"The light music of whisky falling into a glass - an agreeable interlude" Part II
Written: Aug 23 '06 (Updated Aug 24 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: I don't have a bad word to say about Glenmorangie Port Wood Finish.
Cons: I don't have a bad word to say about Glenmorangie Port Wood Finish.
The Bottom Line: "Come, let me know what it is that makes a Scotchman happy!"
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| headlessparrot's Full Review: Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch 12 Year Port Wood ... |
My epic love affair with single malt Scotch whisky and its origins are already well documented – with my liver already dangerously close to pickling, in any event, it seemed like a natural progression (and perhaps a creative way to slow down my otherwise uninhibited consumption of spirits). I was struck by the cool factor of the tumbler, filled with two fingers of brown or amber liquid, held tightly like a good friend; the satisfied look of the drinker, and the character of a man proud that he drinks his liquor unsullied by ice or mixers. Perhaps it's a level of machismo – which I sorely lack in other areas – that the drink displays, or perhaps its the rich history and connections of the beverage.
When one imbibes a dram of fine Scotch, after all, they are not carrying out a solitary act; they are connecting themselves to hundreds of years of history, to a tradition. Our forefathers drank gut-rot liquid every day, without aid of Coca-Cola; it is perhaps in some small tribute to them that I raise my glass of single malt scotch and sip it slowly and luxuriously. There's something to be said for a man who drinks scotch – whether its indicative of pretension and foolishness (more likely?), or simply a man who rejects the saccharine instant-gratification of sweetened soft drinks and berry-flavoured malt beverages (what I would like to think). A man who slaves or a dram of scotch, sniffing and sampling for subtle, elusive flavours that may not exist is a patient man, a man with character and depth – a complexity rivaling the mysterious liquid that he imbibes. Or, at least that's what I would like to think.
It is in that spirit, then that – as I've said before – I first sampled Johnnie Walker Red, and later The Glenlivet 12 year old. And perhaps surprisingly, for I do have quite a sweet tooth and a fondness for all that is saccharine, I was sold on the later. Before the year was out, I was slinging and sipping fine malts like an old professional, and feeling profoundly touched by the experience. There is a reason that the word 'whisky' comes from the Gaelic for 'water of life,' and that reason can be found in the first and last sip of every dram, in the cork of every bottle and the empty vessel that remains after the nectar inside has been consumed. This is more than mere hyperbole; there is truly something special about the drink in all its incarnations. Perhaps poet and novelist James Hogg wasn't too far off the mark when he declared of the Glenlivet that “if a body could just find oot the exac' proportion and quantity that ouight to be drunk every day, and keep to that, I verily trow that he might leeve for ever, without dying at a', and that doctors and kirkyards would go oot o' fashion.”
A full history and explanation of Scotch whisky and all its variants are available from a multitude of sources, so I shall try to keep my explanation short. Scotch whisky, or Scotch, simply refers to whisky distilled in Scotland (note that the spelling deviates slightly from the Irish and American 'whiskey'). The ingredients in this distillation may only be malted barley, grain, water and yeast, and the end result must additionally be aged in Scotland in oak barrels for a minimum of three years (though it's worth pointing out that any self-respecting distiller would be downright stupid to release a 3 year old malt). The final, bottled product must have an alcohol by volume of no less than 40% and no greater than 94.8% (to ensure that the raw ingredients used in the drink's production can still be tasted upon completion), and can contain no additives beyond water and caramel colour.
There are several types of Scotch whiskies, but two categories generally dominate the commercial landscape. Single malt whiskies (like the Glenmorangie Port Wood Finish that I am examining today) are whiskies produced at one distillery from 100% malted barley. Blended Scotch whiskies (such as the Johnnie Walker family of Scotches, the most popular in the world), meanwhile, are mixtures of single malt and grain whiskies, most often from a wide variety of distilleries. Blends have a much larger share of the world market (perhaps thanks to the inexpensive and inconsequential Johnnie Walker Red Label), but are generally viewed with a sneer by the whisky elite. Their concern with consistency, critics would argue, generally results in whiskies with less depth and less complexity than single malt Scotches – drams that generally offer bigger taste, but often noticeably less consistency from year to year.
Glenmorangie, however, is a single malt distiller, that has no trouble with either consistency or taste. Perhaps only second in name recognition to the Glenlivet, Glenmorangie – or “the Glen of Tranquility” - dates its establishment to 1843, and are widely known for the 'Sixteen Men of Tain,' a workforce of only sixteen who are selected from successive generations of families local to the distillery. Though they are known for a number of innovations in single malt scotch distillation, they are perhaps best recognized as the purveyors of the number one selling domestic single malt, a claim held by the Glenmorangie 10 year old for quite a time. If this is not an ecstatic endorsement for the so-called Sixteen Men of Tain, then I simply do not know what is. Glenmorangie is distilled in the tallest pot stills in Scotland; the company claims that this produces the “purest spirit possible,” though competitors dispute the point.
