Glenmorangie explores the delectable flavours of Europe’s revered wine regions in rare new collection – Scotch Whisky News
Glenmorangie explores the delectable flavours of Europe’s revered wine regions in rare new collection
— Limited to 600 sets, trio of whiskies is a tribute to Master Distiller’s passion for wine —
Glenmorangie Highland single malt Scotch whisky celebrates its Master Distiller’s passion for fine wine with an exceptionally rare trio of aged whiskies: Glenmorangie Pursuit of Passion Wine Cask Collection. As a wine lover and a pioneering figure in the art of wood-finishing whisky, Dr Bill Lumsden has long been inspired by the myriad flavours that wine casks offer Glenmorangie. This collection charts his travels through some of Europe’s most acclaimed wine regions in search of casks that would bring unparalleled deliciousness to his whisky. Showcasing three of Dr Bill’s most prized experiments, each over 25 years old, these 600 sets are an ode to his passion and decades of perfecting the art of wine cask finishing.
For more than 180 years, Glenmorangie’s whisky creators have been endlessly imaginative in their quest to create evermore delicious single malts. They create a delicate and fruity spirit in stills as tall as a giraffe to allow for more taste and aroma. Then they age it in the world’s finest casks. In the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, Glenmorangie were among the pioneers of wood finishing in the Scotch whisky industry as the distillery experimented with adding new layers of flavours to their signature spirit. This technique involves transferring aged whisky into different casks for even more complexity. Under Dr Bill’s leadership, his team have become experts in this art.
Many years ago, Dr Bill travelled through Europe’s finest wine regions, sourcing precious casks from revered areas in Burgundy and Bordeaux in France and Piedmont in Italy. Then he filled them with whisky, imagining the flavours exceptionally long wood finishes could create. In the Pursuit of Passion’s 600 sets, he shares three of his most delicious experiments: Glenmorangie Margaux Wine Cask Finish, Glenmorangie Corton-Charlemagne Wine Cask Finish and Glenmorangie Barbaresco Wine Cask Finish. Aged 29, 28 and 27 years respectively, these rare creations are united by their extraordinary complexity.
- The Margaux Wine Cask Finish: Rich, mellow and complex, this 29-year-old whisky was distilled in February 1995, the month Dr Bill joined the Glenmorangie as then Distillery Manager, and was initially aged in bourbon casks. In 2004, Dr Bill transferred the whisky into a handful of red wine casks from Margaux – one of the most renowned appellations in Bordeaux, France. Finished in the wine casks for over 20 years – longer than any other Glenmorangie – his creation reveals intense flavours of chocolate, plums and sweet chilli.
- The Corton-Charlemagne Wine Cask Finish: The only whisky in the trio finished in white wine casks, this spicy, smooth and full-bodied 28-year-old whisky was also distilled in 1995. It was first laid down in bourbon casks, then was transferred into white Burgundy casks in 2005 – all grand cru status – from the prestigious Corton-Charlemagne appellation in Burgundy, France. This was Glenmorangie’s first experiment with such casks and Dr Bill was intrigued to see how they would shape its soft, signature style. Finished for over 18 years in these casks, this expression brims with notes of jasmine, soft smoke and clove.
- The Barbaresco Wine Cask Finish: This dry, powerful and rich 27-year-old whisky was distilled in 1996 and laid down in bourbon casks. In 2005, Dr Bill poured a select parcel into prestigious Italian red wine casks, sourced from Barbaresco, in the renowned wine region of Piedmont. These casks had never previously been used at the Distillery – and he imagined the deep, luscious flavours they might bring to Glenmorangie. After an exceptionally long finish of more than 18 years, his experiment resounds with hints of leather, rich spices and eucalyptus.
Glenmorangie’s Pursuit of Passion collection is encased in a handmade oak presentation case, designed as an elegant feature piece. Marquetry design work on the back and sides of the box hints at the staves from which wine casks are made, while the front of the case evokes the different landscapes of the three individual wine regions, reflecting the wondrous flavour journey captured in each bottle.
