GLENMORANGIE DANCING FLOWERS 18 YO WINS MULTIPLE GOLDS

 Makuto Azuma's Masterpiece for Glenmorangie

In the 1730s, a brewery was built in the Scottish Highlands on the Morangie Farm, and a hundred years later, it was refurbished into a distillery we all know and the product of which we enjoy: Glenmorangie. Their Spirits are not created equal - they are raised as aristocrats. The water comes from the pristine spring of Tarlogie and the magic that happens is a result of teamwork of dedicated whisky creators, first known as the Sixteen Men of Tain. These knights of Whisky distill the potion in the tallest stills in Scotland, creating a lighter and more refined Whisky. The exquisite purity of single malt Scotch whisky produced by the Glenmorangie distillery is testament to a tradition that dates back to 1843. On the south side of the Dornoch Firth, the Men of Tain follow the mystical art of turning barley and water into this famously complex and alluring whisky. The vintage Highland single malt Scotch whisky’s floral notes are reminiscent to a flower in bloom, reimagining whisky through the language of flowers as the whisky’s floral notes dance on the tongue.

Imagine the blooms of jasmine, geranium and narcissus bounding through a whisky bottle. Part of Glenmorangie’s Limited Edition Range, the 18 Years Old begins with the distillery’s new make spirit, crafted in stills as tall as a giraffe to allow for what’s described as more space for taste and aroma. Next, the spirit is aged in bourbon casks for 15 years. Then roughly 30% is transferred into Oloroso sherry casks for three more years. After 18 years, these casks are reunited to create the single malt whisky’s taste, gilding the fruity floral delicacy for which Glenmorangie is renowned with soft and luscious flavours of vanilla and coconut. This gentle process of maturation takes place in stone-built, earth-floored warehouses to ensure time-honoured perfection.

Makuto Azuma is a famous Japanese flower artist and botanical sculptor who co-founded Jardin des Fleurs. When he got his first whiff of Glenmorangie Extremely Rare 18 Year Old, he immediately thought of flowers in bloom, probably the rich, rounded aromas of dried fruits, and honey that turn into geranium, tube rose, and jasmine notes as they develop. Makoto tasted the softness and sweetness, complimented by Oloroso Sherry cask hints, and created a beautiful floral masterpiece of a sculpture featuring almost 100 different blooming flowers at his Tokyo studio. The art piece was called Dancing Flowers of Glenmorangie. Today, you can get this unique masterpiece imprinted on the bottle.

ABV: 43%

Colour: Deep gold; rich and full.

Nose: Rich, rounded and sweet with dried fruits and a complex floral fragrance. Initially, the aroma has nutty, caramel and vanilla overtones followed by hints of walnuts, honeycomb and dates. Complex floral notes emerge with geranium, jasmine and narcissus. With water, deep oak notes are released, revealing a balsamic character, softened by vanilla. The hallmark Glenmorangie fruity complexity emerges as rich apricots and dates, interwoven with hazelnuts.

Taste: The mouthfeel is silky, smooth and rounded with a full flavor. The taste is balanced between the flavors of honey, malt and flowery scents, followed by Oloroso nuttiness such as hazelnuts and walnuts. Dates and figs emerge in the background with a hint of wood smoke.

Finish: The finish is long and enticing, with the sweetness of dried fruit and subtle dryness of Oloroso nuttiness.

Suggested Retail Price: £90

Awards: Glenmorangie 18 Years Old received a Double Gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2021, and a Gold Award at the International Spirits Challenge 2021.

Glenmorangie’s Tourism Offering: The Lighthouse & The Hotel

Apart from the 18 YO expression, multiple developments to the Distillery like a lighthouse and its hotel nearby, Glenmorangie House, enrich the experience whisky loving travellers encounter in the Highlands of Scotland. Glenmorangie’s offer includes taking visitors beyond the historic distillery to hosting guests in the boutique hotel and culinary destination, Glenmorangie House.

This summer, both the distillery and the hotel saw a bold transformation, enhancing the overall whisky-led experience in interiors inspired by the whisky making process. The distillery’s new innovation hub was opened in September , after a multi-million-pound expansion of the historic site. Glenmorangie has been pushing single malt boundaries for decades, with its whisky makers endlessly experimenting to dream up delicious whiskies for more people to enjoy. Glenmorangie has opened the doors to a ground-breaking innovation distillery, where they can let their imaginations run wild.

The Lighthouse was inspired by the “What if...?” approach of Dr Bill Lumsden, Director of Whisky Creation. Spurred on by his many whisky world-firsts and wondrous limited editions, he conceived the Lighthouse as a sensory playground. Inside this building, the first of its kind, he and his team will seek to redefine every aspect of their craft, and bring a kaleidoscope of delicious new flavours to Scotch whisky.

Named for its landmark approach to whisky, the Lighthouse distillery is a shining beacon on the Highland coastline, at the heart of the distillery. Looking out to sea like an actual lighthouse, the towering 20m-high glass stillhouse can be seen for miles around. Its design is dramatically different from the traditional stone buildings of the main Distillery, established more than 175 years ago. But it reflects their single malt’s creativity – even down to the fragments of whisky casks embedded in its walls.

Within its still house stand two signature copper stills, which enable Glenmorangie’s delicate, fruity spirit. But these new stills have a host of modifications, making all kinds of innovation possible. And above the stillhouse is a purpose-built sensory laboratory, where Dr Lumsden can play with his experiments in the most unexpected ways. The 20-metre-high glass still house is a striking addition to the picturesque whisky distilling site set alongside Tarlogie Spring. The distillery’s hospitality arm, Glenmorangie House is a 20-minute drive from there on an elevated patch of coast overlooking the Moray Firth. First acquired in the ‘80s as a venue for entertaining corporate clients before being made a hotel for guests to the distillery in the ‘90s, this former farmhouse lies within sprawling grounds, also home to ruins of a 13th-century castle and surrounded by fields yielding the barley used for some of Glenmorangie’s whiskies.

Glenmorangie House & Hotel

BACKGROUND

Glenmorangie uses a number of different cask types, with all products being matured in white oak casks which are manufactured from trees growing in Glenmorangie's own forest in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri, United States. These new casks are left to air for two years before being leased to distillers Jack Daniel's and Heaven Hill for them to mature bourbon in for four years. Glenmorangie then uses the barrels to mature their spirit. The Original range will mature entirely in ex-bourbon casks for ten years. At this stage, a pentafurcation takes place. About 70% of this new make is extracted to become the ten year old Glenmorangie Original single malt whisky, while the remaining 30% of the new make for the Extra Matured range of bottlings are transferred into casks that were previously used to mature other products such as wine, port or sherry for finishing.

The new make finished in Sauternes sweet white wine barrels will be sold as Nectar d’Or whisky. This used to be a 12 year old but is now NAS. The new make finished in Sherry casks for two years more will be bottled as LaSanta 12 YO whisky, whereas the new make finished for four years in Port pipes will be bottled as the Quinta Ruban 14 YO. The earlier version was bottled at 12 years. These form part of the regular range of products Glenmorangie makes. A fifth NAS expression has recently been introduced, meant entirely for mixing. Glenmorangie also obtains small batches of other casks for finishing and release of Prestige (11), Private (10) and Limited Edition(3) bottlings from these.