TN: 1990 Glenrothes-Glenlivet 24 years old

TN: 1990 Glenrothes-Glenlivet 24 years old

I felt an after-dinner dram was on the cards this evening, so I opened this bottle. A small batch special from the well-respected Cadenheads family, one of 966 bottles this was distilled in 1990 and bottled in 1994 at 55.7% cask strength. It had been aged for all those years in a first fill sherry cask, hence the rich colour.

I poured myself a glass and began to take deep sniffs. Christmas cake, prunes in brandy, the nose is a tad alcoholic but most attractive. The mouthfeel is special. Dense, rich, slightly sweet and creamy, I try it neat and it is powerful velvet.

With several drops of Highland Spring water from a pipette, the nose reveals pine needles and fine fresh Cuban cigar. The marginally more civilised mouthfeel reveals a soft fudge sweetness. Beautiful!