Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban

I first tasted the Quinta Ruban many years ago. My uncle got the previous 12 YO version at the duty free and I had it a few times at his house. I quite liked it. Then it seemed to disappear for a long time. It recently reappeared at the LCBO for just under $100. It was a no-brainer to get one to try.

Unlike its long-gone sibling, this one is 14 years old. It does not state how long the spirit was finished in port casks. This expression is reviewed in my usual manner, allowing it to settle after which I take my nosing and tasting notes, followed by the addition of a few drops of water, waiting, then nosing and tasting.

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Nov. 29 - Glencairn

Nose: 22/25

On first pour there is a vegetal note that seems to dissipate a bit with time and air. Then you get a rich, sweet, warm nose. Dried fruits and baking spices, apple pie filling. There is a freshness to it as well. Nice nose.

With water, the pitch of the fruits rises a little. There appears to be a little more depth to the nose. I get a hint of that vegetal note. (21.5/25)

Taste: 21.5/25

Slightly spirity on first sip. The mouthfeel is a little thin (but after tasting Amrut Portonova - not the current travel retail - all other port-finished whiskies are a little thin). It is very sweet. Slightly spicy. It goes down really smoothly…

Water increases the hotness of the alcohol, and washes away a lot of the flavour. I get some pepper that was not present before. (19/25)

Finish: 22/25

Medium long, some tannin astringency, and spicy to the end. With water the finish is more peppery. (20/25)

Balance: 21/25

The nose and palate compliment each other. I would say it is maybe a little too sweet, and this overpowers some of the potential complexity.

Water definitely throws off the balance on this one. (20/25)

Score: Neat - 86.5/100 With Water: 80.5/100

This pairs really well with milk chocolate - miniature Aero used tonight

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Dec. 2, 2021 - Glencairns

I have less than half an ounce left of my Forty Creek Portwood reserve and I have been waiting for a chance to try it next to Amrut Portonova. I poured a very small pour of this and Wiser’s 22 YO CS Port finished whisky. It’s an interesting comparison. The Quinta Ruban and the Forty Creek are 1% apart in ABV, but have different distillates. The Wiser’s has a more similar distillate but a much higher ABV. No water, because none of these benefits from the addition of water in my inexperienced opinion.

On the nose, the Forty Creek has a dark dried fruit note that is deeper than the Wiser’s, which has a slightly vegetal note, as does the Glenmorangie. There are definite similarities to the two Canadian whiskies, which have the rye spiciness absent in the Scotch. Tonight, I would give the nose to the Forty Creek, which has a syrupy, dark fruity, and fresh nose.

In the palate, the FC is sweet and spicy. Very clean , slightly peppery on the finish. The Glenmorangie is as above. The vegetal note doesn’t carry over to the palate. The Wiser’s is richer, sweet, with a thicker mouthfeel (not surprising with a 14% higher ABV and no watering down). I like them all.

I don’t think it is fair to rank them because they are very different whiskies, but I think the exercise of putting them H2H2H is extremely educational, demonstrating the similarities and differences in a way you just don’t get from tasting in isolation.

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Not a bad whisky. My impression of it changes a little each time I try it, and so far the score above is the “high water mark”. It is not as rich and complex as Portonova (as I remember it…), but it is pleasant, approachable, and extremely drinkable. I rarely have a second dram of anything, and the temptation is strong with this one.

Would I buy this again? If I didn’t have 100 bottles open and so many waiting their turn, absolutely. As it is, I will drink this one over the next year or so, and when it’s done, if it is still around and depending on how much room I have, I just might replace it.

As some of you may have seen, I picked a bottle of this up on the cheap. This is the new 14yo Quinta Ruban, upgraded from a 12yo age statement. It is aged in bourbon casks and finished in port casks. As far as other Glenmo whiskies go, I enjoyed the 10yo "original," but was not impressed by the "Lasanta." Let's see how this Quinta Ruban stands up.

Neat in a Glencairn.

Nose: Rich! Chocolate frosting, white leche (Mexican milk cake) baked with extra vanilla extract, drizzled with plum, raspberry and blackberry syrup. Quite a rich, flavorful nose and one that is very enjoyable.

