Rosebank 25 Years Old Special Release 61.4% 1981

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Serge Valentin (89)

Yeah, I know, it was about time I published my notes for this recent OB... Here they are. Colour: gold. Nose: hey, but this smells like olive oil when neat! Little lemony notes so far, rather various oils (okay, olives but also linseed) and quite some paraffin. And talc? Also notes of green tea and fresh mushrooms (fresh chanterelles – no, I’m not trying to be smart). With water (obligatory here): the oily notes remain but are complemented with rather beautiful farmy notes (faint whiffs of wet dog), wet hay as often, beech smoke, matchsticks, wet chalk... Very austere in fact but it’s a rather magnificent austerity, I’d say. I don’t know why this makes me think of an Islayer form the south coast, but without the peat... Mouth (neat): quite sippable, I’m afraid (it’s always frightening not to be shaken by such high strengths, isn’t it?) More lemons it seems, including zests. But let’s not be a braggart and add a few drops of water again: ah, we’re really back to civilization now. It got much, much more complex, with rather superb notes of fresh marzipan, stone fruits, plum spirit, butter pears and dried figs. This is good. Finish: very long, clean, always on the same notes... And big lemons and citrons. Excellent powerful Rosebank, reminding me of the Rare Malts 1981/2002 at 62.3%. Same kind of enjoyable ‘rigidity’ if you see what I mean.

Words of Whisky (91)

:

A very, very good Rosebank.
Nose
Very dusty at first, with damp wood, wet leafs and mushrooms. Also almonds. Next up we get the more classic Lowland-grassy notes with straw and hay. All of this goes accompanied by a nice hint of smoke.
Taste
Zesty and salty with subtle peat smoke. Also white pepper. The palate is fairly dry and spicy with lemon and orange and plenty of grassy aspects. A pretty smooth whisky in spite of its extreme percentage of alcohol.
Finish
Vanilla, pepper, pineapple and subtle peat. Very long.

BOW (92)