Glenmorangie 18 Year

 

I have always respected Glenmorangie as the best of the Glen-centered core expressions of Scotch - for years, their 10 Year was the best available single malt in the $30-35 range. Well-balanced, smooth, endlessly crushable, it had a little of everything and always seemed richer and more refined than the competition (Glenfiddich, Glenlivet especially). 

I decided today to try one of their "prestige" expressions for the first time ever - the 18 year, which Glenmorangie calls "Extremely Rare." Unsure if that is actually factually true, or marketing spin. 

Here is the official buzz from the Glenorangie website: 

To create it, we gather the silky, fruity spirit from our giraffe-high stills and let it steep in American oak casks. No less than 15 years later, we transfer a portion into Oloroso sherry casks for three more years. Once 18 years have passed, we reunite them to create its warm balance of sweet, floral lushness. Rich marmalade flavours brush against honey and fig, touches of caramelized orange and far-off campfire smoke. Have a taste, and let your imagination wander to the edge of an autumn afternoon.

Giraffe-high stills! Nice copy from their marketing department here. I like the description though - autumnal is a promising adjective. Of the flavors they list, I am particularly partial to honey and fig and far-off smoke. Botted at 43% - a little thin, but OK, I'll deal with it. Let's find out:

Nose: A surprisingly dry, dusty nose - full of the insides of humidors, cigars smoked last week, leaf piles, wood smoke from a distant neighbor... combined with very subtle poached pear, harvest apple, honey trickles, malt bins, and Medjool dates. It takes a while to unwind - this really demands you pour it, and then go do errands for a while before returning to it. What starts off a little shy eventually becomes reasonably fragrant, although never perhaps robustly scented. Autumnal is a pretty good word for it. Some floral notes emerge brightly after quite a long time in the glass. 

Mouthfeel: Syrupy, medium-thin, smooth. 

Palate: Delicious - surprisingly full-bodied. Well-balanced flavors of bright orchard fruit (apples and pears), berries, figs and dates, soft cream, delicious smoke, leather, oak, pepper, lovely malted barley notes, and a subtle but persistent honey. Reminds me (more than a little) of some similarly aged Bowmore that I've had (!). Very very easygoing, balanced, bright, and pleasant. It's complex and somewhat subtle, like most older whiskies, but also easygoing and approachable. It invites you time and again to explore all the facets, without punishment of any kind. The smoke is the biggest surprise - it's quite strong, quite a smoky whisky indeed. 

Finish: Thanks to the smoke here, the finish is very long. Smoke, honey, oak, pepper, and apples go on and on for some time. Surprisingly nice. 

Verdict: Wow, what a great dram of whisky - for the price ($120 US) this is an excellent deal. I might wish for a higher proof, but honestly this doesn't too taste thin at 43%. Full of flavor - Glenmorangie must have some good casking going on for this expression. While many whiskies (and especially older ones) have a powerhouse nose and a letdown palate, this is almost the reverse - a shy-ish nose blossoms into a really complex, pleasing palate with a very long finish. On the lighter side, but an excellent example of its age and type. 

No wonder this is reviewed highly around the net - I was somewhat skeptical at first, but will sing its praises now - 18 year Glenmorangie is Good Stuff. Recommended.