Style: Spicy and Sweet
Nose:
Delicate, graceful aroma of glazed pears with caramel popcorn. Almost sticky sweet for a moment. Perfumed tones, candied flowers melting softly. Orange blossom tightroping over a ginger field. More spices surfacing as you dig deeper, quick dab of raw grassiness at the back. Nice.
Palate:
Powerful ginger attack on the front. Candy floss side stepping and showing more glazed pear tip-toeing on melted toffees. Lemon marshmallows, nutmeg and a touch of five spices brushes on the side. The sweet core gradually contracts and shows the grassy facet of Glenmorangie. White chocolate, vanilla cereal notes. A swift ginger crawl-back whilst more dryness is shown at the back. Finish with tingling spices, a few mineral flicks and low-key malt.
Finish:
Vanilla grain, a small block of dark chocolate with ester fruits coming back. Ginger drop finish.
Thoughts:
A punchy but nicely balanced Glenmorangie. The candied fruit sweetness is intelligently utilized as the counterweight to the powerful ginger spice. I suppose ex-rye cask can be tricky to play with but the expression has been nicely manoeuvred to achieve a great equilibrium on every level. While it is banging strongly on the spicy and sweet theme, the distillate manages to shine through nicely. A classic Glenmorangie with a twist. Personally, I love a rich Glenmorangie, I am unsure that ex-rye is the perfect synergy cask type to bring out the best of Glenmorangie’s spirit. But I am just being picky here, it is a delicious, bright and fun malt.
✓ [Recommended if you like the style/ distillery]
[46% • Original Bottling • Limited Edition • 2016 Bottled • Non Chill Filtered • No Age Statement • ~Aged 10 Years • Fully Matured in ex-Rye Whiskey casks • Private Edition No. 9 • t]
-Esmond
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