2 Glenmorangies & 2 blended malts containing Glenmorangie

So, this is the first time ever I try a Glenmorangie bottled at cask strength. And, do you remember the Serendipity Vat, which consisted of Ardbeg,being "by mistake" blended with some Glen Moray. This time its some Glenmorangie casks getting the same treatment by Vuitton/Hennessy group.



Glenmorangie NAS 46% OB Finealta

Finealta is a finer description of double maturation, some time on bourbon wood before finishing in sherry casks. Glenmorangie says its a whisky assembling a traditional version from 1903. Well, it would've been fun to try that one. This one has an amber orange hue. It smells rich, honey sweetness, vanilla, strawberries, cloudberry jam, cinnamon, impressive so far. Much more bourbon than what I expected, the sherry is not showing off at all in this one. The taste is light and pleasant, some camphor, syrup, licorice, black pepper and vinegar. Very short finish.

Shows that traditional "Double Wood" still is a good recipe: 5.5


Glenmorangie NAS 57.1% OB Astar

So, the first CS Glenmorangie I ever had, this should be a cracker. Light apple juice color. It smells sweet, vanilla, fried bananas, honey, leeks, peat, grassy, iodine, cooked pears, raw onions, very interesting. The taste is very peaty, sweet citrus, honey, papaya, kiwi, very fruity. A fruity peatbomb, not many of those around, and it is a spectacular whisky all in its very own way.

A very intense and fruity Glenmorangie: 6.5


Westport 9yo 2000-2010 58.2% Malts of Scotland cask#800104 Glenmorangie/Glen Moray Vatt

Lets start with this LVMH-monster. Since they have been blended before putting in a cask, at least it seems so since its a single cask, I think that it will have a better chance of making a "single-malt" expression. Dark red hue. This is from a sherry hogshead. It smells sweet, cinnamon, sulphur, malt syrup, lime rind, bacon, ginger, parsley, peat. The taste is drying, bitter, burnt creme, chili, spicy, nutmeg, club soda, vegetable broth, struck matches, a lot going on here. I believe it needs some water. With additional water it turns sweeter, red berries, strawberries, lime, prunes, pineapple.

Better than most Glenmorangies I've ever tried, impressive: 7


Westport 7yo 2004-2012 61.8% Malts of Scotland cask#12001 Glenmorangie/Glen Moray Vatt

The fact that the very much respected indie bottler Malts of Scotland has decided to bottle yet another Westport shows that there must be some potential in this otherwise strange blend. From a sherry butt, and butts usually take longer to influence the whisky because of their size, and this is only 7yo. The color is red/brown. It smells nutmeg, caramel, vinegar, salt water, cheddar cheese, sour dough. The taste is thick, caramel, dried grass, heather, burnt oak, fried batter, honey. This is quite impressive for such a young whisky, and a prospect I hope, for other Westports to come.

Quit your wine finishings, just blend with Glen Moray and bottle at CS: 7



Next tasting: Mortlach Distillery