Each Christmas, we treat ourselves to a new bottle of Scotch Whisky. It’s a tradition we have sustained for a few years now, and something we highly recommend. We don’t drink a lot of Scotch, but we like it often enough to enjoy a little diversity. Because we aren’t finishing them off, bottles hang around for a long time and we are able to grow our working collection. It’s like a closet full of favorite shoes—the more pairs you own and use, the less likely they will wear out. All the while, we are educating ourselves about this spirit and each year we get to try something new.

In years past we have added the Glenlivet Nadurra to our collection, some Speyside bottles from a tasting we attended, and a year ago we picked up Oban’s 1993 Distillers Edition. We have even received Scotch as a gift!

This year we selected The Glenrothes 1985 vintage. Bottled in 2005, this 20-year-old whisky is often selected as a favorite among Scotch drinkers. The Glenrothes is a smaller artisan Speyside distiller that sells most of its product to blenders, but this bottling represents some of their best barrels reserved for their own label.

The Glenrothes 1985 is described as having aromas of honey, roasted nuts and dried fruit combined with flavors typical of Speyside single-malts. With luxurious oak tannins on the long finish, it is sure to become a favorite of ours and one we intend to enjoy for years to come.