Colour: Mahogany.
Nose: First of all, lots of sherry on the nose, accompanied by fruit cake, orange peel and a hint of baked apples. This is accompanied by somewhat fresher fruit notes of blackcurrants and dark elderberry. In the background, spicy notes of nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and a whiff of sulphur resonate. Very enticing!
Palate: Creamy, fruity, almost jammy on the palate with dark fruits, berry compote and oranges. This is accompanied by a slightly warming spiciness consisting of nutmeg, oak and some cinnamon. Fresh and slightly acidic notes of blackcurrant nicely linger towards the finish.
Finish: The finish is medium to long lasting, mouth-filling and initially creamy with sticky fruit. Then it moves on to dry notes of cocoa, dark chocolate, leather, some tobacco leaves and a touch of oak.
With water: After adding a few drops of water, this single malt becomes more lively on the nose with oranges, sherry, dates and a touch of cinnamon. Delightfully sweet on the palate with old-style sherry, orange marmalade and dark berry fruits, together with fresh blackcurrants. The finish is of medium length with creamy milk chocolate as well as notes of nutmeg and some dry oak.
Comments: A wonderful old-school sherried dram. In addition to the classic sherry aromas and dark, jammy fruits, the fresh, slightly acidic notes of blackcurrants provide a lively counterpoint, wrapped in a wonderful spiciness. Very harmonious and wonderfully balanced. Nothing dominates, nothing disturbs. This is the way whisky must taste, at least for me.

Colour: Dark amber.
Nose: Sherry notes on the nose with a meaty undertone, raisins and dried plums. Spicy with pepper and a touch of Maggi herb, along with notes of strong, black tea and a hint of sulfur.
Palate: Very intense on the palate. Sweet sherry notes with raisins and orange, followed by an enormous warmth and alcoholic spiciness with pepper. Mouth-filling and oily with slightly fleshy notes, accompanied by cinnamon and nutmeg, with a hint of sulfur towards the finish.
Finish: The finish is long-lasting and warming with notes of black tea and dark chocolate, accompanied by fine nutty flavours.
With water: After adding a splash of water a lot of sherry on the nose with raisins and oranges, oak spice and pepper. The fleshy notes fade into the background. Much less intense on the palate with dry sherry notes, raisins and oranges. Slightly warming with spices, including pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg and a hint of chili. The finish is still long and slightly warming with sweet sherry, raisins and walnut notes.
Comments: An extremely powerful, robust and sherried Speyside dram. The name says it all: the fleshy notes are easily recognizable in undiluted whisky and are beautifully balanced with the sherry sweetness, dark fruit and strongly warming spices. The addition of water is clearly recommended here. The whisky gains in sweetness and the alcoholic spiciness disappears more and more. A dram, for which one should take a lot of time. But it's worth it!

Colour: Amber.
Nose: Notes of ripe sherry, together with dark dried fruit, cherries and dates. Caramel, dark chocolate and cinnamon are added, followed by some furniture polish as well as spicy notes of nutmeg and a touch of oak.
Palate: Powerful with an initial creamy sweetness of toffee and raisins. Then clearly warming and also spicy with cinnamon, oak, nutmeg and black pepper. Dark chocolate, herbs and oak linger towards the finish.
Finish: The finish shows a medium length with dry notes of wood, cocoa, herbs, leather and pepper.
With water: After the addition of water it becomes fresher and more floral on the nose with sherry, dates, fine hazelnut aromas, toffee and chocolate. Still sweet and warming on the palate with dark fruits, chocolate, pepper and cinnamon. The finish is still medium long and dry with cocoa, oak, herbs and leather.
Comments: A powerful, sherry cask-matured Glenrothes, which for me is not the classic sherry bomb. I like it because the fruity, spicy and herbal aromas are not overpowered by a sherry sweetness. You can play with water, but in my opinion not much changes. A promising start for a new bottling series. Sherry aficionados, however, might be a bit disappointed.

I thank whic (Whiskycircle) for the complimentary sample and the image!

