Decently aged Glenrothes with a double sherry treatment – first, 19 years in an ex-oloroso butt, then a finishing period in 2nd fill Pedro Ximenez.
Nose: Immediately detectable rich butter cream from the off, supported by orange peels, and a good scattering of dried fruits (raisins and figs ). Pecan pie and chocolate sponge cake are joined by demerara sugar and shelled pistachios. Straight-forward, but undeniably effective. The addition of water has me thinking about pink wafer biscuits whilst cookie dough, peanut butter and nutmeg spicing all add to the rich, nutty sherried profile.
Taste: Certainly as substantive as the bottle name implies – heady burnt toffee and heavily reduced fruits (orange, clementine and raspberry jams and preserves) sit alongside stewed plums, figs and prunes. The development is swift, but focusses primarily on nuttiness with both hazelnut and walnuts making an appearance, before giving way to tobacco leaf, white pepper and ginger spicing. Reduction gives more breathing space to the orange components – tangerine, mandarin etc – also adding a strange ‘putty’ like note that’s part resinous, part tile grouting.
Finish: Medium to long in length with maple syrup and chocolate sauce dusted with cinnamon and pepper whilst walnut nuttiness sustains into the fade.
A no-surprises but entirely tasty sherried Glenrothes which will more than give those with a sweeter tooth their monthly fix. There’s nothing out of whack here and the combinations of aromas and flavours are entirely sherry-esque. Tasty stuff, but interestingly I preferred this with a little water where it felt softer, juicier and somehow extra moreish.