Glenrothes 1985 Vintage Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Glenrothes 1985 Vintage Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Tasting notes:
“Interestingly, this whisky was bottled in 2005, but not released until the end of 2008. (The brand manager tells me that they wanted to wait until the stocks of the current 1980s vintage (a 1987) were depleted. It’s fresh, lively, and uncluttered, glowing with bright fruit (mandarin orange, nectarine), lemon meringue pie, and a creamy vanilla sweetness that coats the palate. A gently dry oak finish with subtle anise and very dark chocolate. A perky Glenrothes, and a lot of fun to drink.” -Whisky Advocate
The Glenrothes is a Speyside distillery, producing a range of Scottish single malt whisky from the banks of the Spey (a tributary of the larger Spey) just west of Rothes, some 50 miles (80km) east of Inverness in northern Scotland.
It was originally built in 1878 by James Stuart, a former Macallan employee who almost immediately sold the distillery to William Grant of Glenfiddich fame. Since then, Glenrothes has had an accident-prone history, with three major fires and a huge explosion setting back production over the years.
Today, it is a substantial distillery, producing more than 5.5 million liters of spirit annually from its 10 stills. Interestingly, since 1993, the standard Glenrothes single malt has been available as a vintage expression – the label carries the year of production rather than an age statement.
The hand grenade-shaped bottles are also a distinctive feature of Glenrothes whisky.
As well as the vintage expression, Glenrothes is available as older releases and in a number of different finishes. The malt is also used as a component of the Cutty Sark and Famous Grouse blends.
While the Glenrothes single malt is owned by London-based wine merchant Berry Bros & Rudd, the actual distillery is owned by the Edrington Group, which also owns The Macallan and Highland Park.