Palate: An interesting balance here. On one hand, there is rich plum, grape, and wine with other notes of milk, coffee and chocolate. On the other hand, there is a rolling dark smoke. Like chocolate covered pablo ancho peppers! It's an interesting combo. Sometimes I think the smoke throws things off, sometimes I think it adds another layer of nice complexity. I can't decide if I like it or not. Right now I like it, tomorrow I might not. Also some Christmas baking spices in there like nutmeg and gingerbread cookies.Very rich and a very silky mouthfeel.

Finish: Chocolate covered plums, sugar, milk, and a dark smooth smoke. Similar to the smoke in the Glenfiddich fire and cane. Sweet smoke, not medicinal Islay smoke. Long finish which pleasantly surprised me considering the proof, although kudos to them for bottling this at 46% instead of something lower. 46% is a very drinkable strength, especially for wine-finished scotches.

Overall: This is a very enjoyable dram. I think I might save the rest for winter, as it is very rich with chocolate, milk, plums, baking spices and sugar. I never had the 12yo Quinta Ruban but I did have a bottle of the Lasanta and this is much, much better than the Lasanta which I didn't care too much for. Give it a shot if you get the chance, especially once winter rolls around.

If I'm not mistaken this was one of the first Scottish malts to make a feature of finishing their whisky in wine casks; specifically, port in this instance. I'm generally not the biggest fan of finished whiskys but this comes with a bit of pedigree and it's possibly the first exclusively port finished whisky I've had. Ten years in ex-bourbon casks and then two years in port pipes to be precise, so, in fairness, a decent enough amount of time to let the port wood work its magic. It's also decently priced, available and presented in a 'modern' way. Nice!

Review is from a neat pour from a 3/4 full bottle, sat 15 mins or so and been open just over a month.

Nose - Fresh, creamy and just lovely. And it was very enticing from the get go. Blackberries, strawberries - think a bowl of red/purple summer berries with some fresh mint leaves and cream and your not far off. Vanilla, a hint of rum, and a slight gingery prickle that lets you know it really is a whisky. There's some soft oak (a touch of musty warehouse perhaps?) and cinnamon bark spice that mingles with a slightly bitter lemon malt base. Surprisingly balanced.

Taste - Sweet, fruity arrival but it develops pleasingly into more of the spices and oak notes that help to tone down the sweetness. Alcoholic Vimto (which is a berry cordial in the UK). Becomes more sour towards the finish. Balanced, again. Nice creamy mouthfeel too.

Finish - Short to medium. I wouldn't describe it as cloying at all but you are left with a sweetness that really clings on alongside some some mild tannins.

With a few drops of water the richness of the mouthfeel quickly fades and becomes weaker on the finish. More of the bitter lemon and malty notes come out on the nose. Lighter and fruitier on the taste. I think I may like the taste better neat but the rest as is.

I have to add that I love the colour of this, it has a definite pink tinge which is quite pretty and unusual. I expect this will keep changing as more air gets to it as it has already started to mellow out nicely and take on more of the malt base into the fresh port notes. What pleases me most is its ability to be full on with the fruity notes without ever being too much or taking on a syrupy quality. In short, a great step up from the Ten and one I'd be happy to recommend, especially as an aperitif or after dinner whisky. Also goes beautifully with Porter ale.

NOSE: At first I got a typical note found in dry red wines such as Cabernet sauvignon, Pinot Noir which is blackcurrants with some lemon zest in the background. Vanilla, raspberries, strawberries and bitter cranberries. Caramel, brown sugar, dried fruits toffee. And a touch of gentle fresh mint. The dominant notes, however, are mixed berries jam with brown sugar. Very nice. 22/25

TASTE: a very unique flavor experience which reminds me a lot of Pop rocks candy. A very sweet toffee arrival which quickly transitions into effervescent, fizzy sour and tannin-rich cranberry flavor which then promptly disappears in the finish. This is only true for a dram out of a freshly-opened bottle. But it's a very interesting sensation, so don't miss it! The more it oxidizes in the bottle, the less you'll notice this on the taste. It mellows out a lot. The body is very thin, almost watery, which I don't really like. Yet it's very pleasant with brown sugar and berry jam again along with some warm spices, vanilla and minerality. 21 /25

FINISH: more slightly bitter and sour cranberries, orange zest and toffee. 21/25

BALANCE: it's very pleasant and unique whisky with a relatively nice balance of flavors throughout the whole experience. 22/25

OVERALL IMPRESSION: a nice jammy whisky that your girlfriend will love!

