The Glenrothes "Soleo Collection" Launches in Hong Kong (Tasted: #410 - #412)

The Glenrothes have always been slightly unusual in the world of Scottish single malts, in that for a long time they largely used vintage statements (1995, 2001 etc..) instead of the more traditional age statements (12yo, 18yo etc..) for their core range.

No more it seems (at least for the core lineup), as the new "Soleo Collection" has been released comprising a 10yo, 12yo, 18yo, 25yo and NAS. Edrington HK recently launched the collection in Hong Kong, with a party held at The Upper House, hosted by Edrington HK & Macau's Whisky Ambassador Patricia.

The event gave guests a great chance to try the full range (bar the 25) alongside The Upper House's trademark delicious canapés, and even gave everyone the opportunity to get a little crafty (see below).

I spent a good amount of time with the 12, 18 and Whisky Makers' Cut (NAS) to see how they stacked up against the previous range. Thoughts below...

The Glenrothes 12 Years Old (40% ABV, 12yo, Speyside, Scotland, $489HKD / £40.84 ex-VAT)

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Colour: Light gold amber.
Nose: Perfumed sweetness at first, settling into a slight earthiness.

Palate: Sweet citrus zest - lemon rind mostly. Caramel chews, vanilla and cinnamon.

Finish: Long with a slightly spiced / pepper sweetness.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 89/100.

The Glenrothes 18 Years Old (43% ABV, 18yo, Speyside, Scotland, $1,129HKD / £99.79 ex-VAT)

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Colour: Orange amber-gold.
Nose: Sweet and slightly herbaceous. More oak than the 12. Some nutmeg.

Palate: More complexity than the 12 (as you might expect/hope). It's still sweet, with vanilla and and caramel toffee, but now there's some ginger and slight hints of flint / sulphur.

Finish: Long, toffee-spice.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100.

The Glenrothes Whisky Maker's Cut (48.8% ABV, NAS, Speyside, Scotland, $620HKD / £50.95 ex-VAT)

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Colour: Golden-copper.
Nose: Sweet and meaty, with hints of oak. Some candied walnuts and glacé cherries.

Palate: Spiced nut mix. Leather, tobacco and (flamed) orange peel.

Finish: Spiced oranges.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 89/100.

Thanks to Edrington for the invitation to another great event, and the chance to try the new Glenrothes range.

Cheers,

Martin.