Colour: Dark amber.
Nose: Typical aromas of a well-matured whisky from a sherry cask: old sherry, dates, raisins and chocolate coated brandy beans. Behind this are notes of old leather, tobacco leaf and fruity orange covered in dark chocolate, followed by a few spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, oak and a hint of vanilla.
Palate: A powerful attack on the palate, where the high alcohol content is noticeable. Warming and sweetish with dates, complex fruit aromas, chocolate, tobacco notes and bitter orange peel. Becomes peppery with slightly bitter dark chocolate and a little dry oak.
Finish: The finish shows a medium length with sticky fruit and some spices. Becomes increasingly dry with oak spice and a hint of tobacco.
With water: After adding a few drops of water, more freshness on the nose with less sherry, but more spicy notes of nutmeg, oak, dark chocolate, vanilla and a touch of orange. Prickling and also clearly spicier on the palate and slightly warming. Bitter orange with dark chocolate and clearly more dry oak. The finish is still of medium length with a touch of sticky fruit as well as dry oak and some spices.
Comments: A well-matured single malt from a sherry butt. No sherry bomb, but the result of over two decades of harmony between distillery character and oak wood. Hilarious fruit aromas mingle with dark chocolate, tobacco and spices to create a harmony of the senses. It is not surprising that this drop was sold out shortly after its release.

I thank whic (Whiskycircle) for the complimentary sample and the image!

Colour: Dark amber.
Nose: The nose starts off with delicate notes of dried fruits, plums, old sherry, Demerara sugar and juicy oranges. A classic sherry backbone with raisins, rum soaked cherries, cocoa and tobacco leaves. Hints of cigar box, oak spice and old leather chair in the back. A gorgeous nose!
Palate: Bold and intense on the palate with sweet sherry, barley sugar and fruity notes of plums, cherries and oranges. This is pleasantly mixed with a nice herbal note, subtle mint and a warming spiciness of white pepper, oak and a hint of chilli. Slightly dry towards the finish with cocoa, tobacco leaves and subtle leather.
Finish: The finish shows medium-length with creamy notes of sticky plums, oranges and some dry oak, walnuts and leather on the tail.
With water: A little bit fresher on the nose when a splash of water is added. There's more citric fruits coming through - oranges and lemons. Instead of raisins and plums red apples arrive, nicely mixed with sherry and hints of leather in the back. Sweet and very fruity on the palate with mainly apples and oranges. The spiciness is fairly tamed with only a hint of a warming pepperiness. The finish is shorter, creamy, sweet and fruity with a touch of dry oak on the tail.
Comments: A great, full-bodied and very well matured single malt. This Glenrothes captivates by its bold sherry influence with a nice balance of dark dried fruits, warming spices, dry oak and tobacco notes. It is very fine, elegant and dignified. Surprisingly, it becomes very lively, fresh, sweet and fruity with water - as if it has jumped out of its heavy, comfortable leather armchair. This malt is something for true connoisseurs.

Colour: Mahogany.
Nose: Oh yes, there's no doubt this is from a sherry cask! Bold, rich and intense sherry backbone with dried fruits, maraschino cherries, prunes, dates, and raisins. Sweet with brown sugar, liquorice, and marzipan, pleasantly mixed with dark chocolate, coffee and tender notes of leather in the back. A big nose!
Palate: The palate delivers what the nose promises. Rich, sweet and creamy, even sticky notes of sherry, dark ripe fruits, cherries, raisins, and prunes. This is complemented by a nicely warming spiciness of cinnamon, cardamom, oak and subtle black pepper. Stays sweet with Demerara sugar and rum flavours. Subtle chocolate coated coffee beans and a hint of balsamic vinegar towards the finish.
Finish: The finish is pleasantly long and warming. Now more spicy notes arrive with leather, tobacco leaves and cigar box, followed by dry oak, burnt caramel, and coffee beans. Happily, the delicate sweetness returns with a wee creamy touch of dark fruit jam on the tail.
With water: There's almost no change on the nose when a splash of water is added. Despite the heavy sherry load more fruitiness is coming through: fruits soaked in dark rum. On the palate, however, more spices arrive with prickling oak, black pepper, cinnamon, and cloves. The sweetness is a bit tamed, while rum soaked fruits and notes of chocolate-coated coffee beans are still present. The finish is long, warm and dry with oak, coffee, tobacco leaves and leather, with a slightly bitter end.
Comments: Very lush and bold sherry cask matured Glenrothes! Quite an intense, complex sherried dram, packed full of creamy sweetness and rum soaked fruits. A rich and deep character with a lovely nose and a powerful palate. Multi-layered and nicely balanced with loads of dark fruits, warm spices and a delicate mix of chocolate and tobacco flavours. A grown-up whisky which I prefer to drink neat but which can tolerate a few drops of water, too.

