The Glenrothes, 1985

Interestingly, this whisky was bottled in 2005, but not released until the end of 2008. (The brand manager tells me that they wanted to wait until the stocks of the current 1980s vintage (a 1987) were depleted. It’s fresh, lively, and uncluttered, glowing with bright fruit (mandarin orange, nectarine), lemon meringue pie, and a creamy vanilla sweetness that coats the palate. A gently dry oak finish with subtle anise and very dark chocolate. A perky Glenrothes, and a lot of fun to drink.