Whiskey_Hound
Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 12 Year
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed
June 3, 2019 (edited October 24, 2019)
Quick note: If you like this one, it's been replaced by a 14 year old Quinta Ruban that comes in teal packaging. I believe the packaging will change for all of the (former) 12 year Glenmorangie offerings. Also, the price of this one is set to jump $10-15. If you're a fan, be aware of the change.
Nose: Sweet and malty. Mostly dark fruits. Plum, blackberry, raisin, grape, cranberry. Jam. Some orange, chocolate, and vanilla. Cereal grain, toffee, and malt. As I can recall, this is the only port-finished scotch I've had. With little basis to work with, I'd say this noses similar to a sherried Scotch, only with darker fruits. A faint trace of cinnamon and black pepper spice. Rich and tart nose, solid stuff.
Palate: Jam is the word. Strawberry and blackberry. Pomegranate and plum. Later in the palate there's rich dark chocolate and vanilla in the background. Apple, pear, and honeydew behind that. I also get toffee, walnut, caramel, and a bit of honey to round this one off. Some sun-dried tomato. Sweet and balanced, especially on arrival; here, it's noticeably different from a sherry finished scotch.
Finish: Moderate. There's chocolate and blackberry sweetness followed by oak and cinnamon spice and black pepper. Raspberry adds a sour note. Solid finish.
When I do the math, there's a lot to like about this one. Pros: Respectable ABV of 46%, interesting notes with the Port cask finish, very good nose/palate, great value at $52, age statement, non-chill filtered. Cons: It isn’t sensational in any one way. Not too hard a criticism..
I've always been fond of this one. If it's not the Lasanta, this is the best of Glenmorangie's 4 'budget' malts. Great dram for a drinker at any level, and while it receives a bit of criticism, I've always had a soft spot for this one. I can only hope the extra 2 years is worth the bump in price. I'm looking forward to trying the 14, though I'd buy this again if I come across it. 4.25 for this one.
52.0
USD
per
Bottle
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@Whiskey_Hound Ooph! Trickery! Might as well purchase a bottle of the initial shipment and hope for the best...I’ll keep my eyes on this.
@KRB80 that's good news! Though it's worth pointing out that the store owner that I spoke with said the price bump would occur after the second shipment of the 14. Here's to hoping that doesn't happen
Grabbed a bottle of the 14yr today for a friend as they were stocking it on the shelf. Same low price as the 12!
@WhiskeyLonghorn Thanks! One of these days I'll get around to the Balvenie 21 but for the forseeable future, this is the way to go
@Whiskey_Hound good point. I think it’s the Brexit (or lack thereof). The trade policies have hit the Kentucky bourbon exports hard as well. It’ll be interesting to see who will be the next UK PM—-whether it’ll be a hard exit or a soft well planned one. Based on that, discretionary goods like these will take a bigger hit, I guess
Great review! I’ve been wanting to try either this one or the new 14 year version. Seems like a much more affordable port finished scotch than a lot of the others out there like Balvenie 21...
@PBMichiganWolverine I wonder if US trade policies have any bearing on that, or maybe the looming threat of Brexit, which most certainly will affect scotch prices one way or another (and northern Irish malts like Bushmills). Or maybe the market is just saturated and creating.
@Whiskey_Hound no, in general, especially scotch
@PBMichiganWolverine Is this just for Glenmoramgie or are you speaking of Scotch in general?
@Whiskey_Hound I am seeing a trend though...a slow one: bottles are staying longer on shelves, and auction prices are stabilizing (not for the unicorns, though). So—-this might not increase in price if trends are true
@Whiskey_Hound I have not yet. Reviews seem decent
@PBMichiganWolverine And that Allta is on my radar. Have you tried it? @KRB80 The 14 is the same price as this was in that same store. I spoke with the owner and he says he will not be able to get it for that price in the future. I hope you're right; time will tell. I'm going to do the Lasanta next just to verify my No. 1/2 spots
I just recently attended a Glenmo seminar that was put on by their national rep/ambassador and he claimed that the new 14yr age statement will be available for the same price. I agree that this is the best offering from their core range.
@Whiskey_Hound even though I didn’t like this one, I really do appreciate Glenmorangie’s willingness to experiment. Out of the big houses, they’ve been at the forefront. Their recent Alta has now shifted experimentation from wood and grain to yeast.