Well put together & consistent. Highly enjoyable as the port finish adds characteristics, color, & nuance without truly becoming the dominant voice of the whisky. In simplistic terms, the base Glenmorangie is still there & recognizable.

On a humorous, personal note: when mom got the three years "all clear" from her oncologist, her immediate response was, " son, give me a glass of that red scotch. I'm celebrating. "

Appearance is honey-orange in color, theres thick, long, slow running legs also. Lots of peat on the nose, sweet honey, tangerine, peppery alcohol in the finish. Smoky peat hits the taste buds hard, honey tries to balance out peat. Getting faint citrus peel flavor, slighty nutty finish. Alcohol is present but rather smooth. Finish is slightly astringent, stings the tongue, but ends sweet. Overall this whisky is fairly balanced, a nice mix of smoke, sweetness, and alcohol.

We’ve got Glenmorangie’s Quinta Ruben here, finished in port pipes. I’m dealing with an older bottling - the first edition. Unlike its later incarnations, this one comes without an age statement. I’m not usually a fan of port-cask finishes, but let’s see how this goes.

Nose: Sweet and fruity. Raisins, chocolate, toffee, fruitcake, almonds, and caramel. After a few minutes some oaky notes peek through.

Palate: Semi-thick mouthfeel. Sweet and winey arrival. Cherries, cherry pastry, berry jam, blueberries, figs, and Hoisin sauce.

Finish: Cereal, berry jam, cherry pastry, Hoisin sauce, barley, raisins, hazelnut, almond extract, earth, anise. Medium in length.

Thoughts: Well, I don’t love it. This reminds me of Cardhu, actually. It has a very strong jammy/berry quality to it and a pleasant sweetness, but it lacks depth. The finish seems kind of slapped on. As a result, the fruity port flavours are rather one-dimensional, and haven’t substantially integrated with the spirit. Even at a respectable 46% abv, nothing “pops” here. But I suppose if you want something affordable and fruity, this will do in a pinch. Perhaps the newer incarnations of the QR bring more to the table. The lovely 10 remains my pick from the Glenmo core range.

If you're scared of peat and want a Single Malt to sip neat that comes reasonably priced, this is the one for you! At $50 it is worth the investment over the standard Glenmorangie offering, but if you don't have to have a Scotch, look to Jameson's Black Barrel for a better priced replacement.

Nose: fairly complex fruits that come through somewhat muted and unfortunately rather indistinct.

Taste: Very smooth and mellow. A very slight peatiness that compliments the flavors of dried fruits and port quite well.

I bought this bottle for € 39,- after doing some research, and my enthusiasm for the Nectar d'Or bottle. Price-wise this a good qualitie bottle for a reasonable price. I've tried the Penderyn Port Wood in the same price range, the Quinta Ruban beats it. Color: dark gold/pink Taste: red fruit (not to much, just enough), barley, orange peel, dark chocolate, honey/caramel, brown sugar. Finish: medium length the alcohol (46%) keeps it going.

There are strong flavours here but they complement each other beautifully. I was an early convert to Glenmorangie’s experiments with port finishes and the fruits of their labour are now very apparent. I love the colour of this whisky too, coppery mauve, it looks delicious and it is!
Nose: Grape dominating with fruit cake and honey.
Taste: Bittersweet on the palate, with the bitterness winning through. Medium bodied with more fruit cake.
Finish: The finish is more bitter again with dark chocolaty flavours joining the party.

Quinta Ruban replaced the Port Wood Finish in the Glenmorangie lineup back in 2007. Reportedly, this is a NAS version of the same thing. (It’s a 12 yo nonetheless: ten years in American bourbon casks and two years in port pipes.) Never having tasted the Port Wood (because slamming a shot of JD was my idea of whisky drinking back in ’07), I can’t compare. I can’t even compare this whisky to itself, in fact. Six drams into a week-old bottle and each has been a different experience. From harsh and bitter to smooth and winey, it’s been absurdly inconsistent.

Tonight, it tastes pretty good, albeit with some serious nit-picks. Maybe it’s starting to settle. Or maybe it’s because just about anything tastes good after midnight on the eve of a day off from work. Sampled with a drop of water.

Nose: Dry, bitter wine dominates at first. Sweetness and wood emerge soon thereafter. Dark fruits and vanilla up front, chocolate and mint in the background. It’s a quality nose for the most part, but there’s a lingering and slightly unpleasant metallic note, like dirty pennies, that intrudes and annoys.

