Every year Glenmorangie releases a special limited edition that differs from the regular core range and basically, those are the brainchildren of Glenmorangie whisky maker Dr. Bill Lumsden. Previous years’ editions involved the use of special cask/grain/yeast types. This year Lumsden has decided to go with a unique way of kilning the barley with botanicals one can find in the woods near Lumsden’s house. By kilning the barley used to make this whisky with juniper, birch bark, and heather blossom, Glenmorangie have infused their single malt with earthy, nutty, vegetal, and floral notes – interesting!
I first tasted this whisky in a session we had near Mount Carmel woods, organized by the Israeli importer of Glenmorangie, side by side with the 10-year-old “original” juxtaposing the very different distillates..
Glenmorangie A Tale of The Forest, 46 %, ~ £74
Nose: Wow. That is very different from what I was expecting from a Glenmo. There’s a subtle smokiness, as well as sweet vanilla and heather, hints of coriander and wild honey, then birch bark and juniper, hints of subtle peat.
Palate: The palate is even wilder than the nose with bitter char, peppermint some chocolate, and earth, as well as peat and botanicals, smoke, with the juniper and heather up front, then giving way to some licorice eucalyptus and mint.
Finish: smoky and herbal with notes of citrus fruit – smoky lemon and orange.
Conclusion: This is a very unusual Glenmorangie by any standard. very out there, with the botanical smoke and woody notes, I was overwhelmed when I first had a sip. It’s a very unusual creation. Not a whisky I would sip daily, but It has its charm. If Dr. Lumsden wanted to create something “different” he succeeded.