Rosebank 1991 16 Year Old The Whisky Society

Rosebank SMWS 25.63 - Poire et poivre

Thought I would squeeze in some tasting notes before dinner - ambitious, eh? But really, this is driven by my desire to free up the overcrowded whisky-rack and countertop space in my kitchen. It's slowly working. Three firsts here with this write-up: my first Rosebank, my first closed distillery (I think) and my first SMWS bottling. Rosebank was a...

Score 94/100

Rosebank 12 Year Old 1989 Silver Seal

Rosebank closed already in 1993, but the whisky still appears on the market regularly (although less and less for obvious reasons). This bottling already dates back to 2001, from the Max Righi stables. I scored the sample at the festival for independent bottlers in Belgium. The nose is very light and offers mostly citrus, but not much else. A...

Score 83/100

Rosebank 13 Year Old 1991 Dun Bheagan

Dun Bheagan is a label from Ian MacLeod Distillers. For this bottling, they vatted two casks and cut it to a drinking strength. It is 13 years old. The nose starts off closed and needs quite a bit of hand warmth before it gives any sign of life. Agrums and white fruit, but also something dusty. It is a bit dirty, if you know what I mean....

Score 85/100

Rosebank 12 Year Old (Flora and Fauna)

This is the well known - and much praised - official Rosebank from the Flora & Fauna series (a term, by the way, that was coined by whisky guru Michael Jackson). The first thing that hits you on this utterly soft, but oh so sweet, nose is the typical floral a fruity characteristics: camomile, pears, sap of unmatured graps and a touch of cream....

Score 82/100