Palate: Spirity and tart (yet a little watery) on arrival, a little overly sweet in the development. Burnt sugar nearly overwhelms the longer it sits. A few traces of chocolate, tobacco, and those bullseye candies I actually liked when I was a kid. There’s nothing subtle about this palate, and I can’t decide if that’s a good thing or not.

Finish: Best part of the experience, even if it’s nothing but pure sugar for the first few seconds. All the warm caramel and fruit components coalesce at it builds. There’s a port wine blast just before it fades out with a smoky snap. A long, layered, and very satisfying finish.

If it weren’t for the finish, I’d score this at least two or three points lower. It’s a rocky ride until then, but mostly worth the effort. A whisky that’s rewarding, challenging, and confusing in equal measure.

I'm always searching for the best "bang for the buck" when it comes to single malts. I often try to keep my budget under $50.00 and the Glenmorangie line keeps fulfilling my methodical journey of single malts with awe and pleasure. And now, here is the Quinta Ruban-- I dare to say that this is one of the best single malt whiskies, especially under the $50.00 range. In the palate: orange peel, dark chocolate, caramel, a slight barley perfumes comes through from the Original 10 year old expression, damp woods, brown sugar, honey. Oily thanks to the non- chill filtering. Finishes medium length with traces of honey and caramel. This tastes a lot more expensive than what the price suggests.

With scores ranging from 70 up to 95-- words of fan praise vs. below-average rankings by some prominent Connors... What's going on?

Nose1: Rather light, so it's hard to pick apart. The dominant impression starts as vanilla-cherry-eucalyptus. Nose2: But a little time and warming in my hand, and these become bartlett pear-leather-eucalyptus. Still very light.

Palate: Enters with orange caramel, delicious if a bit piney, then joined by smooth leather-tobacco. Then a chemical midpalate transition: minty, with something like bitter walnut skins or gasoline. Finally smoothening back into an oaky caramel-- still with those leaves of tobacco and eucalyptus.

Finish: Thin caramel fades to muted leather and oak. There may be faint stewed raspberry; but there is definitely continuing eucalyptus.

The fading lightness of the nose and finish, into menthol-like eucalyptus, are (to me) the defining drawbacks. More balance is needed against the tannins and mint, especially for the midpalate bitterness (which I have not seen much from Glenmorangie).

The Quinta Ruban's strength is the pleasant entrance, which is creamy, sweet, and delicious. This supports it as a good social drink, in situations where imbalances other than the entrance may be ignored. But for a "critical enjoyment", balance matters more-- and other Glenmorangies are better.

Comparisons? There are shared qualities with the Lasanta and Macallan's 10; but the most similar is Aberlour's 10. However, none of these has the Quinta Ruban's eucalyptus-- a tone that also tainted the Astar experience for me. Judge for yourself whether you like that kind of minty note, if deciding on this malt.

While I enjoy my scotch just as much as other whisk(e)y, I've never actually written a review of it before- perhaps because I was just less experienced with it. In any case, this was a great place to start. Glenmorangie's line features quite a few interesting extra-matured whiskies, something I find agreeable- though extra maturation can cause a lot of problems if it's done poorly, there's a lot it can add if done well, and it's definitely done well here. This whisky is aged 10 years in American white oak casks, then transferred to Portuguese ruby port pipes. The port influence is definitely noticeable, and if that kind of flavor isn't your thing, you probably won't enjoy this whisky overly much- but at least in my experience it blends quite well with the flavor of the whisky, producing a quite unique and complex spirit.

Appearance: pale gold but with a distinctive and interesting red-pink highlight. When the glass is tilted, the whisky coats the side like oil.

Nose: A mix of sweet and bitter, complex and interesting. Juicy sweet orange, mint, peach, cocoa, walnut, mild herbal notes, honey, and dried red fruit. Time in the glass or a drop of water reveals deeper, fruitier flavors, as well as more spicy wood notes.

Palate: Mouthfeel is fairly oily and substantial, which I like. Flavorful but intricately so, with a lot of nuances of flavor rather than huge individual ones. Malt, particuarly as barley sugar, is strongly present, and the port is also more present here, with rich, juicy flavors of red fruit (redcurrants, raspberries, blackberries). This is balanced out by black tea, nectarine, dark honey, anise, cocoa, mint, and a hint of spice- allspice and oak- that mingles well with the alcohol.

