Glenmorangie Astar

Astar has always left me cold, but I will be happy to try it again.

Wow!! What do you normally get with it? same flavours? I was very surprised with what I got. maybe I got a good boyle?

bottle? Sorry writing on my junkphone is

awful

It's been awhile since I've had some Astar, so I really need to re-taste. What I remember most was what seemed to be very high-pitched, yes, fruity and with some spice, but it seemed to me to lack balance.

If I had my 'druthers I'd like everything I ever tasted, so I am always happy when a whisky comes back and pleases on a later tasting.

Hmmm, maybe I got the review wrong because of the company? This was one of the whiskies that was a highlight of the night. Rather enjoyable, especially at the higher strength.

@SquidgyAsh, who knows how you will feel about Glenmorangie Astar or any other whisky the next time you try it? That's why you try it again, right? Along with maybe hoping for some of the same sort of enjoyment you remembered from the first time.

It is always good to do several tastings of a whisky to put it into perspective. I take my first taste of a whisky seriously, but it is always necessary to keep an open mind and revise one's overall appraisal based on the cumulative experience of repeated tastings. Sometimes the picture becomes very complex with a number of tastings of the same whisky, as our batch variation comments and discussions have brought out. I have a lot of sympathy for someone like Jim Murray, attempting to comment on 4,500 whiskies and make sense of them. Clearly, simplifications for practicality have to be made to do so, like his practice of only sampling and evaluating the whiskies neat. There would be no room in the book and no time in the year to put out his Whisky Bible if most, much less all, of the subtleties and complexities were engaged in print. I love that Mr. Murray keeps in his book very different discriptions and very different ratings of the same whisky, reflecting very different experiences of it from one tasting to the next.

Wise words my friend. Some very wise words. I just remember that the very next day I contacted my brother in seattle who'd been asking what whiskies I'd like for my birthday and Astar was one of three that I said, 2 of which I tried on Date Night Whisky Family Fun hahaha. Btw my friend I'm so going to have to look up that movie you were discussing and watch it!! It sounds great!!!

I am impressed that the other reviewers were similarly impressed with SA. I will be getting a bottle in conjunction with a large order from the UK I am putting together.

Regardless, I agree with Victor that the tasting/experience is not a one time affair - literally a relationship is created with a both a bottle and an expression.... I hope to have many along those of the fairer human gender...

Picked up a few bottles of the Astar the other day; pear, hints of cinnamon, and vanilla on both the nose, and palate - however I wasn't expecting the rush of "tingling" on my tongue throughout the finish...Then again being un-chill filtered, and bottled at 57.1 abv I shouldn't have been surprised - lol...Very nice whisky!

@GregLogan My friend you are completely right. Each tasting IS a relationship with you and the whisky, and like any relationship it evolves either for good or bad. Let me know what you think of this whisky when you try it!

@FMichael I'm REALLY glad you enjoyed the Astar! It's definitely a BIG whisky, but one that I really do enjoy. I honestly want a bottle so bad but the last few bottles I can buy before my trip to Scotland have already been earmarked. But there is Christmas!!

It's so easygoing that it'd be one that I introduce people new to whisky to. So many people I chat with think that whisky is nothing but peat and smoke and it's one of those "Yes some can be that, but SO VERY MANY whiskies are so much more complex than that, some of them can be completely opposite of that. Don't rule them all out!"

@SA - Okay - I did pick up a bottle - and I will say so - certainly an 88 - 90. I did a bit of research with a newbie friend - with Redbreast15, Nadurra, Mac12 and Astar... and while I know they are all wonderful libations, the Astar so rich in butterscotchy flavor - and that typically sweet GM profile definitely won the day.

So I will look forward to adding a bit more to the cabinet....

@GregLogan AWESOME!!! So glad that you enjoyed the Astar. It's such a beautiful flavorful whisky. The cask strength REALLY helps to push it further then so many other whiskies sit. Sadly my Nadurra left me feeling very bored and disappointed hahaha. Macallan 12 is very nice though, would have loved to see it at a higher strength though!

@SA - As I have learned to do primarily at the behest of Viktor, I pour my scotches an hour or two prior to drinking. I like opening by air rather than water (which dilutes) BUT it takes a bit of time. I found the Nadurra was much better after an hour or more. Of course, so was the Astar... :-).

I am definitely a fan of the Astar! Perfect choice for those who like their whiskies sweet and rich.

It also reminded me of the Talisker 57° North...

First Glenmorangie stopped making the Artisan Cask and replaced it with the Astar. Now they've stopped making the Astar. Wonder what will replace the Astar, if anything? I have a few bottles of the Astar stashed away, at reasonable prices. It's £83.59 ex VAT at the Whiskey Exchange and that doesn't include shipping. Found a few bottles in the NH (USA) state liquor stores and had my niece get some for me. Like Victor, my first taste of the Astar did not impress, but I now find the Astar a very likeable Scotch. I'd put it in the high 80's, as Greg did.