Glenmorangie Astar

Good, not great. Enjoyable, but nothing special

Great vanilla and ripe banana early with citrus and oak developing after a bit. No alcohol burn, very smooth with just a few drops of water.

Neat. Aroma: Tortuga Original Caribbean Rum Cake, butterscotch, brown sugar, orange citrus lollipop candy. Taste: minty cinnamon. On the smoother side. With water: brought on a warm coco aroma. Lost some of the palate nuances. Overall I'm not terribly impressed. It's not bad but not special.

Nose - (w/o water) Honeyed pears & apples, light apple core bitter, vanilla cream, light ginger, light charred/burnt sugar (w/ water) Pretty much the same, but more vibrant & bright Taste - (w/o water) Hot on the palate, honey drizzled apples/pears, caramel apples, vanilla cream, light apple core bitter, white pepper heat, burnt sugar bitterness (w/ water) Heat greatly reduced, slightly more ginger heat/sweetness, slightly less honey flavor, more bright fruity pears & apples Finish - (w/o water) Lingering hot white pepper heat, lightly bitter pear/apple cores/stems, honeycomb (w/ water) More apple/pear core bitter sweet Score - 81/100 Final Thoughts - This seemed like fairly standard Glenmorangie to me, but just cranked up to 12. The higher proof is nice, but this still seems to have the same bitter apple/pear core bitterness I get throughout the standard Glenmorangie "base" spirit. Nice honeyed apple & pear flavors going on here along with some nice vanilla cream, but the underlying core/stem bitterness gets a bit distracting. Would I drink it if offered? - Yes Would I specifically order it? - No Would I buy a bottle? - Not Another

I like Glenmorangie for the diversity of their whiskies. This one is a rare and special drink. This whisky is sweet and fruity, like pears or apples and spicy. For a 52.5% ABV (2017 version), the finish is smooth and lasting. I think this is an excellent after dinner whisky, a whisky to share in special occasions. Marvelous.