Whiskey_Hound
Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 14 Year
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed
March 2, 2024 (edited March 6, 2024)
When I found out Glenmorangie was revamping their core range, I wasn’t quite sure how to feel. I thought the concept of having different 12-year old variations of the standard 10-year was a fantastic idea. Toying with that was a risky idea.
This is my first foray into the new line. The Quinta Ruban was arguably my favorite of the original line, but fortunately for me, this was the only one that got a boost on paper. Looking forward to seeing what an extra two years in the barrel can do for the port variant.
Nose: Strawberry and blackberry jam. Raisin, Vanilla, toffee, malt, and honey. Vanilla frosting and custard. Raspberry. Apple, pear, apricot, and floral notes. Honeydew. Orange citrus and milk chocolate. Cola. Black currant. Black pepper, ginger, cinnamon, and oak.
Palate: Blackberry and strawberry jam. Raisin, Apple, fig, date, some dried apricot, raspberry. Vanilla, milk chocolate, toffee, malt. Orange citrus. Pomegranate and honeydew. Walnut and pecan. Black currant. Black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and oak.
Finish: Blackberry and raspberry. Black currant. Walnut and pecan. Vanilla, toffee, and caramel. Black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and oak. Moderate to long finish, leaning toward the former.
Excellent. Not only does that edge out the 12-year QR in terms of quality, but it is my favorite Glenmorangie that I’ve reviewed to date. And that includes the 18. This 14 is, unsurprisingly, very similar to the original 12, with a few note substitutions here and there and a tad more depth. It is exactly what you’d expect if you were promised two extra years in the cask and no other modifications.
I am very glad that Glenmoramgie not only kept this is tact but improved it. At $57, this was a $4-5 price increase, which I’m pretty sure beats the combination of tariffs and inflation that has affected prices within the time span. Either way, it’s fantastic VFM. Looking forward to checking the new Sauternes cask; my experience here has all but assured me the Lasanta will be unblemished considering there was no change on paper there. Awesome stuff. 4.5/5.
57.0
USD
per
Bottle
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