Whisky: Glenmorangie 15 Year SMWS 125.77 “Graceful elegance”

Country/Region: Scotland/Highland

ABV: 58.1%

Cask: 2nd Fill Bourbon Barrel (13Y), First Fill PX Sherry Barrique (2Y)

Age: 15 Years (Distilled 8 Feb. 2005)

Nose: Chocolate, fruit, and malt.  A wave of dark chocolate and candied orange peel carried rich notes of leather, candle wicks, and leather polish.  Dry ginger biscuits appeared in the background with floral-fruity notes of peach blossom and toasted meringue.

Palate: Medium-bodied and rich with chocolate, fruit, and nuts. Posh notes of candle-lit dinners and decadent desserts— leather studded booths and tangerine chocolate soufflé with a vanilla crème Anglais. Or, perhaps bananas foster as brown sugar, fruit, and caramelized sugars appeared on the mid-palate. A lovely nuttiness lingered at the end with dark chocolate and caramel.

Finish:  Lingering notes chocolate and cigar box.

Score: 7

Mental Image: Posh Table Side Desserts

Notes: I was a bit surprised that this Glenmorangie achieved a black label at only 15 years of age— usually, that is reserved for the very mature releases for SMWS or expensive international releases. I would say that the black label is a mark of class, but I think even SMWS-folk will tell you it is an indication of premium, the premium that it cost them to source the cask and/or that you will pay for it. We have split a few black labels in our local whisky group; some have been worth it, and others have not quite hit the mark.

Glenmorangie would not be on the list if I were to name distilleries that command a premium— it is widely available, and I have never thought much of it. Sure it is good, but I do not recall ever being blown away. It is not Bruichladdich or Ardbeg, two distilleries who release very few casks to independent bottlers and whose reputation means that every single cask release commands a premium. A significant part of the premium on the whisky must be the barrique from Bodega Ximenez Spinola.

Overall, this was class. It was a massive hit at a recent local whisky tasting, and more than a few participants could not believe it was Glenmorangie. The flavors were rich and deep, with layers of leather and sweet desserts. It was a decadent dram and a great example of what Glenmorangie can produce.