Region – Speyside – ABV – 46%
Dram # 11 brings us a Weymss Malts whisky entitled “Kumquat Cluster” which is a 21yo Glenrothes single sherry butt, cask # 3343.
Based on the color, which is fairly light, I’d have to say this is a refill butt.
There is a joke in there somewhere. I’ll leave you to that.
The Glenrothes and I normally do not get along. The spirit character usually doesn’t sit with my palate but I know they have a great following.
Though, truth be told, I do wish their OB bottlings were at a higher ABV. They’re usually at 40% or 43%, chill filtered and with caramel color added. I think if they slowly moved to 46%, they’d do a great job bringing their followers to the world of non-chill filtered and no-caramel color added whiskies. The grass is greener on this side, people.
Still, they put out a host of whiskies, various vintages, that people go head over heals for. They must be doing something right, right?
Back to the whisky at hand though. As an independently bottled cask of The Glenrothes, this, I would hope, offers something that the OB releases do not offer. At first glance, it’s 46% NCF and no caramel color is added. That’s a start. At 21 years of age, this will be the oldest Glenrothes I’ve had to date.
Let’s see what happens.
On the nose — Citrus laden melting caramel cubes. Some attic wood and a hint of sour milk (in a good way, trust me on this one). Pecan pie filling, young strawberries, Alpha-Bits cereal sans the marshmallows, a hint of Ovaltine.
The attic wood tells me this is a Glenrothes but everything else just falls into place so nicely.
In the mouth — Now I see where they got the Kumquat Cluster name. It’s like drinking fresh kumquat juice, skin and all.
A touch of pepper, lots of malt, hints of fresh and dried figs, date rolls (sans almond), mint tea, some Chinese Five Spice to boot!
Finish — Long, malty, citrusy, hints of pepper.
In sum — Cracking whisky. I was really dreading this one but, wow, I was impressed. This is a whisky I’d reach for on a daily basis. Quite nice indeed.