Glenmorangie “The Original” 12-Year-Old

 

Glenmorangie “The Original” 12	Data Sheet
Owner:	Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH)
Barcode:	5010494990393
Price:	NIS 160-170 in Israel, £40 in the UK
Alcohol:	40% abv
Cask Types:	Bourbon Barrels stated on the front label
Chill-Filtered:	Yes
Natural Colour:	(In my opinion) No, despite others saying it is.
Kashrus Issues:	None
Kosher Certification:	Star-K in Israel. OU everywhere else.

Introduction

I received a comment under my last article about my top-ten single malt whiskies for a shul kiddush, from someone calling himself Daniel, asking me to review the new 12-Year-Old Glenmorangie “The Original” which has just come onto the market, replacing the 10-Year-Old. So, I said that I’d keep a lookout for it. Sure enough, I was in a wine store in Tel Aviv a few days later (actually looking for the Speyburn Bradan Orach) when I came across this 12-Year-Old. (Unfortunately, they were out of the Speyburn so this will have to wait for another day).

The Shul Kiddush Single Malt Whisky Popularity Results

Before we begin our review of the new Glenmorangie 12-Year-Old, as promised, I wanted to give you all an update on who won the popularity vote when it came to the single malts, I served at the shul kiddushim over the chagim (festivals).

When it came to my shul, I donated a bottle of Gen Scotia 10, Glen Moray Classic and Loch Lomond Original to the kiddushim. Admittedly, what I’m about to write is purely anecdotal but nevertheless, I found it interesting.

So, to set the scenario, all three bottles were opened and placed on the tables but spread around. One on the left, one in the middle and one at the end. The results to this little social experiment would I suppose, depend on where the whisky drinkers happened to be congregating. A far better experiment would have been had the bottles been together on the same table.

The Glen Moray Classic won hands down, with the bottle draining within a few minutes. The rapid rate at which the bottle emptied even surprised me. However, even more unexpected was that the next most popular single malt turned out to be the Glen Scotia 10, which I had estimated to be a bit of an outsider when it came to a shul kiddush. How wrong I was!

People were coming up and asking me what this Glen Scotia 10 was as they had never heard of the distillery and they were really enjoying it. Something quite unusual, they commented. The Loch Lomond went down at a respectable rate but the Glen Scotia went down faster and attracted more attention.

However, I also donated a bottle of Loch Lomond Original and a bottle of Glen Moray Classic to another shul in the area and was fascinated to see the level of the Loch Lomond going down much quicker than the Glen Moray Classic. These are obviously completely unscientific results but nevertheless, I was puzzled by this. When I asked the gabai of this shul what he thought of the Loch Lomond, he said that people had told him that they thought it was a lovely change from the Glen Moray or Tomatin Legacy which they usually serve. So, I guess it was that  the Loch Lomond was more popular partially due to it being something different. When I asked him if they would consider buying this for future shul kiddushin, he said that it would depend on the price. Being Shabbos, I wasn’t prepared to discuss money but during the week, I wrote to him and he was happy to hear that the price of the 1 Litre bottle was well within their regular budget.

The History of the Glenmorangie Original

The Glenmorangie 10-Year-Old has been around since the early 1960s. In 2004, Glenmorangie, along with its sister distillery Ardbeg were sold to French Luxury Goods Brands company Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (or LVMH for short). In 2007 the new owners completely revamped the entire product range for Glenmorangie getting rid of the Victorian style sepia coloured “Oldy-Worldly” packaging and replacing it with a modern European design in bright orange.

Now, where have we seen that bright orange artwork before? Why, it’s on a famous champagne brand that just happens to be owned by LVMH. How’s that for a coincidence?

At the same time they also added an expression name to the 10-Year-Old, “The Original”. Whenever the marketing department adds a fancy name to an expression, you know that their intention is to reserve the right to remove the Age Statement at some point and hope no one notices. The example that comes to mind is The Glenlivet “Nadurra” which went from 16-Year-Old to a Non-Aged-Statement (NAS) a few years ago. Believe me, everyone noticed!

