The Glenrothes Aqua Collection: Tasting the 16 Years Old single malt Scotch whisky

ore than half of Scotland’s single malt whisky comes from Speyside, one of the five whisky producing regions in the country and the most densely populated whisky region in the world.

Speyside is home to some of the most famous distilleries like The Balvenie, Glenfiddich, The Macallan, The Glenlivet and, of course, The Glenrothes.

Its location in the small town of Rothes in the heart of Speyside, grants the distillery access to five sources of natural water: soft water from Brauchhill and the Fairies Well in the West, Ardcanny Springs, Burnside and Dounie Wells water from the North as well as The Rothes Burn, which runs through the distillery site to enable the essential cooling process.

These sources are the lifeblood of the distillery, having been crucial to crafting its whisky for over a century, and now serve as the inspiration for The Glenrothes’ latest online exclusive Aqua Collection. In an ode to the five water sources, there are five expressions in the collection, of which the oldest three (16, 21 and 30 Years Old) are available in Singapore.

They all offer light and refreshing flavour profiles and have been crafted using specially selected sherry-seasoned oak casks, a high proportion of which are first-fill, for a liquid with refined and rounded character.

We tasted the 16 Years Old, bottled at 43% alc/vol in the distinctive rounded Glenrothes bottle bearing a deep blue label that represents water as it makes its journey toward its destination.

On the nose, inviting notes of ripe red fruits, juicy citrus, oak and apple pie immediately hint at a Speyside Scotch, which are generally known for their fruity, nutty flavours largely due to the maturation in Sherry casks. The Glenrothes takes exceptional care of its casks – every single one is individually checked by hand and approved by local artisans to ensure it meets exacting standards.

On the palate, the 16 Years Old single malt delivers generous notes of vanilla, plums and cherries without being as rich and intense as one might expect from a first-fill sherry-seasoned oak cask matured whisky. It’s light and smooth, progressing into a long, lingering finish of subtle, warm spice and cinnamon. Easy drinking and enjoyable, The Glenrothes Aqua Collection 16 Years Old pours a crowd-pleasing dram.