Glenmorangie 12 The Quinta Ruban
There’s Glenmorangie 12 The Quinta Ruban in my glass. The distillate spent 10 years in ex-bourbon barrels and it has been finished in ex-port casks. It was a Ruby Port – not my favorite type of this wine to drink (I like Tawny Port more), but for maturing whisky it’s OK.
Glenmorangie 12 The Quinta Ruban
Glenmorangie means „The Valley of the Great Wetlands” (erroneously translated as „The Calm Valley”)
Scotch Single Malt
Region: Highland
12 years
46% ABV
Unpeated
Matured for 10 years in ex-Bourbon casks, finished for 2 years in ex-Port wine casks
Non chill-filtered
Color: amber +2, with copper sheen
Tasting notes
Aroma: beautiful, subtle, delicate. Alcohol is well hidden. Cherries in liqueur, plum jam, wood, Porto, or sweet Sherry, molasses, cloves, ginger, lemongrass. 22/25
Taste: an immediate explosion! Not watery at all, very expressive. Strong, black tea. As for me, a bit too bitter at first, but you can get used to it. This is typical for this distillery – this interesting bitterness, which we find at the beginning on the tongue. Apple pips, sweet oranges, dried apples, dried cranberry, Porto (more Tawny than Ruby – due to the intensity of a wooden cask), vanilla, orange peel, ginger, dried figs, dates, bourbon, anise, cloves. Superb. 22.5 / 25
Finish: at the beginning, a bit spicy – alcoholic, which was not noticeable in either the smell or the taste. Dried plums, blueberry jam, cloves, cardamom, marzipan, hazelnuts, anise. 21.5 / 25
Balance: raising the alcohol level to 46% and the lack of chill-filtration did a great work for this Whisky. There is a lot going on here. In contrast to the basic, ten-year version, here in the glass you will find a lot of emotions. The aroma is beautiful, the taste is excellent. Color … this color! It always fascinated me. Something beautiful. 22/25
Overall: 88/100
Until recently, Glenmorangie was the most-bought Single Malt Whisky in Scotland. If the Scots buy so many products from this distillery … they probably know what they do. For me, it’s a brilliant Whisky, which I’m always happy to go back to.
Other reviews:
Murray (2017): 92/100
whiskyfun (2007): 72/100
Ralfy (2014): 89/100
Price: from about 50 €.
Definitely worth to have it in your collection.
More Glenmorangie reviews – here
More pictures here
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