Tom likes to write, and when he gets the chance, he likes to write things quickly. As in, beat everyone to the punch by being the first to review something.

This one is no exception. The Diageo Special Releases are still being released, and he got his bottle in today. Since working from home is still a thing, a very fast review is too.

The whisk is the first ever release of Roseisle Single Malt, and quite historic in that regard, so let’s get right to it!

In the Malt Whisky Yearbook 2023 you can still only find an entry for the Roseisle Distillery between the “new distilleries” chapter. That might well change this year. The distillery went into production in 2009 and this year’s Special Releases 2023 by Diageo features the inaugural bottle of this mammoth whisky factory (10 million liters per annum). The only entry I can find in the Whiskybase is a blend of all 27 working Diageo distilleries that apparently included Roseisle. But this is the real deal. Just like Daftmill this single malt debuts on a generally considered ripe whisky age. Matured in first-fill ex- bourbon and refill casks. Now remember, Roseisle can make many different styles of malt, to supply the master blender with options. Let’s see what we got in the glass now.

Sniff:
Very malty fresh to begin with. Looking at the tube the bottle comes in, I notice they did not add “Speyside” to the words “Single Malt Scotch Whisky”. Vanilla rules supreme, no denying that. Underneath it there are some fruity notes, mostly yellow, like banana, but also some citrus elements. And then back to vanilla.

Sip:
There we go, our first ever sip of Roseisle. They really put much effort into creating balance. There is not an off-note to be found. The vanilla-infused wood notes are very attractive, but there is more when spicy herbs rise from the background. Black pepper, a hint of chocolate, but also sweetness. The addition of water brings out more tropical fruits.

Swallow:
Gentle and smooth, with good length, and enough kick from the high alcohol to make an impression. The abv never gets in the way in the form of hot notes. I do not recommend water for this. Excellent integration of all elements. Maybe slightly too much bitterness from the first-fill casks.

It is extremely well put together whisky, and fits well into the region. Speyside or not? It is not exactly the brutality of close neighbor Benromach. If you ask me, this sits well with the better expressions of Miltonduff and Glenburgie. So, yes, an addition to the Speyside domain. Maybe this Roseisle is just a tad too one dimensional but I do applaud the initiative to bring out a ‘naked’ version first, before seducing us whisky geeks with a dark sherried expression. I am sure this supple but oily spirit can stand more extreme casks. Look forward to that.

87/100

About Tom van Engelen

I’m a writer in a variety of fields and have a soft spot for whisky, mainly malt, mainly from Scotland. In other times I enjoyed a stint as editor-in-chief of one of the first whisky magazines in the world. When not sipping a good glass I like to write some more, read, watch 007 movies or listen Bowie music. I’m married to Dasha, I have a sweet daughter and I live somewhere between the big rivers in the middle of The Netherlands.