Whisky of the week – The Glenrothes 10.

The youngest expression from the Glenrothes Soleo Collection is matured exclusively in sherry casks, bottled at 40% ABV, and unlike previous releases from the distillery, features an age statement.
(Soleo/asoleo is the grape sun-drying process for sherry in Jerez.)

The light straw coloured pour entices with fruity aromas of sweet vanilla, light malt and sherried citrus. A sip softly unveils malt and sherried raisin, hints of toffee and bitter oak, before a short sweet, zesty finish of smoothed fire.
Ice reveals further complexity with no fore-shortening of the experience. A hint of light toffee enters the fray with fruity oak coming more to the front of that sherry nose, Still sweet, with darker tones unleashed, burnt brown sugar and tangy oak swirling in the maelstrom, it has a denser taste band mid-palate with more of a bite, before drifting off in a sweet and zesty finish.

This is a light refreshing dram, hugely drinkable neat, whose more-ish complexities are unveiled through the addition of a couple of cubes of ice.

Tasting Notes

The Nose: sugar, vanilla, light malt, hint of peat, and toffee with sherried citrus
The Palate: sherried raisin, hints of toffee, malt and bitter oak
Mid-Palate: polite and pleasing
The Finish: short sweet zesty toffee, fire.

With ice.
The Nose: light toffee, vanilla and oak with sherried citrus
The Palate: Darker sweet tones unleashed, burnt brown sugar, light peat, sherried raisin, malt and bitter oak
Mid-Palate: a note of tannin
The Finish: slower, burnt toffee, peat fire.

Roadtested at the Clachaig Inn, Glencoe, Scotland