Roseisle 12 Year Diageo Special Release 2023 “The Origami Kite”

Scotch Whisky Review #487: Roseisle 12 Year Diageo Special Release 2023 “The Origami Kite”

Distillery: Roseisle.

Region: Speyside.

Age: 12 Years.

ABV: 56.5%.

Cask Type: First-Fill Ex-Bourbon & Refill.

Color: 1.1, Burnished.

This is the 15th installment of this years’ Christmas Countdown. You can check out previous editions as well (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022).

Nose: It’s a bit ethanol-y, though I suppose that isn’t surprising given the high-ish ABV. Honey, marzipan, and vanilla extract are the major notes here. There’s something a bit bitter as well, almond oil comes to mind. A fleeting note of berries comes and goes as well along with a tinge of something floral.

Palate: As the nose suggests, this drinks hot. At full strength it comes off rather sugary to me for some reason. Wild honey and marzipan are the dominant notes. Water does calm it down. It remains heavy on the honey but a waxy note comes through as well. Those little honey straws you find at the cash register of gift shops comes to mind. A fruity note also comes through but I can’t quite nail down what it is.

Finish: Medium in length. A bit of raw honey with something lightly floral. It leaves behind a bit of a waxy residue on the tongue.

Conclusion: When Diageo announced it’s Special Release lineup for 2023, this Roseisle was one of the whiskies that really grabbed my attention as a complete unknown quantity. If I’m being completely honest, this whisky comes across are pretty basic though given the stats (ex-bourbon, 12 years of age) shouldn’t make that too much of a surprise. The flavor profile isn’t anything groundbreaking given how similar a lot it comes off to another of Diageo’s distilleries with a penchant for wax. While it isn’t exactly Clynelish, the strong marizpan notes set it apart for me, it does seem pretty similar which I’ll take as a good thing. Still it seems like Roseisle have a solid distillate here and I’d be very curious how it will do as it ages and how it behaves in other cask types.

Rating: 78.

Scotch Whisky Review #487, Speyside Review #173, Whisky Network Review #651

Scoring Legend:

  • 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
  • 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
  • 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
  • 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
  • 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
  • 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
  • 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
  • 50-59: Save it for mixing.
  • 0-49: Blech.

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