Review: The Glenrothes Select Reserve
In its distinctive hand-grenade bottle (with cardboard shell), a bottle of Glenrothes comes across like a liquid hand grenade.
The Glenrothes Select Reserve is the entry-level variation on this whisky, an 80-proof concoction from Speyside with no age statement, a single malt vatted from Glenrothes whiskys of a variety of ages. (Since it’s all malted barley and all from Glenrothes, it’s still a single malt, not a blended/vatted malt.)
The color is medium gold, tinged with green. The nose is redolent of menthol and herbs,
rosemary and thyme, while the body hits you with a hefty dose of orange citrus. I get a taste of briny seaweed in the finish, which isn’t particularly long but offers a surprising amount of heat for an 80-proof Scotch.
Somewhat out of balance, the flavor profile of Select Reserve is a bit all over the map, a kind of very early expression that cries for more time in the barrel to develop more sweetness and vanilla character.
80 proof.
B / $36
The Glenrothes Select Reserve
$36
I came upon of 1979 vintage (sample room) with signatures unopened single malt , what might the value of this bottle of Christmas Joy be valued at ?
I found this review to be right on the money. Great job on catching the relatively short finish, and the chaotic flavour profile – it does need more aging to “round out” the edges and make it more recognizable as a glenrothes.
I disagree with the review. The nose has more of a light caramel and honey. The taste is more buttery and still retains a slight citrus finish. It’s not smokey or medicinal making it very easy to drink, and at under $40 for a single malt, it’s a great deal. One of my favorites.