Rosebank 32 Year (Release 3)

Appearance (no score): Pale gold color. Swirling reveals a thick line sticking to the side of the glass, legs are slow to form. Nose: 17/20 This is the epitome of a light and floral nose. It's all orchard fruit, specifically fresh apples, honey, blossom, and brown pears; 'crisp' sums it up. In the background, there are hints of fresh mint, dried apricots, and honey. There's also a dash of salt, or rather a distinct minerality that's not quite salty. Overall, a very inviting aroma that promises great things. Palate: 33/40 Surprisingly bland on the first sip. It's extremely smooth with a nice oily mouthfeel and absolutely no bite. This is the complete opposite of 'hot'. If allowed to rest on the tongue and swished around, it begins to unfold and reveal itself. Flavors of honey, mixed nuts, and herbal tea stand out most. There are other fruit flavors hidden here as well, but not in a traditional sense. Imagine taking peaches, apricots, and oranges, mashing them up, and then thoroughly diluting them. The flavors aren't just subtle, they come across as watered-down. Finish: 30/40 Medium finish. It kicks off with that minerality from the nose, coupled with bitter white grape skins. There are also more subtle flavors of coffee grounds and fresh cut grass intermingled. Not at all sweet and rather static, the profile doesn't change much, rather it just slowly fades away leaving a mildly bitter taste on the tongue. With Water: Did not have an opportunity to try adding water. Total: 80/100 Final thoughts: The flavor has depth without being very complex. It's a really nice easy-drinking spirit with a beautiful balance between flavorful and smooth. We all know the type of easy-sipper that seemingly puts a hole in the glass and just disappears, and this perfectly fits that profile. It's good, but I don't think it transcends to great, even though I want it to be more because of how expensive it is. For £30, I'm glad a friend and I each had the opportunity to try this after visiting the distillery, but I fear that the bottle ends up grouped into the category of many other expensive whiskies I've tried that just aren't worth the price. Very happy to have collaborated with a friend on these tasting notes while we were in Scotland together. Price: £30 (15ml sample) Would recommend: no Would buy: no