Glenrothes Announces “New Age” of Scotch Products

NEW YORK — Award-winning Speyside Scotch distillery The Glenrothes has unveiled a striking new range celebrating the rich and colorful origins of the whisky-making journey and its most defining part, the sherry seasoning of the oak casks. The Soleo Collection signals a departure from Vintages and Reserves to age statements and features five entirely new whiskies: 10 Years Old, 12 Years Old, Whisky Maker’s Cut, 18 Years Old and 25 Years Old.

The creation of a single-malt whisky goes through many stages. From the selection of the right raw materials to the time taken to slowly mature the spirit in the oak casks, each step plays its part in shaping every drop. Inspired by the most defining part of the journey, sherry seasoning, this collection follows the grape as it makes its way to becoming sherry and then onward to the seasoning of our oak casks. As the grape evolves, it creates its own distinctive color palette, which we have used as our canvas as we celebrate sherry and the role it plays in shaping our single-malt.

The traditional soleo process has inspired and given its name to this collection, as it brings together time, nature and tradition. After the harvest, the rays of the hot Andalusian sun beat down on the grapes, which slowly absorb its energy; the grapes change from bright green and yellow to deep purple, indicating the optimum time to start the sherry-making process. Subsequently, the sherry created is defined by these grapes, which in turn shapes the casks that define The Glenrothes single-malt Scotch whisky.

While the product range will change over the coming months, with these new expressions replacing the previous Vintage and Reserve portfolio, the unrivaled quality and extraordinary character of the distillery remain the same. As ever, sherry-seasoned oak casks will continue to define The Glenrothes. Close to 90 percent of the casks currently maturing at the distillery have previously held sherry, with an astonishing 70 percent of these being the highly prized first-fill sherry casks.

Gordon Motion, master whisky maker, says, “The Glenrothes is a true craft single-malt. Taking things back to a vital yet simple natural process, this new collection allows us to tell a vital part of the story that hasn’t before been highlighted in this way. We believe in sharing the inspiring detail in how and why we create the whiskies we do. The Soleo Collection does exactly that; making these fantastic new whiskies is testament to our commitment to craftsmanship and quality.”

Five new whiskies make up the vibrant new Soleo Collection. All are matured in sherry-seasoned oak casks and bottled at natural color — a badge of honesty true of all whiskies from The Glenrothes.

  • 10 YEARS OLD (40% ABV): A delicate and more subtle style of single malt, with notes of vanilla, shortbread and citrus peel. RRP $45 USD
  • 12 YEARS OLD (40% ABV): The epitome of the distillery style, with notes of vanilla, melon and cinnamon. RRP $55 USD
  • WHISKY MAKER’S CUT (48.8% ABV): Inspired and shaped by the hand of master whisky maker Gordon Motion, using only first-fill sherry-seasoned casks and bottled at his preferred strength. Vanilla, orange peel and nutmeg character. RRP $75 USD
  • 18 YEARS OLD (43% ABV): A complex and well-rounded expression with a vanilla, pear and fresh-ginger character. RRP $130 USD
  • 25 YEARS OLD (43% ABV): Winner of the Chairman’s Trophy Award for Best Speyside Single Malt at the 2018 Ultimate Spirits Competition. Rich and intense, this expression delivers heady woody notes with a character defined by salted caramel, mango and coriander seeds. RRP $500 USD

The SOLEO Collection is available now from spirits retailers nationally.