Dr Bill Lumsden said: “My passion for single malt whisky is perhaps only matched by my passion for fine wine. And my travels through the world’s finest vineyards have inspired many experiments with finishing whisky in wine casks. Of all my experiments, the whiskies in our Pursuit of Passion Wine Cask Collection are among my most prized and delicious. With exceptionally long finishes in precious casks from some of France and Italy’s most renowned wine regions, I’m sure that their complexity will delight and intrigue lovers of both whisky and wine.”
The Glenmorangie Pursuit of Passion Wine Cask Collection will be available through the Moët Hennessy Private Client channel from Autumn 2024. It will also be available to purchase at Glenmorangie’s Boutique at Heathrow Airport, Terminal 2, as well as in select retail outlets worldwide and the Distillery Visitor Centre in Tain from October 2024. Registrations of interest can also be made online HERE
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TASTING NOTES
Glenmorangie Margaux Wine Cask Finish is bottled at 52.5% ABV
Colour: Deep Auburn
Aroma: Rich, mellow and complex, with a veritable symphony of fruity and woody notes such as baked apple, pears, apricot and plum, honeydew melon, sweet aged balsamic vinegar and the gentlest touch of oak. There is a delicate, perfumed top note like honeysuckle and the merest hint of stewing black tea leaves. A splash of water then opens up some more curious woody notes, almost like furniture polish or tree resin.
Taste: The texture is peppery, tingly and warming and leads into an explosion of ripe, fruity flavours: apricot, peach, plum, cherries, baked red apples, juicy melon, followed by chocolate ganache, hints of ginger and sweet chilli, but always with a balancing tartness, reminiscent of sour cherries and citrus.
Finish: Long, zesty and woody or nutty, with hints of roasting chestnuts, eucalyptus and cocoa powder.
Glenmorangie Corton-Charlemagne Wine Cask Finish is bottled at 52.1% ABV
Colour: Deep Amber
Aroma: Astonishingly aromatic and perfumed, with hints of pear, honeysuckle, juniper and gorse flowers, supported by some altogether bolder, oak-derived notes, like vanilla, almond and some gentle leather. With a few drops of water, some gentle floral notes are encountered, like carnation and jasmine, and finally the gentlest hint of struck match.
Taste: The texture is smooth and oily, as it coats the mouth with delicious, sweet and spicy flavours like honeycomb, poached pears in syrup, cocoa powder and spiced fruit bread. The sweetness continues with touches of almond marzipan and morello cherries.
Finish: The mellow aftertaste reveals the gentlest hints of leather and clove along with a touch of eucalyptus.
Glenmorangie Barbaresco Wine Cask Finish is bottled at 51.3% ABV
Colour: Mahogany
Aroma: Deep, powerful, spicy and rich, with notes of toffee, black fruits such as cherries, plums and damsons, graphite, black pepper and cinnamon. As the bouquet opens up, hints of vanilla, milk chocolate and baked pears are encountered, along with a hint of aged balsamic vinegar. With a splash of water, some altogether more earthy notes are encountered, like a damp forest floor. This is followed by a burst of eucalyptus and mint.
Taste: The mouthfeel is huge, spicy and slightly drying, and leads into a myriad of complex flavours. Chocolate sweetness is tempered by a grape-must dryness, along with hints of leather, mint-flavoured toffee, Christmas cake, ginger, nutmeg and clove. The classic Glenmorangie citrus fruit note comes across as candied orange peel.
Finish: Long and mellow with hints of chestnuts, oak tannin and aniseed.
About Glenmorangie:
Glenmorangie’s whisky makers use endless imagination and five key ingredients – wood, water, barley, yeast and time – to dream up delicious single malt whiskies. They’ve been honing their craft for 180 years. They create a delicate and fruity spirit in stills as tall as a giraffe to allow for more taste and aroma. Led by Director of Whisky Creation Dr Bill Lumsden, this crackerjack crew are on a mission to bring new flavours and possibilities to the world of single malt.
