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Glenrothes 20 years

malty peaty
3.2
(1)€876Scotland, Speyside, Single Malt

Flavours

Whisky character

Fresh
Warm
Mild
Full
Smooth
Spicy

Taste mentions

Facts

The Glenrothes has stood in the Speyside town of Rothes since 1879. Its whisky fills sherry-seasoned oak for the whole of its life, not just a final few months. Twenty years in that wood does something patient and deep. Dried fruit and sherry lead the nose, with raisins and sultanas behind them. Honey and vanilla soften the edges. The palate turns brighter than you expect, with strawberry and a faint salt tang. Sandalwood and warm spice carry the finish a long way out. Pour it neat. This is a Speyside malt that rewards sitting still.

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About the distillery

Distillery

Glenrothes

The Glenrothes distillery is located in Rothes, Moray, Scotland, and was founded in 1878. The distillery's water source is the Ardcanny and Brauchhill springs, which provide water with high mineral content. The distillery uses a unique method of selecting casks for aging, which involves choosing casks based on the individual character of the whisky, rather than a fixed age statement. This process results in a range of whiskies that are carefully crafted to showcase the best of each vintage.

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81Whiskies on Distilld

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Speyside

Most popular whiskies from Glenrothes

About the Glenrothes 20 years

Glenrothes 20 years is a single malt Scotch whisky from Speyside, in the north east of Scotland. It is bottled at 43% ABV after two decades in cask. The distillery sits in the town of Rothes and has been making spirit since 1879. Twenty year old Speyside malts are not rare, but few spend the whole stretch in sherry-seasoned oak. This one does, and that shapes everything about it. Most Speyside distilleries fill mainly ex-bourbon barrels and use sherry casks for finishing. Glenrothes works the other way round. Every drop matures in sherry-seasoned oak from the day it goes into the warehouse. Coopers season the casks with sherry before the spirit ever arrives. That policy costs more and takes longer to plan. It also explains why the whisky carries dried fruit so naturally at twenty years. The nose opens on dried fruit, raisins and sultanas, and a clear sherry note. Ripe banana and honey sit under that, with vanilla and soft oak. The palate shifts direction. Fresh fruit and strawberry arrive first, then a medicinal edge and a pinch of salt. Vanilla returns to smooth things over. The finish is long and woody, with sandalwood, warm spice and a last flick of banana. Against the younger Glenrothes releases, the extra years show in weight rather than sweetness. Younger bottlings from the distillery lean bright and fruity. Glenrothes 20 years keeps that fruit but adds depth, wood and a drier close. Two decades in sherry-seasoned oak pull the sweet notes back toward spice. If you want to know what this house style becomes with time, this bottling answers the question clearly.