Glenmorangie Companta NAS, 46%, OB, 2014
On the nose there’s a very rich presence of some fruit, some chocolate. Surprisingly some hints of the sea shore. Time spent nosing this reveals complex layers of some good fruit. The taste has the richness of the nose, lots of fruit followed by some wine notes. The characteristic maltiness of Glenmorangie is masked by the finishing but it struggles for attention and finally wins through which is a nice addition to the complexity. A welcome arrival of some oak spice adds to the mix. The finish has a good measure of the wine notes and more of the fruit, berries and such. Lots and lots of good chewy malt. A medium long finish.
Score 80 points
Glenmorangie releases Companta – a celebration of kindred spirits
— The fifth annual release from the award-winning Private Edition range —
From the deepest recesses of Dr Bill Lumsden’s ‘cabinet of curiosities’, Glenmorangie’s celebrated Director of Whisky Creation and Distilling proudly presents Glenmorangie Companta, the fifth release from the Private Edition – a limited edition range of rare and intriguing single malts, including the recently critically acclaimed Glenmorangie Ealanta, Jim Murray’s ‘2014 World Whisky of the Year’.
A refined balance between bold spice and rich, smooth sweetness, Companta is the result of a careful assemblage of spirit extra matured in renowned French wine casks. Born of Grand Cru casks from Clos de Tart and those of a lusciously sweet fortified wine from Côtes du Rhône, Glenmorangie Companta (Scots Gaelic for friendship) celebrates the kindred spirits discovered through a shared pursuit of perfection, as experienced by Dr Bill:
“Having spent over twenty years traveling to some of France’s most renowned vineyards, I’ve had the opportunity to sample many rare and intriguing wines in search of the finest casks to complement the extra maturation of our whisky. As a true wine aficionado, some of my most memorable visits have been to Burgundy, where the dedication and attention to detail that goes into their craft never ceases to amaze me.
“The smaller vineyards of the region don’t seem to worry about yields, costs, or timings. They work tirelessly, simply to produce the very best wine. In the same spirit as Glenmorangie, they stop at nothing in the pursuit of perfection.
“This shared philosophy inspired me to create the ultimate tribute to my longstanding love for French vineyards and the friends that I’ve had the pleasure to make throughout my travels.”
The result; Glenmorangie Companta. The product of extra maturation in several of Dr Lumsden’s most coveted casks, carefully selected from two of the finest French vineyards sharing Glenmorangie’s ‘unnecessarily well made’ philosophy.
“Selecting parcels of Glenmorangie which had been matured in traditional American white oak ex-bourbon barrels, I transferred the spirit into casks having previously contained one of my personal favourites – the rich Grand Cru wine from Clos de Tart, one of the most celebrated vineyards in Burgundy. After a period of extra maturation, the casks imparted additional body and deep berry-like flavours to the trademark elegant, floral character of the Glenmorangie.”
While most would have been satisfied with the result, Dr Bill continued on, seeking to perfect the whisky with additional depth and character.
“To complement the bold, spicy character imparted from the Grand Cru casks, I selected a parcel of Glenmorangie which had been extra maturing in casks having previously contained a lusciously sweet fortified wine from Côtes du Rhône. It took some time, but with careful fine tuning we reached a harmonious assemblage which proved the perfect balance; neither too bold nor too tame!”
On the nose, Companta exudes rich, ‘autumnal’ scents of red berries and damp forest floors, with a hint of fragrant woodsmoke complementing notes of aromatic, nutty oak.
Upon tasting, a spicy palate redolent of cherries and stewed fruits is slowly revealed, as notes of sugared plums, blood orange and rose-hip syrup emerge alongside milk chocolate and brown sugar, leading into a mouth-coating finish.
Bottled at a strength of 46%, and non chill-filtered for extra body and texture, Glenmorangie Companta is available globally from January 2013.
The latest incarnation in the Private Edition’s award-winning range of expressions, Companta once again reaffirms the Glenmorangie Whisky Creation Team’s pioneering spirit and commitment to sharing some of the world’s most highly regarded single malts with a select audience of like-minded aficionados.
NOTES:
About Glenmorangie:
Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch Whisky originates in the Scottish Highlands where, at the Glenmorangie Distillery, it is distilled in the tallest malt whisky stills in Scotland, expertly matured in the finest oak casks, and perfected by the Men of Tain. The Distillery was founded in 1843 and is renowned as a pioneer in its field, uniting tradition with innovation to create ‘unnecessarily well made’ whiskies.
The Glenmorangie Private Edition Range
Glenmorangie’s Private Edition is an award-winning range that provides an annual opportunity for whisky connoisseurs and aficionados to experience a rare and intriguing single malt brought to life by the Glenmorangie Whisky Creation Team. Glenmorangie Companta marks the fifth annual release in this lauded range.
