Whiskies that have been waiting 50 years to be tasted

Two single cask Glenrothes whiskies from 1969 have been revealed by exclusive spirits bottlers Last Drop Distillers.

They have launched of their newest release, the 1969 Glenrothes Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

The second in an exclusive trilogy, following the 1968 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, this single malt Scotch will mark The Last Drop’s 15th release in 11 years and comprises two single cask bottlings.

On 27 October 1969 in the beautiful Speyside region in the Highlands of Scotland, the master distiller at the renowned Glenrothes Distillery pronounced himself satisfied with the distillate produced that day and approved the filling of a number of barrels. Two of these were ex-bourbon casks and, while many of them filled that day made their way into younger bottlings, this duo was left undisturbed to spend the next 50 years maturing at the back of the dark warehouse.

It was only when renowned rare spirit hunters, The Last Drop Distillers, discovered the liquid that its true excellence was revealed. It was bottled in 2019 with the first cask yielding 130 bottles, and the second cask 141 bottles, making a total of just 271 bottles available worldwide.

Despite being sibling casks, the mysterious alchemy which happens between distillate and wood has resulted in two similar, but distinctly individual whiskies.

Prominent whisky writer and educator, Charles Maclean shares his tasting notes of the two, stating that both casks display similar aromatic profiles, but Cask no. 16203 appears drier and less fruity, with snuffed candle at the base, whereas Cask no. 16207 has a smooth texture, with a sweet and sour taste and a long, warming finish.  Cask no. 16207 has also been awarded the Best Single Malt of the Year (Single Cask), and the Best Single Malt 41 Years & Over (Single Cask) by Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2019.

A Last Drop spokesman said: ‘“We are delighted with the second of our trilogy of old Glenrothes single malts. Only a very fortunate few will have the chance to sample these exceptional spirits, which are wonderful examples of fine distilling from the 1960s.

‘Each sip transports you back to the heady days of flower power, when revolution was in the air, and on the radio. We commend to all those who truly appreciate the scent and taste of a magnificent old Scotch from a bygone era. You will not be disappointed.’

As with all of The Last Drop releases, each bottle comes together with its signature 50ml miniature replica and pocket sized, leather bound tasting book with additional pages for your personal tasting notes.

The release has an RRP of £4,500 inc VAT.  UK stockists can be found at www.lastdropdistillers.com/stockists.