Liquid Art bottled this Glenrothes 1996 to support Dram4ALS, a charity set up by whisky lover Alain Verspecht who suffers from Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Every now and then a whisky is released and part of the profit is used to fund scientific research. In this case € 20 of each bottle will be donated.
Glenrothes 24 yo 1996 (50,9%, Liquid Art & Dram4ALS 2020, bourbon cask, 150 btl.)
Nose: sweet and reasonably fruity, with peaches, clementines and pineapples. Hints of plum spirit. Later some almond paste and custard, maybe a whiff of marshmallow. Orange blossom, as well as some honey. Barley notes in the background. A really attractive nose which brings out the pastry-like character of a good bourbon cask.
Mouth: quite a lot going on now. There’s still a fruity side (citrus, pineapple, albeit slightly tuned down now) as well as a slightly fragrant hint of (pine) wood and some sweet spice (pepper, nutmeg, spearmint). A subtle charred / herbal edge in the end, with a few drops of mocha latte in the very end.
Finish: medium length, drying, with some citrus peel, herbs and a vague hint of Jaffa cake.
Entertaining whisky, slightly deviant from official bottlings (read: better). The attractive nose is the best part in my opinion. Around € 170, still available from most of these retailers. Remember: you’re supporting a good cause.