Glenmorangie Finealta

4th of July @ Derek's

NOSE Banana’s Foster, vanilla pudding, peat, toasted marshmallows, nuts, malt and dried orchard fruit. Not at all the typical Glenmorangie profile, but I’m digging it. PALATE Leathery dark fruit, banana pudding, smoke, roasted nuts, char, baking spice, vanilla malted shake, milk chocolate and some taffy sweetness. The palate is complex and alluring. As a-typical Glenmo as it gets but good. FINISH Long -> Dark fruit, roasted nuts, smoke and leather with a vanilla cupcake fade.

I lost my notes on this, which I tried a while ago, but it left a distinct enough impression to merit recording what has stayed with me. The general idea that Dr. Lumsden and the crew at Glenmorangie pursued here was recreating a turn-of-the-century style malt...and, I do have to say, if they succeeded then I am a little envious of those living in 1903. The fresh, gently fruity and honeyed distillery characteristic is preserved, but it has a greater sense of substance here, as well as lovely autumn woodsy notes and a distant, sweet hardwood campfire. I would drink this again happily...and I'm not always the biggest Glenmorangie cheerleader.