So, it was a pleasant surprise when one of the longest running expressions of any distillery, suddenly went from 10-Years to 12-Years. This situation is rare but not unheard of.  In the early 2000s, Scapa went from 14-Years to 16-Years. The standard core-range Glenkinchie went from 10-Years to 12-Years in 2007. I’m sure there are other examples but nevertheless, the direction is almost always down, to lower the age or remove it altogether.

Theories as to why Glenmorangie decided to increase the age to 12-Years?

Well, the official story coming out of the marketing department is that the Master Distiller, Dr Bill Lumsden and other colleagues, were sitting around one day, sampling casks meant for “The Original” at various ages. In an apparent epiphany, they all came to the conclusion that at 12-Years-Old, it was actually “a lot smoother, creamier and more complex”, so out of the goodness of their own hearts, decided to improve the core-range by bottling it at 12-Years, and of course having to raise the price just a pinch to reflect the extra two years. In Israel we are talking about another NIS 20. In the UK it’s another £5.

However, the talk from the whisky enthusiasts’ forums is that Glenmorangie has been working on American Oak Cask engineering fast drying techniques and charring levels, to produce a product which would appeal more to the Entry Level consumer - those who were Single Malt Whisky “Curious”. After some research and computer modelling, they came up with a new recipe which necessitated matured whisky at 12-Years-Old.

Others (more cynical than I) have suggested that the quality of casks has been steadily going down over the years and that they found themselves putting more and more spirit from 12-Year-Old casks into the vatting in order to maintain the same flavour profile. At some point, someone realised that they may as well raise the minimum cask age that goes into “The Original” to 12-Years.

Modern Engineered American Oak casks

I have become aware of an increasing amount of High-Tech cask engineering experimentation with various types of made to order, custom Ex-Bourbon and American Oak Whiskey seasoned barrels within the industry. Traditionally, the process of seasoning for American Bourbon distilleries begins by leaving the freshly cut staves outside and exposing them to the elements for around three years. This reduces the humidity in the wood as well as reducing (but not eliminating completely) aldehydes and coumarin compounds which are responsible for those bitter and astringent woody flavours which would otherwise transfer into the maturing liquid in the cask. We don’t want to remove these natural organic compounds totally though, as when combined with the sweeter wood flavours such as glucose and vanillin, these compounds in tiny amounts, will actually contribute interesting flavours and body which add to the character of a whisky.

In recent times however, new methods are being developed in the modern industrial computerised cooperages in America which rapidly speed up the seasoning process by heating the oak staves in large kilns at 50 Degrees Celsius for about a month.

I suspect that this is the case here with the new Glenmorangie 12-Year-Old. That is, the barrels used in this new core-range are not the traditional standard genuine Ex-Bourbon barrels sourced from Bourbon distilleries and cask brokerages, but part of LVMH’s High-Tech American Oak Cask engineering project. An off-the-record email to Dr Lumsden would probably confirm this.

Packaging

Q-Codes

I have already spoken about the artwork but I thought it would be fun to try out the two Q-Codes, one on the box and the other on the bottle label.

The Q-Code on the box takes you here:

The above page is actually advertising another release called "The Tale of Ice Cream".

However, the Q-Code on the label results in a 404.

That’s not good! If you are going to put a Q-Code on your product then you had better make sure that it works.

It reminds me of every time I unfortunately have to visit the Beit Kevaot (Funeral grounds) in Givat Shaul, Yerushalayim. I’ve noticed a growing trend upon those families who’s departed loved ones are buried in the walls in the covered burial areas, that instead of the standard text on a matzeiva (stone) they simply engrave a URL into the stone which, when typed into your phone is supposed to take you to a website celebrating the person's life. However, sometimes the link is broken. Perhaps the family forgot to pay the subscription to the hosting company or other such technical issue. The result is the same. A broken link and the grave becomes totally anonymous. Because of this problem, in my opinion, URLS on matzeivot should be banned.

The Cork Stopper

The cork stopper is covered with an ill fitting plastic wrapper reminiscent of those cheap bottles of Kiddush wine you get in the supermarkets here in Israel. I don't know why they have done this but I do remember a YouTube reviewer complaining that he occasionally gets cuts from the silver foil wrapping. This has never happened to me.

Personally, I think this plastic wrapper around the cork looks really tacky. The cork stopper however is of high-quality plastic which I initially mistook for painted wood. The cork itself is real, not plastic or a composite.