Finish: Medium-length and echoing more of the bitter notes of the sweeter palate, with bitter orange, black tea, raisins, redcurrants, a bit of honey, and a tang of oak.

Overall Impressions: A very interesting drink indeed, with lots of different flavors mixed together. No one flavor ever really dominates, and the constant undertone of strong barley/malt flavor holds everything together quite nicely. Again, the port flavors are definitely not subtle, but they don't unbalance whisky and in my opinion add quite a bit of interesting depth. A bit more range and intensity of flavor would be a plus, but all in all the whiskey is very good. I also like that this whisky is bottled at 46% and not chill filtered.

Since I began ny single malt quest with this distiller, I checked reviews here and bought a bottle of very unique scotch without the benefit of tasting first. I am very pleased, however it is so unique that I hardly ever drink it. Let's face it! How many other single malts were aged in Ruby Port casks to achieve their finish? it is mostly sherry and bourbon oak.

As a big fan of Dow's Tawny and Ruby Ports, I can truly appreciate the cask finish on this one. This one is in a class by itself, similar to Auchentoshan Classic.

I have heard a lot of mixed reviews on this bottle. It's a 12 year old that has spent 10 years maturing in American white oak casks, before being finished in Portuguese port casks (called pipes).

The colour is deep, dark and rich. You can see the port influence.

Nose. Orange, oak and spices.

In your mouth it is warm, silky smooth, slightly peppery, rich dark chocolate and oranges. I find the finish fairly short and sweet. This is well balanced, fruity and extremely drinkable.

Verdict. Buy it, drink it, enjoy it, don't over think it.

Interesting nose in that it is not as intricate as I'd have expected from a port finish. You can definitely get the fruity tones, but not quite as strong as I'd have expected. Very smooth smell, but well aware that it is indeed a whiskey.

The palate is very caramely. A caramelized caramel? I get the mint out of it, but only slightly, and more as a finish, IMO. Not too harsh, but it is not the smoothest that I have ever had. Strong fruit flavors from the port, no doubt. A lot of berry flavors and a detectable amount of lemon or a more sour citrus, that is to say, not orange. Maybe a grapefruit without the bitter? Is this what people are attributing the mint flavors to?

The finish begins with a strong single malt normalcy. After a second or two, the citrus/berry flavors break through for a nice undertone to breathing. The caramel lingers for minutes.

I recently purchased a "gift box" of Glenmorangie which included the Original, Lasanta, Quinta Ruban, and Nectar D'or. The stand-out for me was the Quinta Ruban so I thought I would write a review of it.

Nose: The original is clearly still making a showing. It's a clean aroma of salted honey. Pistachios and a touch of cocao powder. The port influence is obvious, at least when tasted next to the original as I did.

Palate: Port wood screams at you. I love it! The mouth feel is bigger and oilier than the others, a big plus in my book. Is there such a thing as dark caramel? That's what I taste. NUTS! pistachio and cashew. Delicious! A little salt mixes just fine.

Finish: Glenmo. It stays sweet and nutty, one of my favorite things to taste in whisky. Not very long but very satisfying. It lets you get to another sip that much quicker.

Overall: Just love this one. I'm beginning to see that I love the clean flavors, as in not to earthy. It is just light and sweet enough to compliment the beginning or the end of a meal. I was expecting to like the Nectar D'or the most out of the range but surprise! Here comes Ruban!

This is my favorite of the 12 year Glenmorangie wine finishes.

The nose is not too complex but there are definite notes of fresh berries (the port wood influence no doubt), raisins, and an undertone of the Glenmorangie malted sweetness.

The palate is where this scotch really excels; it is full, rich, and juicy. Rasberries and some floral notes come out with a hint of black licorice. I even get some sherry and fruit juice.

The finish has some spice and at fist seems to disappear quickly, however, after a few seconds the fruit juice and berries return and linger for quite a long finish.

Very well-balanced and very delicious. I have not tried the previous Glemnorangie port finished whisky and have heard many say that one was better but the Quinta Ruban is one I plan to always keep around.

For a novice drinker who is starting to develope a taste for whiskey, I have to say that Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban suits quite well. Smooth and mellow and not a strong impact on the nose. Feel just right.

