Glenrothes 1997 (Claxton’s)

One of the upcoming bottlings from Claxton’s is this Glenrothes 1997. A really dark whisky from a sherry butt.

Glenrothes 19 yo 1997 (53,7%, Claxton’s 2016, sherry butt #7154, 669 btl.)

Nose: a sherry bomb alright, including a sulphury taint. Mulch in my garden. Some meaty notes. That aside: dark chocolate, truckloads of dark plums and figs. Sticky toffee pudding. Tobacco. Gingerbread. It resembles some of the thickest GlenDronach releases. It does get a tad brighter after a while (orange peel).

Mouth: again deeply sherried (PX style). Treacle, chocolate truffles, liquorice and preserved cherries. Plenty of oak spices, ginger among others. Hints of cough syrup. Tobacco. Coffee powder. Still a bit of gunpowder and beef stock.

Finish: very long and mostly dry / leathery but with a dark raisin undertone and a pinch of salt.

This is all about the cask and less about the spirit. That means toffee, coffee, herbs and dates, with a dirty edge in this case. Reminds me of GlenDronach #3397 or #5405. I’m not a big fan, but it’s bold and intense, so sherryheads should at least investigate. Around € 110.

Score: 80/100