The Glenrothes 1994 vintage has been around since 2006, at least in Europe. In the States, it was introduced at the beginning of this year and it will hit the shelves any moment now. I guess the US version is still the same batch because the label says “distilled Oct 94 – approved Apr 06”.
The 1994 vintage was composed as a lighter, stimulating and uplifting expression of The Glenrothes.
Glenrothes 1994 (43%, OB 2008)
Glenrothes 1994 (43%, OB 2008)Nose: the first few seconds are filled with buttery toffee which is typical for The Glenrothes. After that, a wave of zesty lemon shows up and make it a lot fresher. Its spring-character shows juicy pears and orange fruit gums with a touch of vanilla. Very citric. Lemon pie. Slightly flowery with hints of Cif (the cleaning cream). None of the spices that we see in older Glenrothes bottlings.
Mouth: rather weak and watery. Quite malty with a fruity layer of fresh plums. Hints of hazelnuts in the aftertaste.
Finish: not very long and quite soft. Pears. Light ginger and nuts.
On the nose, this is the closest to a Lowlander that The Glenrothes will probably ever get (although the trademark toffee is still there). Great to see such a variation on the distillery profile. Probably very teasing as a summer dram, although I prefer the spicier profile. A higher alcohol volume could make it more punchy as well. Around € 55.
Score: 82/100