Thanks to /u/ScotchChick for pouring me a sample.

As I slowly catch up on Glenrothes, I notice that I typically stick to independently bottled varieties. And there are some from Glenrothes who may point this out, and say I should give more of their OBs a chance.

Not that I’ve ignored them. The 1995 and Select Reserve have been done, after all. And… well, those two are the only ones.

So when I had a chance to try the now-no-longer-sold Glenrothes Alba Reserve, I… hopped at the chance? It’s hard not doing an IB all the time, okay?

What was the Glenrothes Alba Reserve? Well turns out that Glenrothes really, really loves European oak. So when they decided to only use American oak, soaked in by its tasty ex-bourbon juices, they made it separate and named it after the Latin name for the American variety.

Thus we have…