The Glenrothes Vintage 2001
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
43% abv
Distilled May 25, 2001
Approved Jun 16, 2012
Bottled in 2015
(tasting note from Feb 9, 2021)

This is a lovely whisky. It’s been on the shelf and open for 10 months, and now near the end, I believe the last few drams have changed notably. I make some retro comments at the end, but for this almost-empty-bottle tasting notes:

Bottle notes
“Sweet oaky vanilla, black cherries, soft spices.“

Nose
An almost burnt cereal note to start. That maltiness up front, unexpected based on previous drams. Some strident alcohol notes, dancing with a wooden oak. Some rich fruitiness comes on as the air works on the dram. A drier malt now, but the alcohol strength still clings.

With more time, the alcohol notes fade. Wood, malt and faint hint of fruit carry the rest of the dram through to the end.

Palate
Oh, very nice. Creamy, rich, a few bursts of fire followed by full flavour fruit. Hints of a custard or pastry perhaps. A pleasant change from the initial nose.

Then, more rich and vibrant dark fruits, but with a thread and undertow of malt, something very dry.

Last large sip, the fruitiness has faded, and a strong, dry – dare I say musty? – malt or hay fills my mouth. Not unpleasant… But not pleasant, either. Quite the journey tonight.

Finish
Lingering, oily, creamy. Fading gentle fruit, barest whiff of wood or malt. Nice.

The mouthfeel is lovely and continues with later sips, but the malt thread carries on to the finish now.

Final Thoughts
Well, that was an interesting experience. The Glenrothes 2001 has been a solid top shelf whisky in the cabinet since the opening in April 2020. However, the last few samples in the last couple of months, haven’t been quite the same. In 2020 this bottle delivered a consistently rich, flavourful, fruity experience – like JW Green without the smoke, as Bruce described it. Recently, and tonight, much of that character seemed gone. Definitely had a lovely sip tonight, but the nose never got to it’s peak of last year, and the taste had shining moments, but also some strangely muted and almost off-putting notes. Similarly with the finish.

Some learnings for me here – do a proper tasting within a few months of opening, and before the bottle is half done. I see the changes in these whiskies now, and the sweet spot does seem to be a month after opening, with 3/4 or more still in the bottle. Granted, there have been some exceptions – the Lagavulin 8 was well over a year old when I finished it, and I thoroughly enjoyed every single dram, to the last drop. Perhaps the Speysides are more sensitive to the air in the bottle and time.

Regardless, I will still remember The Glenrothes Vintage 2001 with fondness, as it was a yellow tag find that delivered more than its share of value even at full price.