For our June tasting we wanted to explore the differences barrel finishes can have on a whisky. So, in a the elegant setting of The Hilton’s Vintaged Bar, we sampled a range of suitably elegant Glenmorangie single malts.

Our Gauger put together four drams with essentially the same production and maturation in ex bourbon barrels for their first ten years, only to be finished in a variety of different casks. With an even playing field, this gave us the opportunity to truly compare the finishes.

Glenmorangie Nectar D’or 12yo

Finished in Sauternes barrels; a sweet white Spanish wine

The first thing we noticed with this was the soft, floral notes, both to the nose and the taste. Some sweetness from the wine carried across nicely, bringing butterscotch and toffee undertones. In spite of the soft flavours, this whisky was the strongest of the night at 46%, which didn’t overshadow the flavours, but worked to carry them across.

If you leave some of the Nector D’or in the glass to air, you start to pick up the smell of wine barrels, similar to what you get when you enter a winery’s barrel aging room. It would actually be a rather suitable whisky for a wine drinker looking to dabble with whisky.

It was certainly a crowd pleaser, with fairly consistent scores from around the table. It scored an average of 8 out of 10.

Glenmorangie Lasanta 12yo Single Malt

Finished in Oloroso & PX Sherry casks

First noticing a slightly darker gold colour and more sweetness on the nose, some of the sherry flavours do carry across. Much like sherry, this would be a good desert whisky.

While still pleasant and enjoyable, our members found contrasting characteristics in this dram. Some found most of the flavour to be at the start, with little to no finish, while others found it to have a long, lingering sweet flavour.

Although, at 43%, this tipple had less alcohol than the previous, it actually tasted like it was stronger. Yet it was still an easy drinking dram.

With a lot of polite 7s and a few fans, it scored an average of 7.5 out of 10.

Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 12yo Single Malt

Finished in Portugese Ruban Port casks

Once again, sweet on the nose and to the taste, the Quinta Ruban actually finished with a but of a bite on the first taste, then went smooth for the rest of the glass. This was by no means a new sensation, as many of us had sampled this dram before, and gone back time and time again.

You could definitely pick up the thick and creamy port flavours, probably bringing the most from its barrel out of all we sampled this night. It’s sweetness was more creamy than sugary, and almost felt like a nice warm hug for your taste buds.

It was a very well rounded dram, with a smooth transition from the scent, to the palate, and the smooth, dry, lingering finish. Warming the glass in your hands helps to bring out some more earthy flavours, and even elements of smokiness for some.

Clearly the favourite for the night, it scored an average of 8.4 out of 10.

Glenmorangie Milsean Private Edition Single Malt

This limited edition single malt was finished in Portuguese red wine barrels, which has caused some contention for the whisky community in Scotland.

While the usual method for using old wine barrels is to scrape out the remaining wine, char the wood and then add the whisky. Glenmorangie instead charred the barrel first, caramelising the wine, then adding the whisky. Some consider this caramelised wine still in the barrel to be an additive of sorts, somewhat of a no-no for single malt whiskies.

While there is a nice smell, the flavour of this dram virtually disappears straight after you taste it, yet the fumes themselves linger. If you’re quick, you can pick up some nice sweet plum and banana flavours, though nothing of the earthy notes that come from the charred wood barrels.

Some of us theorised that the caramelised wine worked as a barrier between the whisky and the barrel, preventing it from picking up any deeper, longer lasting flavours.

It may have had the best nose out of all we tasted this night, but it lost out as a package, in spite of the higher price tag. It scored an average of 7.3 out of 10.

One thing Lee discovered later in the night; mixing the first two drams, the Lasanta and the Nector Dor, it made a nice blend with a thicker, fuller body and a longer finish.

Don’t miss out on the next tasting, Wednesday the 5th of July as we hold our AGM, elect new committee members, and of course, sample some good drams.

Slainte,
Nath Martyn
Chieftain