Glenmorangie Artein 15 Year Old

First vapor: Fermenting berry.

Nose: Raspberry with buttery dough dumplings. This main theme is supported by custard, some fresh red apple slice, and a faint breeze of garden mint.

Palate: Flashes of juices-- from apple or nectarine... to strawberry... and a build-up of raspberry, as gingery heat escalates tingly like lime zest. Then the dumplings return, buttery and with a spread of raspberry jam.

Finish: Lingering dough and a little jam; alternating between zesty and custardy.

I have not experienced this flavor set in a malt before. The Artein is a refreshing malt, at once buttery smooth and crystal clear with raspberry. These splendid notes may lack some other complexities, but I appreciate the berried lightness, which particularly suits the summer right now-- The raspberry dumpling theme is right in season. The Artein has just become my favorite among malts that are relatively light and summery.

The Private Collection from Glenmorangie consists of the Sonnalta Px (hard to find these days), the Finealta and the Artein. This month, the fourth has arrived: the Ealanta (which is Gaelic for elegant). But I still have to publish my notes for the Artein, so let us put the record straight. It is composed of two thirds of a 15 year old Glenmo and one third of 21 year old, matured on bourbon casks, before getting a finish on Super Tuscan wine casks. Artein means stone.

The nose immediately reveals the red wine. Blueberries, sultanas, peach and orange peel, surrounded by chocolate and coconut. Fresh mint and even cappuccino. Some orange liqueur like Contreau. Hints of spent matches (no, this is not a eufimism for sulphur).

It is honeysweet and syrupy on the palate, with the oranges rearing their heads first. Like I said: Contreau. Slightly bitter, but very much alive. Then it turns a bit tropical with apricots and peach. Very zesty. Mint returns. So does chocolate. Very peppery by the way.

The finish is medium long, very sweet on oranges and remains spicy with liquorice on the deathbed.

Wine finishes are usually hit and miss, but I find this one successful. Depending on where you shop, you will have to fork over between 70 and 100 EUR for a bottle.

Why aren't more whiskies aged in dry red wine casks? I'll admit that I wasn't thrilled with this whiskey when I first opened it but now as I finish the last dram from my bottle that has been open a little less than a year. Glenmorangie Artein is a vatting of different scotches from the distillery. They are at least 15 years of age, and some of it began its life in bourbon barrels and some of it was then finished in ex-super Tuscan wine casks. I haven't been able to find this information since then, but I remember reading that the casks in question were from Sassicaia. Whether it's from Sassicaia or not though is beside the point, as this whisky is unique, complex, absolutely delectable, and it's a big shame that we'll never see it again (unless of course there's money to be made).

The only thing that prevents this whisky from garnering a higher score from me is the nose. Although you should expect this from any spirit, there is a lot of alcohol in the nose. There's a lot more than I'd expect to get from this whisky. It's as dangerous to stick your nose in a glass of this as it is a glass of cask strength Islay. Now that we have the bad news out of the way, there's nothing but praise from here on out. It's an incredible easy whisky to drink. It's the kind of whisky I'd expect a non-Scotch drinker to say "That is smoooth" to, and ask for seconds. It goes beyond this though. It pours with a reddish-brown hue, and it's not an in -your-face Scotch but it's really complex. It begins with flavors of tea leaves and blackberry brandy. This fades, but the whisky comes back, brandishing fistfuls of oak fire and pencil shavings. I even detect a little bit of salt, a presence of which I've never been able to detect in other Glenmorangie bottles, even though it is a coastaly-located distillery. (I don't believe that coastaly is a word, but I feel it works here.)

I feel the red wine influence too. There is a cherried taste to the whisky. The bourbon influence is not gone though! Later the rich, raisiny, sour mash taste comes in. And as for the finish. Well, I can remember when I bought this I read the tasting notes on the box and it mentioned mint in the finish. 'Yeah right,' I thought. No, really! Mint! And lots of it too. It's fresh and it lingers, creating a crisply complex, long-lasting finish with fresh, clean mint and bourbon running round each other, in competition to see who can last the longest.

I once owned a bottle of Laphroaig bottled by Murray McDavid that was finished in Ch Lafite casks. I was a little disappointed by it to begin with, but after a few months it grew on me and it came to be probably my favorite Laphroaig I've ever had. I had similar feelings about Glenmorangie Artein to begin with as well. I bought it because it was limited edition and I wasn't totally in love with it at the first sip, but now I think of it being the best Glenmorangie I've had (even better than Signet, but maybe I need to spend more time with the Signet, which I just bought). This is hard to find now; I find even harder to find than the previous private edition release, Finnealta. If you see this bottle, snatch it up. I have no problem recommending it to anyone. Islayman, Speyside-lover, bourbonhead. It'll be up anybody's alley. I grew to be enamored with it, and it's a shame the ride is over. I look forward to trying new Scotches aged in the casks which once were home to dry reds. The two I've had so far have been dynamite. Get this one while you can! That is, if you can.

Made up of 2 part's 15yo whisky, 1 part 21yo whisky and finished in Super Tuscan wine barrels.

Nose: Red berry Jam (raspberry's and strawberry's), cooked apples, vinilla custard, creamy honey, marshmallows.

Palate: Big on red Berry jam, quite creamy, notes of vinilla sponge cake, some honey, pastry crumble.

Finish: Creamy vinilla custard, some stewed fruits, slightly peppery.

A Nice edition to the Glenmo range a really nice wine finish whisky.

I've had a few drams off this bottle now... So it's time to record its greatness.

Note: no need for water, easy to drown this one.

I'm afraid they've used E150, if they had not, I'd give it a 95... Nonetheless, a spectacular expression from one of my favorite distilleries.

Yes,...finally!! Today I get my own new piece of Art of the legendary Glenmorangie, the Artein. 15 Years old and rested in great Super Tuscan wine casks from Italy. This is the most delightful, most pleasant, most fantastic whisky what I ever tasted! Clean, red-fruits, sweet, fresh...just wonderful.

Here is my review of this legendary dram:

Nose: sweet, honey, red-fruita (most like strawberries, raspberry,...)still that Glenmorangie vanilla-citrus fragrances.

Taste: This is really different than the nose. Full bodied, fresh, delight, very fruity like fresh forest red fruits as cassis, strawberries, blue-berries and some cherries. a Maqnifecent woody aftertaste with hints of mint.

Finish: So wonderful! Long, at the beginning the sweetness of the honey and than the woody and menthol part will be long and fade slowly away with fresh peppermint elements.

With the fantastic Alligator of the great Ardbeg I scored this most beautifull whisky of Glenmorangie also a 100/100! It is a Private Edition, so there will be limited editions. Be quick to own a bottle. I can tell you this one of the fantastic Glenmorangie will be sold out in a very short of time!!!

HIGLY RECOMMENDED!!