Monthly Archives: January 2022

Advent Calendar 2021 – Wrap Up

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The whisky advent calendar was quite an awesome experience – I fully enjoyed tasting so many different, new-to-me and unique whiskies from all over the world. I loved the anticipation and surprise of what was behind each door, I loved the unique artwork on the tiny sample bottles from That Boutique-y Whisky Company, and the whole experience was a real pleasure.

However, it was daunting! After a week, I found I wasn’t able to keep up with the daily dram, and then started ‘batching’ them. Then I fell behind and ran into the holidays, illness, and just now finally finished up the drams. I don’t think I would try to do an “advent calendar” again, but I simply loved having the 24 single-serving drams of whiskies that I would otherwise likely never come across. I’ll pick another one of these up some time, but only to have the wide variety of whiskies to sample and make proper tasting notes on.

There were some definite gems in there, and only one dram that I actually did not like at all, and that may have just been a bad bottle.

The Glenrothes 12yo

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The Glenrothes 12yo
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12yo
Abv: 40%
(tasting note from May 7, 2021)

Bottle Notes
“Vanilla melon and cinnamon
Matured only in sherry seasoned oak Casks and bottled at natural colour.“

Nose
Fairly Malty on first approach. The air quickly brings it to a nice gentle fruity bouquet. Juicy melon ball, some hints of spirit in there. There is a simple, approachable pleasantness here that I admit I have not yet experienced in my previous drams. Hints of the wood start to creep in at the edges, but still a solid core of fruit. I daresay a barest hint of that Speyside bubblegum that I have been detecting more and more in various whiskies. It is pleasant, but not overly complex or evolving, and nothing particularly standout with it. But nice, nonetheless.

After a sip, malt comes back strongly to the nose. Some wisps of dry hay appear near the end of the dram. I also start to note citrus – orange, faint tropical.

Palate
Sweet and lightly fruity, a tickling burn but a nice one. It is light, fleeting.

It is quite smooth in the mouth, nary a hint of harshness, but still a tingle of spirit. Quite an easy swallow. But there is so little to explore here, a gently swell of sweetness and spice, quickly departs. Some grassy notes coming on the last sip.

Finish
Sweetness and slight spice quickly fade. Vanilla lingers. It is quite short, the whole experience from sip to finish lasts barely longer than the time it takes to hit the belly.

Final Thoughts
I became enchanted with The Glenrothes line when I stumbled my way in with the yellow tag Glenrothes Vintage 2001. That was a remarkable and spectacular dram, and it drove me to the Select Reserve and then this 12yo. Neither of those lived up to the 2001, but they’ve had their moments. The Select Reserve became a delightfully super sweet dram, but I’ll say this 12yo never really made it beyond the decent dram ranking, for me. For the price, it is not one I’d get again, nor recommend. There are other Speyside expressions that offer a better experience at a lower price tag, in my opinion. At this price of mid-$70, we’re close enough to some real winners. And at the same price, the Glenmorangie The Quinta Ruban 14yo is thrice the experience.