The nose is dominated by the dark fruitiness of port with a foundation of syrupy French toast. Take a sip and you get lots of brown sugar & cinnamon, with warm citrus notes of blood orange. A thick & creamy mouthfeel gives way to a long, dusky, and luxurious finish -- like jazz in a smoky back room.

Color: rose-tinted gold.

Nose: light, floral and fruity. Grapes, apricots, and pears.

Body: medium.

Palate: Oak, vanilla, fruit cocktail, amaretto, and nutmeg.

Finish: honey and cinnamon, but relatively short.

I've bought this port-finished malt a couple of times but have never really taken the time to savor it. It has a wonderful taste, but like The Original, it is a little underwhelming in the nose and the finish. Definitely worth trying if you enjoy a fruity whiskey.

What an absolute corker this one is!

I recently had the 10 year old Glenmorangie on which this port finish version is based and, I tell you, it was an absolute pleasure. So this expression, with it's added maturity and consequent complexity, is a must have in any budding bar.

The nose is strong and sugary and the ripe bananas make me feel like I'm on a paradise island in the Caribbean. There is the smell of fresh grass, coconuts hanging from the trees and a mound of glistening grapes in the sun. In the very distant background is the wafting smell of a juicy meat stew emanating from one of the nearby wooden shacks that dot the beach.

The dry palate is oaky goodness on a slice of burnt toast. The red grapes try and come out in full force only to be subdued a massive cinnamon jolt. The spices, though, balance marvelously with the sweeter flavors and make for a strong and robust impression.

The long finish is like opening a cupboard full of cloves, aniseed, almonds, and dark fruits. I love it!

The more alcohol the better, right? Up until a certain point anyway - but the larger the alcohol content the more likely I am personally to add water. That's no bad thing, i like to drink whisky both ways, but I prefer not to be, you know, bullied into it.

Quintan Ruban from Glenmorangie stands at 46% but has the delicate bones of a songbird.

Nose: It puts me in the mind of mulled wine - fruit berries, oak, with a sugared sweetness, liquid chocolate, and a hint of coconut?

Mouth:Cooked apples first, burnt away by a warming surge towards something a little more earthy with a balancing kick of spices.

After: That warmth, and this really is a hearth whisky, burns on through the sip to a chocolate rush accompanied by orange according to mos serious critics, but I don't get that, just a lovely whisky rush and lashings of chocolate balanced by polite, fragile rushings of spice.

It's like being happily and lengthily married: comes up sweet and smiling, works through a long series of subtle changes before a delicious final bonding between the two parties, introducing that lasting final act.

Glenmorangie Port Wood finished Quinta Ruban reviews have been all over the map, good, middling, and bad. The reviewed bottle has been open for 19 months. The review is of the current bottle, with comments made as to how it got to the present state

Nose: fragrant port wine flavours, sweet, with a decent dry balance. Wine, malt, and very light peat are apparent. At this point this is great, and has gotten more intensely fragrant with some oxidation

Taste: Whoa! Jekyll and Hyde! This bottle of whisky was for almost a full year just a mishmash of flavours which did NOT jell together into anything coherent or good-tasting. Somewhere around 11-12 months after the bottle was opened this became coherent and delicious. It has stayed that way since. Delicious port wine flavours, good malt,light peat, mellow, and adequate wood support

Finish: nowadays, this is a very good finish, albeit with just a slight touch of sour over-oxidation added. Long finish, with the wine and malt combo going a long pleasant distance

Balance: this is a nice whisky since it has come together. Prior to that coming together this bottle of Quinta Ruban just didn't work at all for me. I would have rated this whisky 68 pts for 11 months. Scores for this review are for now, with 4 pts deducted from the balance score for having to wait a year for it. Whiskies like this pose a big question: would I really like to buy another bottle of something that I might not enjoy for a year's time? Probably not

So my wife and I were in our whisky and chocolate pairing at the local whisky bar, Helvetica. We'd just tried a pairing of Dalwhinnie 15 yr old and honeycomb, which had been absolutely brilliant and were eagerly looking forward to the next tasting.

Now this tasting was of Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban and mint chocolate.

I was really looking forward to this combination as I've had several different Glenmorangies, specifically the Astar and Nectar D'or, before and thought they were absolutely brilliant whiskies.

Never having tried the Quinta Ruban I was quite eager to taste it and see how it compared.

So our lovely hostess brings out the tasting tray that has the remaining whiskies and the chocolates to be tasted with them.