I thank The Whisky Exchange (TWE) for the photograph!

Colour: Amber.
Nose: Lovely fruity notes of peaches emerge, nicely mixed with redcurrants, poached apples and Seville oranges. Vanilla, hints of dark chocolate and a pleasant touch of cloves linger with fine cinnamon and subtle tobacco leaves in the back. Quite appealing!
Palate: Deliciously sweet and fruity with luscious peaches and oranges, complemented by cherries, blackcurrants and tender toasted oak. Sherry and a pleasant mix of spices emerge with pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, anise and cloves. Lovely warming with an exotic rum touch towards the finish.
Finish: The finish is long and creamy with orange lemonade, honey and a slightly bitter edge of orange peel, spiced oak and dry dark chocolate on the tail.
With water: Water even enhances the luscious fruitness of peaches. Very creamy with a slightly tamed spiciness on the nose. A lovely mix of peaches, creamy honey and lingering spices on the palate. Nicely quaffable. The finish is a little bit shorter with a significantly tamed spiciness and less dry notes on the tail. Creamy and slightly warming.
Comments: Peach, peach and peach! Inspired by the wonderful dessert, the Rum Baba, this single malt deserves a very delicate flavour profile. Luscious fruitiness of mainly peaches is well balanced with sherry-derived flavours and a lovely spiciness. Rich, exuberant and fruity. A predestined after dinner malt and liquid dessert. Exceedingly drinkable!

I thank Wemyss Malts for the photograph!

Colour: Gold.
Nose: Fresh and fruity on the nose with lingering citrus, apricots and lime juice, complemented by vanilla and ripe bananas. Rich and intense with lemon sorbet and red apple skins, followed by a hint of oak spice in the back. Very appealing!
Palate: Fruity, creamy, and deliciously sweet on the palate with an immediately mild but warming spiciness of oak, white pepper, and ginger. Velvety texture. Subtle bitter notes of pink grapefruit linger with tender roasted oak towards the smooth finish.
Finish: The finish is medium long, soft and creamy with sticky sweet fruit jam and slightly drying oak on the tail. Very satisfying.
With water: Water tames a bit of the lovely fruitiness on the nose while bringing more oak spice to the fore. Quite peppery on the palate. Water takes away the fruit and brings in the spice. The finish is medium long, creamy and tender sweet with barley sugar and significantly more dying oak on the tail.
Comments: A pleasant, summery, mild and well-balanced dram. Lovely fruity and refreshing, like a sorbet between courses. A mellow character with a sophisticated flavour profile. Best to enjoy neat as water brings out too much oak spice.

I thank Kirsch Whisky Import for the sample and the photograph!

Colour: Amber.
Nose: Rich and deep with ripe dried fruits - sultanas, dates and plums, pleasantly accompanied by rich sherry flavours, honey and a whiff of oak in the back. Very appealing!
Palate: Long development of sweet and soft concentrated dried fruits. Sherry soaked raisins, dates, figs and Demerara sugar deliciously intermingle with a warming spiciness of cinnamon, ginger, gentle white pepper and subtle oak. Creamy notes of caramel and acacia honey linger towards the finish.
Finish: The finish is long, creamy, sweet and spicy. Sticky honey and soft nutty flavours mixed with cinnamon and nutmeg on the tail. Soothing and slightly drying.
With water: The creamy sweetness and lovely flavours of dried fruits continue to emerge on the nose with a few drops of water. Despite the sherry flavours, plums and raisins, fine notes of marzipan arrive on the palate, perfectly mixed with slightly warming spices. The finish is long, warm, sweet and creamy with a delicate nuttiness on the tail.
Comments: This is an elegant, rich and flavourful malt. A teasing mix of fruity aromas and sherry flavours. It is on the sweet side, but beautifully rounded with mellow spices. A sophisticated after-dinner malt.

