SMOS Marriage Glenrothes 31 Year

Tasting Notes

Andrew's Tasting Note

Nose: dark, deep, rich, and dare I say a bit on old school side of things; I often get nervous with sherried Glenrothes, it can go one of two ways, but it looks really good here; chocolate fudge, classic Christmas cake sherry notes, and Reece's Peanut Butter Cups; raisins, dates, and figs, and then overripe banana; are we leaning a little tropical? looks like; leather, tobacco, and maple syrup.

Palate: powerful, sweet, and fruity with a firm backbone of spice; mincemeat pie, Christmas cake, and more chocolate fudge; loaded with dried fruits, soaked in honey; maple syrup sweetness; a nice balance of leather, tobacco, and spices, keeping the dried fruits, chocolate, and syrup in check; soft licorice, peanut brittle, and a minty freshness; antique-y sherry notes, getting tropical after a couple of sips!

Finish: long, coating, and rich with loads of dried dark fruits, leather, chocolate, tobacco, and spice.

Comment: this is a rather old-school sherried dram; it was the marriage of an over-the-top sherry bomb with a plainer hoggy that has apparently done the trick - the result is magic; like 1970s GlenDronach or those gooey Glenfarclas Family Casks from 1989, 1990, and 1991.

Producer Tasting Note

Nose: Blackcurrant jam in a leather pot with juicy raisins and sticky dates. Rich notes of plum sit alongside maraschino and glacécherries – depth of flavour and crisp sweetness combined. Maltloaf and fruity dark chocolate develop, balanced by tarry-touches and a sip of sweet Pedro Ximénez sherry.

Palate: Intense. Raisins and charcoal with stewed plums, sour and sweet cherries, molasses and soft oaky spice. Tarry notes are layered with licorice, dark chocolate, sweet blackcurrant jam and polished oak. Ginger cake and chocolate-covered crystallized ginger provide a backbone of sweetness countered by rich riverbank earth.

Finish: Polished oak and fruity jam fade to leave nutmeg, allspice, brown sugar and a touch of tar.