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THE GLENROTHES TRIUMPHS IN WORLD WHISKY DESIGN AWARDS – Scotch Whisky News

April 2nd, 2013

THE GLENROTHES TRIUMPHS IN WORLD WHISKY DESIGN AWARDS

Berry Bros. & Rudd Spirits is delighted to have won two awards in Whisky Magazine’s prestigious World Whisky Design Awards. The Glenrothes Single Cask 1970 #10573, the inaugural release in the Extraordinary Cask Collection, won World’s Best Single Malt – Limited Edition as well as the overall title of World’s Best Design.

The World Whiskies Design Awards recognise excellence in bottle, label and pack design on an annual basis and are judged by an international panel of design experts.

According to Rob Allanson, Editor of Whisky Magazine; “This year saw some excellent designs put before the judges, who had many long and detailed discussions before settling on the winners. However, with its stunning clear lines and excellent presentation, the design of The Glenrothes Extraordinary Cask stood head and shoulders above its peers.”

Luke Tegner, Brands Marketing Director of Berry Bros. & Rudd Sprits, added; “Our primary obsession at The Glenrothes is the quality of our whisky. A malt as venerable and outstanding as our 1970 single cask merits the same level of care and attention in its design and packaging that we adhere to in our whisky-making and maturation.”

The Glenrothes 1970 Extraordinary Cask #10573 is available from Berry Bros. & Rudd and its representatives in key markets.

Prices will start at £3,000 (€4,000 or $5,000) and upwards per bottle.

www.theglenrothes.com

The Glenrothes Extraordinary Cask Collection

Since 1994 The Glenrothes has released less than one single cask a year. However, whisky enthusiasts around the world have expressed a demand for more, older, rarer bottlings. Such has been the popularity of Glenrothes spirit among the whisky industry’s master blenders that, unlike some distillers, there are no remaining parcels of ancient stock either at the distillery or in the Berry Bros. & Rudd inventory.

However, a cache of casks of unimpeachable provenance came to the attention of Ronnie Cox, Brands Heritage Director. After a lengthy process of assessment, a small number of these casks was selected as being worthy of being bottled as The Glenrothes Extraordinary Cask Collection.

Ronnie Cox expounds; “Extraordinary is a term associated with the heritage of the wines sourced and endorsed by Berry Bros. & Rudd. It applies equally to these casks selected for their personality and excellence, allowing them to stand alone as examples of the supremacy of The Glenrothes bloodline. The first of these is a whisky distilled in 1970 which, in keeping with The Glenrothes’ philosophy to bottle at peak maturity, is now ready to be committed to glass. The anticipation for this release is such that the first Extraordinary Cask is on allocation only.”

The Glenrothes Single Cask 1970 #10573

The hallmarks of The Glenrothes are quality and purity, evident in the beautifully-balanced, elegant and well-mannered single malt with peerless texture, perfectly expressed by this single cask bottling. The spirit was distilled on July 6^th 1970. Cask #10573, an ex-bourbon hogshead, yielded just 179 bottles at a natural strength of 40.6% alcohol by volume.

Tasting notes

Appearance: Clear and bright with rich golden hues.

Nose: Distinctly earthy and autumnal, windfall apples and cider cellar. Toffee apples with icing sugar, sponge fingers with custard, puff pastry with apple.

Palate: Lightly peppery and fresh with citrus and eucalyptus. Subtle and supple, satin feel with a texture of crêpe de chine.

Finish: Long and beguiling with very, very dark chocolate.

Presenting The Glenrothes Extraordinary Cask

The shape of the instantly recognisable Glenrothes bottle has been enhanced further, using hand-blown lead crystal, for the single cask decanter but in a manner that is in keeping with the elegance of the whisky and the heritage of The Glenrothes. The essential shape has been retained but is now multi-faceted – heavy crystal at the base elevates the bottle and frames the whisky within.

Each decanter has been individually created by a master craftsman at Atlantis Crystal in Alcobaca, Portugal, using the purest form of crystal, distinguished by its great resonance, transparency, luminosity and weight.

David Beard, Creative Director at the agency Brandhouse, and his team designed the decanter, retaining the look of the iconic Glenrothes bottle shape. The bottle takes extra inspiration from the world of perfume.

A plaque made of polished brass is applied to just one front facet: engraved with the year of distillation and the bottle number to ensure the uniqueness and authenticity of each individual decanter. Brass has also been used for the hand-engraved collar on the neck of the decanter, supplied by Charles Stott, of the Edinburgh-based Scottish Silversmiths. In addition, the head of the stopper is fashioned from the wood of the very cask # 10573 in which the whisky has matured.

The Glenrothes is also recognisable by its tasting notes label – in this instance it has been positioned around the neck of the decanter to leave the body perfectly unadulterated. The label is hand-signed by the Malt Master, Gordon Motion, and numbered and dated thus ensuring each bottle is identifiable and unique.

The outer case is fine, hand-crafted leather, reminiscent of luxury travel luggage. Each bottle comes with its own oak plinth, made from solid Scottish oak, for display purposes.

As with the making of single malt Scotch whisky, the materials used in the packaging of The Glenrothes Single Cask are kept to a minimum – only crystal glass, brass, leather and oak have been used. Every element of the design exudes understated elegance; where ostentation and over-elaboration is commonplace, The Glenrothes displays proud and quiet confidence.

The Glenrothes 1970 Extraordinary Cask #10573 will initially be available from Berry Bros. & Rudd and its representatives in key markets.

Prices will start at £3,000 (€4,000 or $5,000) and upwards per bottle.

Notes

The Glenrothes was founded in 1879.

Only 3% of the distillery capacity is bottled as Single Malt to ensure exceptional quality.

Of the 22 Vintages released to date, 14 have entirely sold out.

It is matured in a combination of Spanish and American oak casks – the best of both worlds.

The Glenrothes 1972 was awarded a Trophy at the 2005 International Spirits Challenge.

The Glenrothes 1978 was Best Speyside Single Malt at the World Whiskies Awards 2008.

“I have always felt that Glenrothes deserved to be more widely appreciated. Beautifully rounded…sophisticated after-dinner malt.” Michael Jackson’s Malt Whisky Companion.

Jim Murray, in his Whisky Bible, refers to The Glenrothes Select Reserve; “One of the softest deliveries on Speyside, the silky barley and citrus caress the tastebuds with rare tenderness” and scores it 24 out of 25.

The Glenrothes is an award-winning Speyside Single Malt Whisky of exceptional quality. A combination of many factors, including our unusually slow distillation process in tall copper pot stills, deliver our characteristic sweet, fruity and elegant spirit. Further flavours are derived from our extensive knowledge of maturation in oak casks. Each expression has its own unique personality, underpinned by the distinctive, hallmark characteristics of the distillery – ripe fruits, citrus, vanilla and an exquisite spicy finish all encased in the creamiest of textures and with a complex and well-poised balance.

The Glenrothes is only selected for bottling when it has reached its zenith of maturity; each cask is carefully checked, nosed and tasted many times. An age statement does not reveal the maturity of the whisky and so the Glenrothes is bottled only when ready, meaning mature and at its peak of perfection. Malt whisky matures at its own pace as shown by the two casks selected.

Awards and accolades for current bottlings:

The Glenrothes Select Reserve