I thank Kirsch Whisky Import for sample and photograph (displays an earlier bottling)!

Colour: Pale gold.
Nose: The nose starts off with lots of yellow fruit - apple, pear and plum. Rich and zesty. Vanilla, toffee and subtle coconut arrive, followed by gentle honey and delicate orange marmalade. Pleasant spices with ginger, tender cinnamon and oak in the back.
Palate: Sweet and smooth on the palate with fine vanilla and lots of delicate ripe yellow fruit - tangerine, pear, plum and zesty orange. This sweet fruitiness deliciously mingles with soft spices of cinnamon, ginger and oak. Rich and round with acacia honey and a slightly touch of bitter orange peel towards the finish.
Finish: The finish is medium long and nicely sweet with barley sugar, yellow fruit, oranges and a spicy aftertaste of cinnamon, oak with a whiff of white pepper.
With water: Fresher on the nose with a splash of water. Delicate fruit with lots of vanilla. Creamy on the palate. Water enhances the amount of vanilla taming the fruitiness. Honey and soft spices linger towards the finish. The finish is sweet and medium long with creamy vanilla and tender spice.
Comments: This is a soft, sweet and creamy malt with a nice fruity flavour profile, complemented by a massive load of vanilla, especially with a dash of water. Not really complex but an easy drinking, delicate all-day Speyside dram. No more, no less.

I thank Stefan Hennig, Brand Ambassador for The Glenrothes in Germany, for sample and photograph!

Colour: Bright gold.
Nose: Fresh and fruity on the nose with white peach and a touch of orange. Vanilla's coming through with a hint of black cherries and a whiff of lemon. Subtle sandalwood and toffee underneath. Very delicate and complex.
Palate: Fruity and sweet with delicate oranges and gentle apples. Slightly bitter orange peel emerges, complemented by a warm mix of spices - oak, cracked black pepper, nutmeg and tannins. Very mouth-coating with gentle vanilla and fine cinnamon towards the finish.
Finish: The finish is medium long and warm with creamy vanilla and lingering soft dry spiciness. Very satisfying.
With water: Water enhances the fruitiness significantly, but also increases the spiciness on the nose. On the palate, however, the fruitiness is almost lost and hot spice take over - oak, chili and nutmeg. The finish is dry and hot, peppery and medium long.
Comments: Soft but stimulating vintage; complex and very appealing. A rich and hugely satisfying dram with a delicate fruitiness and the typically Glenrothes finish of soft spices. But don't use any water! Another perfect addition to the Glenrothes vintages, best to be enjoyed after dinner.

I thank Stefan Hennig, Brand Ambassador for The Glenrothes in Germany, for sample and photograph!

Colour: Amber.
Nose: A sweet and creamy nose with notes of vanilla, red berry fruits, oranges, wine aromas and toffee. A hint of citrus emerges with soft anise and a touch of cinnamon.
Palate: Sweet start on the palate. Full bodied with red fruit jam, cherry cake and sweet barley sugar. Pleasant walnut notes arrive, complemented by toffee and a massive amount of delicate spices - white pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon. Gentle bitter flavours of pink grapefruit linger towards the finish. Delicious!
Finish: A long and warm finish with sticky dark fruit jam, barley sugar and lingering cinnamon, nutmeg, and oak, drying out the sweetness of the grape.
With water: Water tames the delicate fruity and sweet aromas on the nose with more spices coming through. The fruitiness still comes along, complemented by significantly more bitter citrus fruit, nutty flavours and less spices. The finish is medium long and slightly sweet with subtle oak spice.
Comments: A fruity, sweet and in no case old bottling of Glenrothes. The wine cask finish works pretty well with the distillery's character. Refreshing. The nose is quite beautiful, the palate’s very fruit-driven, and the oak isn't overpowering at all. Very well balanced with depth and richness. Well done! I prefer this dram neat.

I thank the German importer Whiskymax for sample and photograph!

