Discover Whisky

Like the earlier tasting of Blair Athol, this Glenmorangie expression arrived via my father and a good friend who knows his tastes. The Tain distillery have been in the forefront of special finishes and this one uses Spanish Oloroso Sherry casks. I’d heard Mike talking about one of their other finishes, the Quinta Ruban which uses Port casks, in enthusiastic terms so I was intrigued to discover what this would be like; especially when I realised that two days after opening it was already half empty! Perhaps though I should mention that this was partly due to a farewell toast to Jock Wilson, the oldest Normandy Veteran at 105, whose funeral had taken place that day, and at which dad had spoken eloquently.

Glenmorangie - The Lasanta -  46%

no age given other than the Sherry finish is after at least 10 years in Bourbon casks.

Colour

Rich dark-golden honey.

Nose

Warm, spirity, the sherry is quite noticeable but well-blended, hints of black treacle and perhaps a little peatier than expected for a Glenmorangie.

Taste

Initial taste

Rich, dark chocolate, treacle again, walnut, black raisins. The sensation seems to go across the top of the palate and down the back of the mouth.

Later taste

A little of the spirit edge comes off and leaves a lush, warm, enveloping taste. There is a hint of spice and bitter Seville oranges but with the bitterness masked by the sweetness of the sherry, while there is a suggestion that the treacle has changed to almost-licquorice.

Finish

Long, smooth and rich. Very relaxing. It’s hard to resist another glass!

Conclusion

In some ways quite unlike the standard Glenmorangie which is much lighter, this is a rich concoction suited to long evening discussions surrounded by wood panelling and a warm fire. However in other regards you can still detect the essential nature, which I’ve seen described as “soft and gentle”, providing the base for the darker richer layers which the sherry finish provides. Their advertising uses the “Glen of Tranquility” translation prominently and that is a perfect description of this excellent combination of Highlander and Spaniard.