Glenmorangie The Original 12

The Glenmorangie will forever be a core single malt for me. In the infancy of my whisky tasting days, I thought Nectar D'or was just the most magnificent liquid I'd ever had the pleasure of tasting. Indeed, that selection is quite palatable. Recently, The Glenmorangie revised their core offering, bumping the Age Statement from 10 to 12 years. I'm still a bit thrown by the new bottle graphics, expecting to see that good ol' gold label. But that's just me being grumpy and resistant to change. The nose has gained some complexity with the added aging. Citrus peel and granny smith apples add a tart bite. Velvety honey still exists but with it some aromatic vanilla bean. The taste still begins soft, velvety and sweet with honey but with some pleasant nuttiness up front. Honey roasted cashews. This nuttiness was formerly found toward the back of the taste. Toward mid taste, a burst of citrus pith and white peach creates a vibrant fruity note. Surprisingly some tannic oak now joins the party mid-back of taste that was completely lacking on the 10 year. The tannins continue to the finish and actually bring some tingly cinnamon with them. As the initial spice and tannins fade, the nuttiness from the taste slides more towards dry roasted walnuts. Nutty and slightly bitter. Right at the tail end, just before the finish tapers off, there is a surprising hint of dark cocoa powder that was much more prevalent on the 10 year original. With the additional 2 year aging, this bottling seems to have picked up some additional complexity and it's better for it. It is a wee bit more expensive, yes; but well worth the price increase. Delicious.