Appearance

Has E150a Caramel colour been added to the Glenmorangie 12?

One respected YouTube reviewer said that despite not stating as such on the label, Glenmorangie claim that this 12-Year-Old is in fact Natural Colour. I find this difficult to believe.

Looking at this Glenmorangie, it does have a noticeable orang-y tinge to it. I would have expected a paler straw yellow colour for a whisky matured in Ex-Bourbon barrels for 12-Years. The vatting either contains a lot of older whisky or much more likely, there is in fact a touch of E150a in this.

Indeed, comparing this 12-Year-Old to other similar Ex-Bourbon Cask Single malts which state “Natural Colour” on the label, I observed that the Glenmorangie was significantly orang-y and darker.

Only the Balblair 12 on the left looked almost as dark as the Glenmorangie so I compared just these two side-by-side.

As you can clearly see, the Glenmorangie is considerably darker and orang-y, tail-tail signs of E150a colouring having been utilised. That’s just my observation and opinion.

Incidentally, looking at photos I took of the old departed 10-Year-Old, it does indeed show a pale straw colour and I am much more inclined to believe that this was natural colour. I don’t think two extra years in the cask would make that much of a difference to the colour. It would take more like another four or five years in quality casks, in my opinion to see a significant transfer of colour coming solely from the cask.

The Review

Initial Impressions

From the moment I opened the bottle I noticed that there was no hint of any alcohol nose pinch. Even from the initial neck-pour, this is a very well-behaved single malt, but “smooth” (in other words – “bland”), I would certainly not call it. The aroma is fresh, clean and tangy. What is clear is that there is absolutely no need to add water. This is a whisky designed to drink straight out the bottle. (Not literally swigging it from the bottle. I’d suggest pouring it into a glass first).

On the Nose

Loads of sweet waxy honey. Soft orang-y citrus notes, like a fine spray spritzing out whilst peeling an orange. Orange Flavour Wood polish. Floral blossom notes like the smell of petals after a down pour. In the foreground there is something like barley biscuits with icing (powdered) sugar. I have to say that the nose is utterly delightful. I was impressed. I have no hesitation in saying that as far as the nose goes, this is a huge step up from the old 10-Year-Old.

Tasting

After that really impressive experience by just nosing the glass, I was expecting the same kinds of flavour notes to carry through to the tasting stage. Yes, I know I’d just opened the bottle and that this was only the “neck-pour” but my initial reaction was one of disappointment that the Glenmorangie 12 seemed thin and watery to me.

Had this been a blind tasting then honestly, I would have guessed that this was whisky with a lot of water added to the glass. It tasted more like 30% abv, not the minimum legal 40% as stated on the label.

Swirling the whisky around my tongue, I tried looking for flavours. There’s a hint of citrus fruits there but there was no viscosity in the mouth whatsoever. It may just as well have been flavoured water. Perhaps I’m exaggerating a bit here, so being kind, I’d describe this as “ultra-light”, like a whisky aperitif. Something dainty and delicate to drink before a meal.

I left the liquid in the glass for about 10 minutes minutes and then came back to it. The nose was just as nice and indeed, the tasting had improved slightly. I was now getting a distinct taste of tinned peaches with a hint of sour apricot jam and icing sugar.

The Finish however was simply non-existent. Efes! Nada. Nothing. No remnant of any flavour whatsoever. I’ll say it again. I simply cannot believe that what I was tasting was at 40% abv.

I don't have the benefit of a 10-Year-Old to hand to compare it to the new 12-Year-Old so am relying purely on my old tasting notes, but I had written no comments about the old “Ten” being thin.

Again going on my old tasting notes, I’d say that the nose on this 12-Year-Old was a lot more complex. I have no hesitation in saying that as far as the nose goes, this is a huge step up from the old 10-Year-Old.

So, as you can tell, upon first opening the bottle, I was not particularly impressed.  However, let’s not write this whisky off just yet. Let’s see how this now open bottle fairs after a few days. Besides, I also wanted to get the opinion of the rest of the family.

Friday Night (four days after the bottles was open).

So, it was now Friday night and after Kiddush and HaMoitzei had been said (the kiddush over a particularly nice Tura “Mountain Vista Heartland” Blend 2021), now, with an hors d'oeuvre of smoked salmon, avocado and fresh vegetable salad, I was eager to give this new single malt another go.

