. Still there is, of course, many distilleries I haven't tasted anything from, and many distilleries from where I have only tasted one or a few whiskies.

Last Saturday I wrote about one of the three Craigellachies I have tasted so far. Today I am sharing my experience of one of three Glenrothes I have tasted so far. It is a Glenrothes 1988 25 YO from the independent bottler Sansibar. The whisky was served as part of a tasting during Cinderella Whisky Fair 2014.

This Glenrothes was distilled in 1988 and bottled in 2013. It has aged in a bourbon cask, and there was a total of 127 bottles.

The whisky is not available in Norway or Sweden.

Nose (20/25): Hmmm...it actually smelled like a swimming pool... Not what I expected from a whisky. I gave it a low score at first, but after a while in the glass I thought the nose improved. A bit woody, sour, something sweet, and apples in the end.

Taste (20/25): The taste was a bit sour as well. I have never compared Glenrothes and Jura, but in my mind I remember both as being sour, if you know what I mean. I don't fancy sour whisky and that is why Glenrothes does not get a higher score. Still quite woody on the palate, some sweetness, grapes and watery.

Finish (19/25): Short in the end, which was okay by me. Watery, sour, warm and dry.

Balance (19/25): A relatively balanced whisky. Woody and sour all the way through. To me it was too sour and boring.

Score (78/100)

- Tone