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Whisky Review: Glenrothes 8 Year Old Gordon & Macphail 1980s

The Glenrothes is premiumizing. And certainly making no secret of it. 

OVERALL RATING

8
$383
  • Phil Dwyer is a freelance whisky writer and consultant with over a decade of experience in whisky retail and online whisky education. Best known for hosting Whisky Wednesday on YouTube, he is dedicated to making whisky accessible and enjoyable by cutting through jargon and complexity.
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Tasting Notes

About:

With the brands new Super Premium approach to it’s liquid, selling nothing under 18 Years Old from this moment forward, it’s quite refreshing to try this younger style. Glenrothes overall is still underrated. I feel that the best options for the best understanding of the style will be through independent bottlings. That is unless you wanted an 18 Year Old whisky. In this case the official release is about average value for money in the grand scheme of sherried single malts.
Appearance:
Amber
Nose:
Fresh bakery! Loads of butter, croissants, apricot jam, vanilla, chocolate and custard filled donuts. Cinnamon sugar rounds it all off. One of the most welcoming noses I’ve ever come across on a whisky. More time in the glass showcases hazlenuts, walnuts and some spicier allspice notes like mace and nutmeg.
Palate:
Fresh and fruity with apples, blackberry and raisins. A very soft welcome with a mix of sherry and cognac notes – marinated fruits and more soft cooking spices. Not the most complex thing in the world, but very gentle and charming. It’s just lovely to drink.
Finish:
Even more cognac/brandy notes on the finish. A soft heat of new make spirit, it is an 8 Year Old after all. That heat dies down into the way more soft cooked apples with a little tartness to contrast, giving way to a slow but buildings dryness at 40%.
Comments:
If this was available right now I’d definitely buy it. It has all the good points of sherry maturation but without the sometimes too sickly sweetness or sulphurous notes sometimes attached to sherry.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Phil Dwyer

Phil Dwyer is a freelance whisky writer and consultant. With a decade of experience in whisky retail and nearly as long running Whisky Wednesday on YouTube, Phil is dedicated to sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm with fellow whisky lovers. His goal is to make whisky accessible and enjoyable, dispelling the jargon and complexity that can sometimes surround the spirit. In addition to his online presence, Phil managed The Whisky Shop Manchester, where he curated an impressive selection of some of the finest drams available.

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