Yum!!

So my wife and I take our tasting glasses with the Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban's and decide to try the new whisky!

This is no Astar or Nectar D'or, that's immediately clear!

The smells are overwhelming of port, with some floral notes mixed in with other fruits. The closest I can come with the fruits are pears and grapes mixed with honey and vanilla, but I'm left feeling that I'm missing something.

It's a complex nose, but somehow disappointing. I'm not sure why, maybe it's just because of the setting in the bar instead of at home. Like I said I feel like I'm missing something here in the nose and I'm not sure yet, so note to self come back to this whisky at another time and place!

I then decide that it's time that I have whisky in my mouth!

It's SIPPIN TIME!

So just like with the first whisky and chocolate my plan is to try the whisky with as clean a palate as I can manage then try it again with the chocolate.

So I sip from my glass and immediately taste some cocoa notes along with pears, cocoa, hints of mint, raisins, lots of spices, some more fruits that I can't identify, but partway through the tasting the whisky does a 180 and turns almost bitter with wine and tannins.

The finish is of medium length with oak, vanilla, and honey coming down with the spices, but a bit of that wine flavor coming through and distracting from what could have been a lovely finish.

Now it's time for the whisky and chocolate!

So I take a sip of the whisky and take a bite out of the chocolate mint and you can immediately see what the thought of this pairing was, the mint and cocoa in the whisky combining with the mint and chocolate along with maybe the honey.

Now this is a good combination of chocolate and whisky, but for some reason doesn't wow like the Dalwhinnie and the honeycomb did. That pairing just burst into your mouth and you were left in awe.

This pairing is good, but not great.

The whisky score is posted down below and the chocolate and whisky combo score sits at a comfortable 75.

This new version of the port finished Glenmorangie is botteled at 46% ABV (the old Port Wood Finish at only 43% ABV). I tasted them side by side. This one is a little darker, but you probably know that does not mean a thing.

It is much sweeter and rounder on the nose with toffee and crème brûlée, wood berries, pears and mandarin. Nothing sour in this case, which is a relief. A touch floral. Silky soft.

On the palate it is almost creamy and very sweet: pear syrup, pineapple, mandarin. Feisty with some good allspice. But midpalate, the wine suddenly rears its ugly head in full force, making you pull an ugly face. Too vinous. Pity.

The finish, which is short, bursts with oak and some sugared mandarin.

This is a vast improvement over the old version, but still not a top class dram. About 45 EUR.

The Quinta Ruban from the great Glenmorangie. For me 'a Balanced whiksy' with a lot of great and fantastic flavours, full of surpises. Here the review:

Nose: Crushed After-Eights chocolate with mint on ice, bit spicy with sandlewood and nutmeg. Crisp and menthol influences. Very nice.

Taste: Minty, oranges, lighty chocolate flavours and nuts like almonds and hazelnuts. Balanced with flowers and honey.

Finish: long, fruity and sweetness of oranges drenched in chocolate fondue.

a Nice dram with different elements of fruit, mint and chocolate.

This is the 2nd review in this series (previous review was Grant's, which I don't think had ever been reviewed on this site before...weird). This whisky was fine but not completely to my taste. In the glass, it is medium bodied with a reddish amber colour (owing to the extra maturation in port casks). The aroma hints at, unsurprisingly, port but there is a menthol there as well. Similar taste with cocoa, licorice and actually solvent (it's a high 46% ABV). Medium smoky finish as befits a good Highland single malt. As I noticed with the CC Sherry Cask, I don't think I'm big on the wine/sherry/port finishing of the whiskies. It's fine - I certainly don't hate it - but I think I like my whisky, whisky and my grape juice, grape juice.

Very complex Glenmorangie with hints of grape, fruit, and spice. A touch of oak that is overpowered by barely but sweet and juicy all the way through the finish. The port barrel finish adds wonderfully to the typical Glenmorangie.

I like my scotch full of smoked peaty notes...Laprhoaig-ish if you will, when I received this Glenmorangie as a xmas gift I was concerned it wouldnt meet my smoked standards... but it stood up smashed me with a sweet honey/maple nose.... mid ranged me with raisins and fig from the port casks I'm guessing, and left my tonsils languishing in smokey peat "Heat" ... top notch bottle .. each sip is a great ride...the dried fruit middle is innovative but it works ... go get a bottle me lud!

