
October 17, 2017

A couple of Glenmorangie

There’s a new Astar! We’ll try it today, but first, the regular 10, which we’ve been neglecting in recent years…

Glenmorangie 10 yo 'Original' (40%, OB, +/- 2017)

Imagine last time we formally tried this baby, that was in 2010! (WF 78). It’s cool that they haven’t dropped the age statement, having said that. Colour: straw/pale gold. Nose: a little spirity at first, with notes of kirsch and slivovitz, then we find a little fruity beer, then rather orchard fruits, which is obviously nicer. Greengages, other plums, gooseberries… What’s sure is that its not very aromatic. Mouth: easy, malty and fruity at first, with more plums, but it tends to become a little grassy and almost sour. Green apples, unripe kiwis… A little butterscotch as well, honey, toasted cake, café latte… Finish: medium, with touches of bitter oranges and some ginger and sour apples. A funny touch of moscatel, some hoppy ale in the aftertaste. Comments: very decent, just a little light, undemanding and, perhaps, unfocussed. Perhaps a matter of strength as well… SGP:441 - 79 points.

Glenmorangie 'Astar' (52.5%, OB, 2017)

An old glory revived – although it lost around 5% ABV - after a first batch in 2008, which I had rather enjoyed (WF 84). The oak comes from the Missouri Ozarks – by the way they have an excellent series on Netflix called ‘Ozark’. No Glenmo involved, but I enjoy it. Colour: pale gold. Nose: we aren’t that far from the Ten, not far at all. I’m not finding the boldness and richness that were in the first batch (as far as I can remember), in truth this is almost the Ten at a higher strength. Let’s see… With water: the Ten with more vanilla. Mouth (neat): hold on, there’s much more happening now. Some green oak for sure, some coffee with a good dollop of Cointreau inside, a little coconut, and then quite some oranges. The active oak feels a bit too much for me, I have to say. With water: pretty nice. Triple-sec matured in oak. Finish: same. Good length. A little sour dough in the aftertaste. Comments: I’m not too much into oak-flavoured whiskies, but this one sure is one of the rather good ones. Now, it's Astar, but not quite a star (ooh, S.!) SGP:541 - 81 points.

Check the index of all Glenmorangie I've tasted so far