Glenmorangie celebrates the joy of delicious single malt in every part of its universe, from its boutique hotel Glenmorangie House to its colourful brand campaign, shot by famed photographer Miles Aldridge. With its tagline “It’s kind of delicious and wonderful”, Glenmorangie invites whisky lovers old and new to see themselves in Glenmorangie’s world.
About Glenmorangie’s whisky creators:
Glenmorangie’s Whisky Creation Team’s favourite phrase is “What if?”. And they are constantly challenging themselves to take whatever captures their imaginations and turn it into whisky – be that their memories of a favourite place (A Tale of Tokyo), a cup of coffee (Glenmorangie Signet) and more.
At the helm of the team is Dr Bill Lumsden, Director of Whisky Creation. With a PhD in biochemistry and decades of experience, Dr Bill has all the skills needed to bring these ideas to life. Already, he has earned the admiration of his peers many times over. For instance, he has taken his place in the Icons of Whisky Hall of Fame. He has won the International Whisky Competition’s award for Master Distiller of the Year more times than anyone else. And he has been named Master Blender/Distiller of the Year by the International Spirits Challenge twice.
Working hand-in-hand with Dr Bill is Gillian Macdonald, The Glenmorangie Company’s Master Blender. Gillian combines art and science in her role, with her main responsibilities including the daily sensory analysis of the new-make spirit, core range recipes and the co-ordination of the Company’s sensory panel. Gillian manages the New Product Development pipeline for Glenmorangie which involves nosing hundreds of casks a year for final recipe selection.
About wood finishing:
Almost 40 years ago, dreaming of adding new layers of flavour to their signature spirit, Glenmorangie’s whisky creators were among the pioneers of wood finishing in the Scotch whisky industry. The technique involves transferring aged single malt into wine casks or other cask types to add new layers of flavour. Glenmorangie released its first wood-finished whisky in 1987. Taking what was still a fledgling idea when he joined The Glenmorangie Company in 1995 as Distillery Manager, Dr Bill was inspired to experiment with a multitude of different cask types, ranging from claret (1997) to fino sherry (1998) and Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits (2000). He discovered delicious new flavours and made Glenmorangie even more inviting for whisky lovers old and new. Today, wood finishing has been widely adopted by the Scotch industry, while Dr Bill has continued to explore new aspects of wood finishing, for even more distinctive flavours. For example, Glenmorangie was the first in the industry to finish whisky in Super Tuscan wine casks (Glenmorangie Artein, released in 2012), Clos de Tart wine casks (Glenmorangie Companta, in 2014), re-toasted wine casks (Glenmorangie Milsean in 2016), and bespoke Madeira casks (Glenmorangie Bacalta in 2017). Wood-finished whiskies now form an integral part of Glenmorangie’s range and are among the Distillery’s most delicious whiskies.
About the wine regions explored in Pursuit of Passion:
Margaux, Bordeaux
Perhaps the world’s most famous wine region, Bordeaux takes its name from the port city of Bordeaux, roughly translating to “next to the waters”. Its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and its various rivers, such as the Dordogne and the Garonne, results in a moderate climate which produces deep ruby red wines. Margaux wines are among some of the area’s most elegant and subtle.
Corton-Charlemagne, Burgundy
Situated in the valleys west of the Saone river, the landlocked region of Burgundy is more influenced by its terroir than any other wine region. The Corton-Charlemagne appellation, in Burgundy’s Côte de Beaune, is renowned for its delicate wines, with notes of butter, baked apples and flint.
Barbaresco, Piedmont
Surrounded on three sides by the Alps, the Piedmont region of Italy, in which Barbaresco wines are made, is one of the most prominent wine regions in the world. Its name translates to the “foot of the mountain” and the temperature variations produces red wines with complex and powerful aromas.
Responsible Drinking:
The Glenmorangie Company advocates responsible drinking and suggests that drinkers savour Glenmorangie whiskies in moderation and in line with recommended daily guidelines for alcohol consumption.