Nose: Vanilla, honey, and a very similar aroma as the older Port Wood Finish Glenmorangie. No peat, no smoke, but that semi-sweet hint of port. Very nice nose.

Body: Smooth. Rich. Medium bodied.

Palate: Very lively in the mouth. Spices coming out. Nice flavor on the tongue. Not sure what to call it. Perhaps apricot jam?

Finish: A nice finish, pretty long. A bit acidic/tannic. That I could do without. Perhaps this is from the 46% ABV?

All in all, not a great dram. It is good, and I could drink it all night on someone else's dime, but for my money I'll look elsewhere. I think I would grade this above the Lasanta, however, but under the older Port Wood Finish. The PW had such a fantastic finish, which this whisky just doesn't have.

Perhaps this whisky needed to age some more. There is a bitterness at the end of the finish that puts me off.

Nose: instant notes of pears poached in wine. Tangerine and cinnamon. Hints of raspberry and pink grapefruit. Angelica fruit cake with a few floral hints. Not far away from the sherry version. Quite good, but again a bit ‘designed’.

Mouth: sweet and sugary with milk chocolate and molasses. More spices than the other wine finishes (cinnamon and cloves). Not really expressive and definitely too winey overall.

Finish: dying really soon, quite noticeable compared to the others. Oranges and dry oak.

The second of the three malts purchased recently during my trip up and down the eastern seaboard of Australia!

According to all the PR blurb on the bottle and the box, this dram is finished in port barrels, and it really shows through in the nose. A definite port taste is there beneath everything. Over the top come notes of black current, red grapes, caramel, new leather and gentle tobacco. Really pleasant and quite complex.

The taste is much like the nose, with the port-like base over which come the same black current and red grapes, caramel, leather and tobacco, but the taste is also richer and creamier. The taste carries much more muscle than the smell (which is hardly anaemic). A really decent meaty whisky.

The finish is just a shade disappointing, not by taste, but by length. Initially very caramelly, this fades leaving port, black current and leather as the dominating notes. But, as good as the finish tastes, within two minutes my palate is basically clear.

So what do you do with a meaty rich dram that doesn't have a long finish? Well, I remember once doing a beer tasting with some representatives from Lion Nathan (a pretty big beer conglomerate in Australia), and they talked about some beers being 'session' beers. Which meant they were beers you drank when you were sitting down to have a beer drinking session. So they were meaty drinking beers. This is the whisky equivalent. Lot's of character, plenty of flavour, but hard to keep in your hand for more than about 15 or so minutes -the kind of whisky you drink when you sit down with two or three mates to polish off a bottle in a couple of hours. A proper 'session' whisky.

'Though the finish of the standard Glenmorangie 10y didn't quite meet my expectations, its initial aroma more than tickled my senses.

This kept me from losing interest in the brand, and when I came across ths Quinta Ruban it immediately caught my attention.

The colour of the dram - and to be honest also the name - really attracted me and before I knew it I had baught a bottle.

The first nosing confirmed my thoughts: a tingling full sweetness of red dried fruits let the port shine through. It's actually more complex, but it's quite difficult to make a clear summary.

The dram is medium bodied, rather sweetish, but this perfectly in balance with the alcohol. Hints of raisins and/or other dry fruit, and even tobacco.

Other than the original, this Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban's aftertaste tends to linger quite long. It's warming with impressions of nuts and tobacco on top of the fruit.

The neat nose of the Quinta Ruban is one of the most distinctive I've ever had the pleasure of sampling. Cream, vanilla and a subtle sherry-port right off the bat. I dropped a single ice cube in the glass and let it open up a little. Hints of chocolate and more sherry, with the vanilla opening up into something like a baked confection.

First sip, I'm in love. The ever so slightly creamy texture walks right on down my throat, hand in hand with that heady (but not candyish or overpowering) vanilla. Second sip is even more wonderful. There's a ride going on here that's hard to describe. It reminds me of a kaleidoscope, with six or seven different flavor notes and scents all slowly but consistently pinwheeling and morphing into new and luxurious combinations, variations on their theme.

I had three glasses over four hours and a four course dinner. I was having such a great time with it, I couldn't resist.

The best news - my local New England stores are well-stocked with the Quinta Ruban - under $50 USD.

A nine-point-five out of ten on my personal Single Malt Meter™ (I must leave room for something else...right?)

Try one whenever you get the chance!