Cadenhead Craigellachie-Glenlivet 15yo & Cadenhead Glenrothes-Glenlivet 28yo

Cadenhead Craigellachie-Glenlivet 15yo

Region: Speyside

ABV: 56.5%

Price: £75.00

Distilled in 2010 and bottled for Cadenhead’s Authentic Collection April 2026 release, this Craigellachie-Glenlivet was finished in an Oloroso cask from 2019 onwards. The outturn was 282 bottles.

Nose

The nose is initially a little tight, with notes of cola, pencil shavings, shaved wood, prunes, and orange peel. The alcohol spice is well integrated. After giving it time to breathe, we also find blackberries, pine cones and cinnamon. Not bad, but it just feels completely cask dominated.

Palate

Sipping the dram it just feels like we’re drinking higher ABV Oloroso, with notes of honey, dark chocolate, cola, grapes, and blackberries. These are joined by pepper spice on a medium length finish. The mouthfeel is solid, though again encase you couldn’t have guessed it is very cask forward.

Nose (with water)

Dilution brings out sherry vinegar and more red fruit notes, but otherwise it is not wildly different. It still feels dominated by sherry influence, with very little distillery character coming through. The alcohol remains in good balance.

Palate (with water)

The palate now shows more dark chocolate, and the spice has shifted more towards cinnamon. That spice also feels better balanced. The mouthfeel has held up well. We prefer it diluted, with the sweeter sherry notes now coming more to the fore.

Conclusion

If you regularly read our reviews, you might have noticed that Craigellachie is far from our favourite distillery. Given that we actually do not mind this dram, it just goes to show how much of a sherry bomb this really is. We are sure others will score it a little higher, but for us, judging it on its own merits, it is enjoyable enough while lacking the complexity needed to push it beyond a 6.5.

Score: 6.5/10

Value

While not our favourite dram ever, we will admit it is a good price for those looking to get their sherry fix.

Cadenhead Glenrothes-Glenlivet 28yo

Region: Speyside

ABV: 55.9%

Price: £200.00

Distilled in 1997 and bottled in April 2026 for Cadenhead’s Authentic Collection, this single cask Glenrothes was finished in a PX hogshead from 2021 onwards. It was bottled with an outturn of 318 bottles.

Nose

The nose opens with fudge caramel, and just a hint of alcohol spice. There is also fresh orange, icing sugar, and a slight chemical note, reminiscent of chlorine. Behind these notes comes dried wood, dark chocolate, gingerbread, cashew nuts, and a faint hint of flat cola. Fairly cask forward.

Palate

Like the nose the palate feels all cask and no spirit. We find sour cherries, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, honey, and Ribena as the stand out notes. There is a touch of peppery spice joining these notes on the medium length finish. The mouthfeel is good, almost syrupy at times, though it is a little mouth drying.

Nose (with water)

A few drops of water open up the nose nicely, bringing out burnt toffee, burnt brown sugar, caramel wafers, liquorice, and aniseed to join the pre dilution notes.The alcohol remains in good balance.

Palate (with water)

Water softens some of the spice and reduces the mouth-drying quality. Heavy notes of prunes and raisins now come through, alongside a touch of orange rind. Like the nose this has opened up nicely as the pre-dilution notes are still present. The mouthfeel has held up well.

Conclusion

Like today’s other review both the nose and palate are dominated by the Sherry cask the Glenrothes however has a little bit more complexity to lift the score to a 7.

Score: 7/10

Value

Given the age of this one, the price does not feel too unreasonable.

• 10 - Perfection. One in a million
• 9 - Outstanding. Exceptional whisky.
• 8 - Great. Would seek this out.
• 7 - Good. Quality whisky.
• 6 - Above average. Happy to have a dram.
• 5 - Average. Drinkable whisky.
• 4 - Below average. Passable.
• 3 - Flawed. Noticeable negatives.
• 2 - Defective. Significant faults.
• 1 - Offensive. Pour it out.

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