“It tastes like Werthers but grew into something different”
“Cool, sold”
And that’s how I ended up buying Glenrothes 9 2007 Gordon & MacPhail Co-Op. This isn’t a record scratch moment: I happened to be on vacation (oh, back in those yesterdays of happy times). I was in a province that didn’t have crazy restrictive Byzantine alcohol laws.
And right in front of me were two Glenrothes. I heard the above and grabbed it.
This is a 9-year-old Glenrothes that is pure rocket fuel strength. That alone grabbed my attention.
But what if I was wrong? Perhaps my parents’ love for old people hard candy has steered me wrong? I guess I better review it!
Let’s see how it tastes, shall we?
Price: $100 CAD
Region: Speyside
Distillation date: 15/03/2007
Bottling Month: September 2016
Cask No. 3101
Cask Type: Refill Sherry Hogshead
Number of bottles: 292
Abv: 62.4%
Colour: 7.5Y 8/8
Nose: Butterscotch, pear, alcohol, grass, lime zest
Well, there’s the butterscotch. I’m out. Have a nice night ladies and gents, tip your waiters and waitresses!
Alright, yeah, there’s a lot of butterscotch here. It calms down to more fruit, acidity, and grass with time/water. You’re going to remember the butterscotch and that’ll be the main talking point.
Taste: Cloves, butter, apple juice, anise, black cherry
Think some apple cider on a crisp Autumn day. That’s pretty much what’s going on, expect someone spiked the ever-loving fuck out of the punch. Twice. Potentially a thrice-time as well.
Water brings out the richness. Cool!
Finish: Apple, cloves, herbal, anise, heather
The finish is more of that apple cider, but now it’s giving me less sweet, more herbal, spicy type of flavours. Like someone tried to make it healthy or only used a bit of honey or something.
Conclusion: Keeps having a hard time deciding if it’s sweet or savoury. But in a very manic way, not in a subtle way. The whole thing is a strong, strong young whisky. No more, no less. Tons of butterscotch and apple? Sure. Lots of alcohol? Yes. Don’t bring it near a lit candle.
If you like Autumnal flavours, this will do that. It does nothing else. It’s powerful and fun but lacks any other complexity. I like it, but again, I like that flavour profile. If you aren’t that much of a Fall Chap like me, knock 3 points off. Or maybe 2.
80/100
Scotch review #1208, Speyside review #342, Whisky Network review #1856
tomoderawhisky.ca 