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90 years ago Cutty Sark was created with Glenrothes as the key malt but it was only 6 years ago that the Glenrothes malt began to stand out….

 Glenrothes Distillery

The Glenrothes Select Reserve Single Malt 43%
Vanilla pod and cocoa. Intensely sweet on the nose with demerara sugar dominating the top notes and chocolate with lemon malted barley in support.
The palate thin but with a touch of honey is no reflection of the intense sweetness of the nose, then a squirt of grapefruit on the mid palate and a finish of grape and dark chocolate. 80

 The Glenrothes 1998 Vintage 14yo Single Malt 43%
The malted barley dominates this nose with orange marmalade, toffee and the sweetest orange citrus.
Viscous and gorgeously mouth coating this dram is velvety on the tongue with sweet sherry, ginger and pepper and a finish of sherried oak. 87
 

The Glenrothes 1995 Vintage 17yo Single Malt 43%
Vanilla, orange citrus, a touch of smoke and toffee ‘n spice.
Viscous, oily and sherry sweet on the palate with sweet allspice, ginger and citrus with a touch of pepper and peat on the finish. 87

The Glenrothes 1994 Vintage 12yo Single malt 43%
Rich, warm sherry, vanilla, toffee with stewed blueberries and cranberries with a generous sprinkling of icing sugar on top. What an exquisite nose!!
The Oloroso sherry comes through on the palate in barrel loads, rich and warming like the nose with a touch of pepper ‘n spice and an oak ‘n sherry finish. Gorgeous! 88



All The Glenrothes above available for tasting and purchase at Wild About Whisky, Dullstroom.

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Booker Noe, grandson of Jim Beam has created, arguably, the finest bourbon…ever….

“….Booker’s is the first ever bourbon bottled straight from the barrel – uncut & unfiltered…”

Booker’s Bourbon Whiskey Aged 7 Years And 1 Month Batch 0CO5-A-12 65%
Barrels of red berries, cranberries and pomegranate dominate, with overtones of vanilla, red toffee, cloves, raisins and nuts.
The palate is a mirror image of the nose…how balanced is this whiskey??? Sweetly stewed red berries, rich and spicy, then a sucker punch explosion of tannins and sweet chilli spice with an exceptionally long finish – an afterglow of rich sweet dates. Incredible! Can only be drunk neat. 93. Best bourbon I have ever tasted and only available for tasting in South Africa at Wild About Whisky in Dullstroom.
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A winter dram best consumed in the middle of summer…..

The Snow Grouse Blended Grain Whisky 40%
New make coated with a layer of icing sugar, the grain warm and pulsing in the depths, then iced coffee.
The palate is sweet ‘n sexy, pouting ‘n peppery, surprisingly no harsh notes associated with youth and grain but this is light and gentle. The finish is short, soft and dry.
With water, toffee and fudge are released on the nose but the young grain starts to bite at the back of the palate.
Trying it  neat and “seriously chilled” as suggested, there is almost nothing to smell but the dram is now thickly viscous and seriously sweet!. 80
Only available in South Africa to taste and purchase at Wild About Whisky in Dullstroom.
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Symbiotic relationships – AnCnoc single malt whisky and renowned illustrator Peter Arkle…..

Peter Arkle lives in New York city, where he is a freelance illustrator of books, magazines, ads and whatever else comes his way…..
AnCnoc “Peter Arkle” Limited First Edition Single Malt 46% Knockdu Distillery
Newly cut Granny Smith apple skin, cider, caramel, vanilla rich, sweet ‘n spicy, although there is a hint of youth in the depths, a faint earthy rubber note, perhaps just a hint of peat.
However the palate is sherry sweet, soft and velvet coating with an explosion of tannins on the mid palate suggesting the use of European oak, then liquorice and a lingering vinous and wooded finish.
A splash of water releases the sherry character on the nose and dampens the harsh tannins on the palate. 84
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Dr. Bill Lumsden has, once again, produced another masterpiece….

 Dr Bill Lumsden, in his role as Head of Distilling and Whisky Creation, oversees the spark and birth of the entire Glenmorangie range…an inspiration to the entire whisky industry……

Glenmorangie Artein A Combination Of 15 & 21yo Single Malt Enhanced In Bordeaux Style Sassicaia “Super Tuscan” Casks 46%
A vanilla pod soaked in cranberry wine, stewed berry fruit salad garnished with honeycomb.
Richly sweet and stunningly fruity on the palate with cinnamon and pepper softly charging the mid palate, leaving a long lingering red berry and vinous finish.
This is a rosé that just happens to be a phenomenal whisky. 92 

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“In recognition of Leif Eriksson as the first European…..”

To celebrate and recognise the fact that Leif Eriksson, as a Norse explorer, was regarded as the first European to land in north America, nearly 500 years before Christopher Columbus, Highland Park have released:
Highland Park Single Malt Leif Eriksson Release Wholly Matured In American Oak Casks 40%
A cornucopia of orchard fruits and pear drops, coated in honey and sprinkled with vanilla powder and almonds. The richness intensified by tendrils of peat smoke stirring their way through the sweet fruity stew.
Vanilla rich initially on the palate, the mid section is all pepper ‘n spice, the finish charred and sweetly oaky.
Water does accentuate the pear drops but boosts the peppery spice. A gentle dram that should be drunk as is, however as HP are celebrating a famous viking’s extraordinary achievements, I think a cask strength release would have been more appropriate…..86