All of the Old Rhosdhu bottlings I’ve tried so far were decidedly off-centre. Their quirkiness and inconsistency is what makes them interesting.
Nice to see The Roots picked up one of these Loch Lomonds as its fifth bottling. Actually this is the first single malt bottling, after grain whisky, cognac, rum and armagnac.
Old Rhosdhu 29 yo 1993 (50,8%, The Roots 2022, hogshead, 223 btl.)
Nose: first impression is mostly on hay, leaves and wildflowers. Then wee hints of marzipan as well as some metallic hints. There’s a warm (and always slightly funky) fruitiness in the background (guava, lime and banana), but it’s hidden behind greasy notes and dusty hessian sacks.
Mouth: same mix of attractive sweet and fruity notes (more bananas, white grapes, lime and mixed fruit drops) with herbal notes and a light grassy astringency. Nice oily notes, as well as a drop of honey. Then hay, metal tools, hints of mustard and walnuts. Becomes greener and spicier over time. Grapefruit skin and green almonds towards the end.
Finish: not too long, leafy with a firm mineral side and some gingery notes.
As I said before: a demanding profile, which is exactly what we need sometimes. A peculiar, unique style, and this is one of the cleaner expressions I’ve had. Around € 320. Now available from the usual distributors.