Rosebank 1983 11 Year Old Signatory #1668-1669

The expectations based on the specs were pleasantly defied. Rosebank ROSEBANK 1983-1995 11yo SIGNATORY #1668-1669 43% one of 760 bottles, Sherry casks The aroma features old sherry, earthy loamy notes, tanned leather, orange with chocolate coating, berry jam, grape-like flavors reminiscent of muscat, boiled azuki beans and vegetables. Upon drinking, it starts with a smooth mouthfeel, carrying subtle gunpowder notes alongside rich sherry, dense sweetness from dried fruits and berry jam, balanced tannic astringency, and a pleasant old sherry finish. [Good/Very Good] This is the Rosebank 1983, 11 years old released by Signatory in a diluted tall bottle. The deep sherry-colored Rosebank is quite rare, and with its short maturation and dilution specs, it's an unusual combination. The aroma clearly presents good old sherry with a strong earthy loamy nuance. It also has a rich, full-bodied sherry fruitiness typical of sherry casks. When tasted, the smoothness and gentle mouthfeel are surprising for a short-matured diluted whisky. There's a subtle gunpowder-like hint, but the rich sherry character and full-bodied fruitiness dominate. The dense sweetness combined with tannic astringency adds depth and body, finishing with a pleasant old sherry nuance. 80s-era sherries often had sulfury characteristics, and given it's a closed-year distillation, one might assume it wasn't aged in the best casks. Combined with its short maturation and dilution specs, I didn't expect much from this whisky. However, the aroma surprised me with a well-balanced mix of good old sherry and earthy notes reminiscent of earlier bottlings. Upon tasting, while there are some sulfury elements, they're overshadowed by the rich sherry character and a well-balanced sweetness-astringency profile, making for an enjoyable experience. #Rosebank (ROSEBANK)