Colour: Gold.
Nose: Fresh and fruity on the nose with lingering tangerines, lemongrass and citrus, complemented by vanilla, golden syrup and lots of delicate spice from the European oak. Rich and complex with hints of lemon sorbet and tropical fruit fading in and out. Very appealing!
Palate: Creamy, and deliciously sweet on the palate with an immediately mild explosion of warm spice - white pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg and oak. Rich and mature with a touch of citrus notes, vanilla and pleasant lemon sorbet. Sticky acacia honey lingers towards the smooth finish.
Finish: Long and soft with warm spices coming through. Rich and smooth with nicely aromas of sticky plum jam on the tail. Very satisfying.
With water: Water doesn't really split up the complex aromas on the nose. There's less sweet and fruity flavours on the palate with more warm and prickling spices coming through. The finish is medium long with delicate plum jam and a slightly dry end.
Comments: A deliciously sweet, rich, and creamy whisky. Very complex, with a perfect balance of vanilla, fruit and spices. This one goes particularly very well with desserts or puddings. Another great addition to the Glenrothes vintages, best to be enjoyed with good friends. No add of water needed.

I thank Stefan Hennig, Brand Ambassador for The Glenrothes in Germany, for sample and photograph!

Colour: Pale amber.
Nose: The nose starts off with delicate sherry flavours, followed by a pleasant sweetness of malted barley, vanilla, raisins and ice cream. It's like German Apfelstrudel with icing sugar. There's lingering toffee and butterscotch with a gentle hint of citrus and subtle cinnamon in the back. Very appealing!
Palate: Sweet, thick and delicious. Baked apples, custard, creamy malt and caramel perfectly mingle with lingering allspice, oak, cinnamon and subtle nutmeg to a pre-Christmas happiness on the palate. Stewed fruit with sticky maple syrup are lingering towards the finish.
Finish: Long and slightly warm finish with vanilla and sticky toffee. Roasted almonds and a touch of oak spice on the tail. Extremely delicate!
With water: Water tames a bit the delicate flavours both on the nose and the palate. The finish is medium long with fine toffee notes and a hint of oak.
Comments: A deliciously sweet, rich, and creamy whisky with a smooth toffee, butterscotch, custard style and a good amount of winterly spice. A great addition to the Glenrothes vintages. Wonderful, extremely quaffable and good value for money. No add of water needed.

I thank Stefan Hennig, Brand Ambassador for The Glenrothes in Germany, for sample and photograph!

Colour: Amber.
Nose: Rich and intense on the nose. First, delicate sherry flavours with fruit cake and raisins shine through, along with custard, ginger bread and a hint of pears in the back. With time, a delicious spiciness emerges with oak and subtle ginger. Bold and very pleasant on the nose.
Palate: Intense and spicy start on the palate with ginger, oak, and white pepper. No signs of sherry. While the spiciness is slightly fading away, lingering sweetness with dark honey and crème brûlée emerges, complemented by a gentle hint of vanilla.
Finish: A long finish with lingering spiciness - oak, ginger and white pepper in particular. Gets a bit dry on the tail with fine orange peel and a whiff of smoke.
With water: There's not much change on this gorgeous nose. Water tames the spiciness on the palate but does not really increase the sweetness of this malt. The finish still is long, spicy and lingering warming.
Comments: A gorgeous nose, I can sit and nose this beauty for hours. On the palate, however, I do miss a bit of the sweetness and fruitiness promised by the nose. The spicy influence of the European oak is quite obvious predominating the sherry character of this malt. Nevertheless, a creamy, well made and characterful single malt.

I thank Stefan Hennig, Brand Ambassador for The Glenrothes in Germany, for sample and photograph!

Colour: Mahogany.
Nose: Dense and heavily sherried. Liquorice, dates, raisins, prunes in Armagnac, followed by dark chocolate and a slight whiff of sulphur. Rich and deep.
Palate: Oh yes, you get the full aroma spectrum promised by the nose. Big, thick sherry, rum soaked cherries, dates and prunes with a hint of marzipan. Bitter notes of dark chocolate and Sevilla orange peel are well integrated and balanced with the fruity sweetness and completed by nutty flavours.
Finish: Long, warm and sweet. X-mas cake with lingering walnuts. Full and rich with a hint of tobacco.
With water: Vibrant, more creamy with increased oaky spiciness and dark bitter chocolate. Very pleasant on the tongue.
Comments: A great mature complex dram. Full of sherry and dark flavours, well balanced and well structured. Another big shot from the folks of Cadenhead. Very well done!