Last week I had the chance to attend a local tasting of 5 of Glenmorangie's Highland single malt scotch whiskeys at the Sun Singer, a fine wine and spirit shop in south Champaign. I don't remember every detail about each of the varieties they had to offer, but here's a general overview:
The Original - 10 Year
The entry-level offering from Glenmorangie was a decent scotch, and the most inexpensive in the lineup. It was reasonably smooth and had some subtle fruit flavors, but coming back to it after trying the following four was like comparing water to wine.
The Lasanta - 12 Year
This was probably my favorite of the 5. It was quite smooth, with a bold malt flavor and a finish that hinted of chocolate and toffee. Apparently this is due to its aging in casks that were once used for sherry.* Very interesting.
The Quinta Ruban - 12 Year
This one had a fascinating aroma. The representative indicated the presence of freshly baked pastries, similar to the smell of a kitchen at Christmas time, which in my opinion was pretty accurate. It was lightly buttery with flavors of spices, and quite a treat.
Nectar d'Or - 12 Year
I couldn't make up my mind if I liked this one or not. It had a very creamy finish to it, kind of like a dessert. The flavors were hard to pick out, but over all it was very-dessert like, and although it was by no means sweet, it kind of tricked me into thinking it was. Unique, to say the least.
The 18 Year Old
What can I say? This was my first 18 year old single malt. It was solid and complex, very tasty, and definitely lived up to expectations. I can't even remember individual flavors, but overall it was incredible, and probably the only chance for a very long time that I will get to try a scotch that expensive.
This was a very enjoyable event, and something I hope I can do again (for only $20 it was quite a steal, too). They offer tastings periodically at Sun Singer, so if you reside in the Champaign-Urbana area, check their website for details.
*Note: All scotch whisky is aged in previously-used barrels, as part of the official "rules" of making scotch. The type of spirit previously stored in the barrel can contribute significantly to the overall flavor of the whisky.
2 comments:
I almost went to the Scotch tasting SS had recently. I agree that for $20, it's a great deal. My partner and I are Scotch devotees. He likes the very peaty ones (have you tried Smokehead? I think it's overpriced but the label is fun and it is very strong and smoky), and I go for the not-so-peaty ones (love Dalmore Cigar Malt and recently tried the Balvenie—oy, which one escapes me right now—which I enjoyed very much).
Yes, I've had Smokehead (at Carmon's actually - they also have the fantastic Glenlivet Nadurra). It's quite good, but my favorite peaty distilleries are still Lagavulin and Laphroaig.
I wish they would have more events like that, other than wine tastings. It's easy to find wine tastings but how often do you get to sample top-shelf spirits?
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