The Glenrothes 12 yr Single Malt Whiskey 750ml

The Glenrothes Distillery was founded in the Speyside town of Rothes by James Stuart, who had previously worked at the neighboring Macallan distillery. Construction began in 1878 and production started the following year, though the distillery's early history was marked by repeated setbacks, including fires in 1897 and 1922 and an explosion in 1903 that nearly destroyed the site. Ownership has changed hands more recently too, passing to the Edrington Group in 1999 before moving to Berry Bros & Rudd in 2010, the wine and spirits merchant that still owns it today.

The 12 Year Old belongs to Glenrothes' Soleo Collection, a name borrowed from the traditional Jerez practice of sun-drying grapes before they're pressed for sherry, a nod to how central sherry casks are to the distillery's identity. The whisky is matured exclusively in sherry-seasoned oak and bottled at its natural color rather than with added coloring, part of a broader shift toward age-stated releases that Glenrothes introduced in place of its earlier vintage-dated bottlings.

The nose brings gingerbread, stewed apple, and earthy vanilla, followed by orange peel and soft tropical fruit. The palate turns creamy, with hazelnut, dried fruit, and cinnamon, while the finish runs long and sweet, carrying baking spice and more stewed fruit.