Glenmorangie 18 Year Old (Old Presentation)

If ever there was a perfect summer scotch then this is surely it. 15 Years in ex-bourbon caks with another 3 in ex-Oloroso sherry make this a perfectly balanced dram in my opinion.

It's 'big', but not in a loud way. Medium-to full bodied, creamy and with a very slight hint of smoke. A gentle giant of a whisky!

Nose: a bit floral (but not sickly so) - geranium & jasmin, with grapefruit, crème brulée

Palate: Lychees, toffee, orange zest, more grapefruit, a bit of honey and a delicious malty-biscuity quality that I happen to adore...

Finish: not incredibly long but very satisfying - soft citrus, some oak, and finally that biscuity finish that some have described as 'doughy'...

In a word: understated & superb! (ok, two words then...)

Glenmorangies rate consistently high on my scale and there's no reason why they shouldn't. It's generally year after year of solid whiskies even if they're putting out experimental wood finishes like the recent Burgundy, Madeira and Sherry offerings.

I was, though, a touch disappointed with both the Ealanta and the Companta but only because I expected them to knock me out. However, I am told they need to be revisited some time after opening them so maybe that opinion changes as well.

Ok enough chit chat and on to, what is truly a scrumptious dram, The Glenmorangie 18. It's my first time tasting this and all those who call it the stuff of legends, well, they're bang on.

Now I'm not a huge fan of Oloroso Sherry maturation largely because it has a tendency to overshadow the actual spirit if left long enough. And I suspect it is a trick oft used to mask otherwise substandard spirit. I won't point fingers at anyone but there's a certain well known distillery that's made a fortune out of doing that. You know who you are.

However, the Oloroso Sherry here is used so expertly that it transforms the beautiful American Oak spirit into a gorgeous sherried dram.

And how it's done is a testament to poise and control.

Once the spirit has spent fifteen years maturing in American white oak casks approximately 30% is transferred into Spanish Oloroso casks to spend a further three years maturing. Then, when both elements have reached 18 years, they are blended together.

The result is a beautifully controlled spirit that hits all the high notes in perfect harmony.

Nose: Delicately floral with lovely sweet candied oranges. Tropical fruits and peach sweets sprinkled with rose water. And the strongest most vibrant of sweet melons I have ever come across.

Palate: Crisp, gorgeous delivery with just the right amount of sherry to pucker up your mouth. Lovely black and white peppers with that sweet melon chocolate. But the fruits are king here. Papaya and passion fruit with a touch of aniseed. Such controlled grace.

Finish: Long chocolate wood spices with a touch of fennel.

This is truly a masterclass in elegance.

Nose: Vanilla orange creamsicle; then orange honey-butter, chalky and with some potpourri.

Palate: A sweet-as-sugarcane blood orange, big & juicy. Becoming lemonade with raw sugar granules (and with a sprig of mint): simple and refreshing.

Finish: Not too much here. Oak wood and lemon peels linger. Hints remain of the nose's orange honey-butter.

This is a very well balanced and refreshing malt, only losing points for the the shallow finish and overall relative simplicity. Among other quality light malts, it holds up well against the Glenfiddich 21; In comparison this Glenmorangie has less complexity (and subtlety), but its flavors are bolder.

It is not horrible - I will manage to finish the bottle. Hence the score. But it does have its horrifying moments. And this being their official 18 YO expression, that's just sad. They can do much better than this, as their Private Editions can attest.

Smells medicinal. An unidentifiable spice that I "do not like." Whatever that means...) Mentos? Jaeger? Relaxes itself after a while. Gets more apple like. OK. Ready to drink now.

Taste: Ugh. Something wretched and rotten. Deviled eggs. Not something I am looking for in a drink. Sweet. Sour. Boom. Bam. Gone. And that's it.

If it makes a difference, this was purchased in a presentation box. Not sure if it was an off bottling. It seems more recently releases are sans box.

Anyway, final assessment on the Glenmorangie 18 is not worth the price and not a repeat purchase.

READ more reviews at my personal blog: raiseyourspirits.wordpress.com/2011/01/…

Glenmorangie 18 Year: Distiller: Glenmorangie Spirit: Single Malt Scotch Price: $114.90 ABV: 43%

Appearance: Light caramel color that lightly coats the glass with few if any legs.

Nose: Caramel, vanilla, fall spice, light smoke

Taste: Grapefruit, orange, caramel, no peat/smoke, citrus, honey, creamy malt

Finish: Heaven? Caramel stays through for the long run, slight sting on the tongue (which is goooood). Smooth x 1000. As the grapefruit disappears throughout the finish, it does make a comeback at the very end.

Cocktail: If you think using a whisky that costs more than $115.00 in a cocktail is an reasonable decision, then please stop drinking immediately and check yourself into your local insane asylum.

Bottle: One of the best bottles we’ve seen. We like our scotch bottles like we like our women — curvy and intoxicating — and this bottle delivers. A slightly minimalistic label with elegant lettering; the focus here is not on the label (like most bottles) but on the whisky itself. The thicker base allows light to enter regardless of where you place it, showing off the beautiful liquid inside. It also comes in a classy, bi-fold case which some might think is a bit presumptuous, but frankly, on a $100+ bottle, it should be viewed as insurance on your prized goods.

Conclusion: Richard: This is certainly the smoothest whisky I’ve ever tasted, and although I really enjoyed it, I cannot say that it was my favorite (or even close). While the palate was shockingly interesting with it’s bouquet of sweet citrus, I cannot imagine myself drinking this more than once or twice a year. I need to be in a specific mood for such a focused whisky; it’s fairly complex, but citrus it the overwhelming flavor, and that has never been my cup-o’-tea when it comes to whisky. It is an excellent dram — one smell, or sip is enough to show the craftsmanship, dedicated, and passion put into making it — but frankly, I have enjoyed many other scotches more than the Glenmorangie 18, and they didn’t cost an arm and a leg (which is about where this one will land you).