Home Tasting: Rosebank 1990 23 Year Old THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY '25.68'

Still having the cask is amazing, but the content was also good. Rosebank ROSEBANK 1990 23yo THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY '25.68' 57.8% one of 214 bottles, Refill Bourbon Hogshead ・Aroma: Ripe apple, fresh orange or grapefruit with peel, vanilla, custard, a solid floral note of white flowers, faint coconut and honey, pleasant barley, ginger, moderate oak. ・Flavor: A mouthfeel that expands without the harshness of the alcohol content, gradually spreading a spicy pepper-like heat, apple, orange, vanilla, slightly floral like roses, a strong honey sweetness, gentle umami of barley, oak tannins tightening the flavor. ・Aftertaste: The honey-like sweetness and pleasant oak tannins linger for a long time with some spiciness. ・Dilution: Even with a small amount of water, it becomes more floral and mellow, the tannins soften further, making it smoother and pleasant to drink. ・Overall: The Rosebank has a very good bourbon cask character without being overbearing, with strong florals and a core of beauty. It's a malt that is floral, fruity, and sweet with honey-like richness, while the oak tannins add depth. However, I think the version after dilution, where the tannins have softened, feels more floral and truly Rosebank-like. 【Good/Very Good】 New release from SMWS, No.25 = Rosebank 1990, 23 years old. (※SMWS Distillery Code List here) The aroma is floral and fruity, I felt the good character of a bourbon cask as well as the elegance and sophistication typical of Rosebank. When drinking, it expands from a mouthfeel that doesn't feel like the recent Society's high alcohol content, and I could still sense the refined florals, with the barley umami clearly asserting itself. It was very delicious. Particularly impressive were the soft texture after dilution and the enhanced florals, giving me an image of a strong, capable woman who suddenly relaxes in private and becomes more feminine. Recently, Rosebank releases have almost disappeared, and I've only seen the official ones. However, I must express respect to the Society for releasing this bottle at about half the price of an official one, with almost the same specs and similar flavor profile. This is a completely different topic, but I often find it hard to agree with the Society's tasting notes and rarely see them at bars. However, this bottle was impressive because the first word of the tasting note (Ripe apple) was the same, and there were quite a few other common points in the comments as well. #Rosebank (ROSEBANK)