I poured myself a dram and another for my eldest son, who, along with his family, were with us for Shabbos. My daughter and grandkids were supposed to have been with us for Shabbos as well, but Baruch Hashem she called on Friday morning to let us know the good news that her husband, our son-in-law was on his way home from Lebanon, so she was rushing out to the local supermarket to prepare a quiet Shabbos for him at home.

I intentionally did not mention to my son what my initial reaction had been upon first opening the Glenmorangie 12, as I did not want to unfairly influence his opinion. I also purposely delayed picking up my glass until my son had tried it and given his opinion, in case I exposed my thoughts through silent facial expressions.

What was amusing was that he held his glass up to the light and immediately declared that it had an obvious fake colour. I’m not sure whether it was because we had all the lights on in the living room for Shabbos, but this Glenmorangie 12 did look even more orang-y-yellow than it had when I first opened it.

I really had no idea if he could confirm my initial thoughts of a few days ago about the whisky being thin and watery but was not surprised when he said that he wouldn’t add any water to this. That it was fine as is. He described the flavours as stewed apricots, oranges and peaches with sweet vanilla cake.

Swirling the liquid around in my glass, there were no signs of any tears sticking to the glass. A sure sign of chill-filtration and low abv.

I then commenced my second examination of this whisky.

On the Nose

The aromas were Just as enjoyable as before but with that sparkling freshness slightly reduced and having gained some warmth. Those orange-y fruit notes still dominated. Orange marmalade, honey, tin peaches in syrup, cereal notes and traditional Babka cake.

Tasting

After only a few days with the bottle open, the 12-Year-Old presented itself far more confidently now. As my son said, I certainly wouldn’t add water but that thinness which I experienced upon first opening was less pronounced now. Those orange fruits like oranges and apricots, which were always so dominant on the nose,  are now finally coming through on the palate. There’s lots of honey, vanilla cake with a touch of ripe banana, icing sugar and marmalade.

This is why I have a policy never to review a whisky from a sample or 5cl miniature bottle. It is not uncommon that a whisky will change its character significantly within a few days or weeks after opening.

Finish

A light finish of orange citrus cake and honey cereal which fades away relatively quickly.

Glenmorangie 12 Versus the Glenfiddich 12 American Oak

I thought it would be a good idea to compare this with its nearest rival, the Glenfiddich 12 American Oak. They are both American Oak Ex-Bourbon matured, both 12-Years-Old and both come with a descent AKO member hechsher printed on the label. After tasting the Glenfiddich 12, I found the mouthfeel and viscosity of the Glenfiddich 12 more rounded and fuller bodied.

The Glenmorangie 12 is a lot lighter and all about orange fruits, as compared to the Glenfiddich 12 which is very much about yellow fruits. Being that these orang-y fruit flavours are more unusual in an Ex-Bourbon matured cask single malt, I must admit that I find it more interesting.

Moreover, because of its lightness, I would imagine that the Glenmorangie 12 would even appeal to non-whisky drinkers and dare I say, it is more female friendly, which gains it points when served at a simcha or kiddush. My son though, much preferred the Glenfiddich 12 as he said that flavours were more rounded with more body and a longer finish.

Conclusions

As a worthy successor to the Glenmorangie 10, it does seem to fit the bill. I don’t unfortunately have any 10-Year-Old left to do a direct comparison but just like the now discontinued 10, I’d be more than happy with this 12-Year-Old if given a glass at a simcha.

Regarding my previous article where I ranked the Glenmorangie 10 at No.8, I’d slot the 12-Year-Old right into the same position. Whereas the old 10 was priced at around NIS 150 and frequently on discount for around NIS 120, the 12-Year-Old is around 20 shekels more at NIS 170.

Would I buy another bottle? Well, it’s pleasant enough but in my opinion, it’s a tad overpriced for what it is, but if it was discounted to about NIS 150 then I’d definitely consider buying it again for a simcha or a shul Kiddush especially if the Glenfiddich 12 American Oak, it’s nearest rival, wasn’t available.

As always, comments are very welcome. I'd prefer that you use the public forum below rather than write to me privately.