In addition to the 10 year old variety, Glenmorangie bottles its whisky in 12, 15, and 18 year old agings as well. Their twelve-year olds are perhaps best known, for they come in a wide variety of finishes. After ten years in traditional American bourbon casks, whisky is transferred to casks that previously housed wine. In addition to the Port Finish that we are currently looking at, Glenmorangie offers sherry (not unlike the Balvenie 12 year old DoubleWood), Madeira, and burgundy finishes. This process of finishing supposedly adds “further complimentary characteristics” to a whisky, and though it has its detractors, I for one am often a fan of the end results.
While it is perhaps a hindrance on my part that I have never sampled Glenmorangie's standard 10 year old offering, I feel compelled to offer my insight on their Port Wood Finish, a 12 year old bottling that may very well be one of my preferred single malts. It is, at the very least, my current favourite in my own limited collection of scotches. The additional two years spent in port casks, or 'pipes,' results in a more complex and interesting – yet also more mellow and pleasant – single malt experience.
Obviously, presentation is so often everything, and Glenmorangie Port Wood Finish has this avenue covered. Housed in a traditional tube, the Glenmorangie bottle is stylish in its no-nonsense look – tall, long-neck, simple labeling. The clear bottle, however, gives a glimpse of something fascinating and curious – a liquid that is not an amber or honey hue, but almost pink, like a White Zinfandel wine. From there, of course, this nectar becomes only more fascinating.
A fine single malt, as I've mentioned before, should be served neat, at room temperature – no mixers or ice should ever sully the complexity and rich character of a good Scotch. Ideally, it should be consumed from a snifter (though my personal attachment to the tumbler or rocks glass as a vessel is well-known), and cut only by a few droplets of water to tie up the volatiles and bring the flavours together.
Glenmorangie Port Wood Finish pours much like it looks in the bottle; the dram sits in the bottom of the glass, almost taunting the drinker with its colour – somewhere between pink and copper; faintly amber, but with almost a rosy hue to its body. This is no doubt a result of the port finish, as traditional casks do not impart this sort of colour. It's surprising, however, how much only two years in port pipes has affected the colour – there's no doubt that it will have affected the nose and taste similarly. A quick swirl of the glass offers up a whisky with some legs, though the spirit's rosy hue makes it difficult to see them. This is a scotch that looks unconventional, yet still quite delicious.
The nose is unlike any single malt I've encountered before. Before a splash of water, the Glenmorangie Port Wood Finish is admittedly a tad rough around the edges, though it is accompanied by rich flavours. Most obvious is a delicious, mouthwatering hint of bitter chocolate that wafts gently from the tumbler. This is offset by just a gentle sprig of mint that nicely accents the rich chocolate character. Port notes come through – no surprise – but are fuller and richer than I would have expected. Faint toffee and caramel notes are also present, though far more subtly than the in-your-face bang of the bitter chocolate; there is also a touch of nuts, especially walnut and cashews, and some indistinct berry fruitiness. A droplet of water opens up the Scotch just a touch. The chocolate notes really come into their own, almost overpowering the senses and making the mouth water. An ever-so-faint peaty/smoky character becomes apparent just beneath the surface. More toffee and caramel, and more nuts, but less of the obvious port finish. This may be one of the few single malts that stands as well on its own without water as it does with.
The taste is as impressive as the nose. Before water, the Glenmorangie Port Wood Finish slides through the mouth and down the throat almost effortlessly, even at 43% alcohol by volume. The flavours are a touch jumbled, but are varied and rich. Initial warmth on the tongue is accompanied by the chocolate character with the touch of mint. Smoke and peat that were completely absent from the smell present themselves, though softly, nicely accenting the chocolate notes. Obvious port tastes, with again a hint of caramel, toffee, nuts, and some faint fruitiness. Perhaps even a touch of sea salt or brine accompanying some of the smoky notes. The drink surprisingly asserts itself more the longer it sits on the tongue, eventually growing to a slight burn. It finishes, however, quite pleasantly – warm, with a touch of alcohol character, but also leaving the rich complex taste that it offered behind in the mouth for several minutes. Faint port aftertaste, and that wonderful scotch warmth in the throat and belly. After a droplet of water, the taste likewise becomes more chocolaty, though only a touch so; the port flavours are subdued, and the smoky character asserts itself only ever-so-slightly more. Toffee, caramel, and walnuts become faintly more assertive as well. The Scotch does not become quite as spicy on the tongue, though goes down similarly.
Glenmorangie's Port Wood Finish is, by any standard, a superb single malt. It is not the greatest malt that I have ever tried, nor is it the most complex. But it is, perhaps, the most unorthodox and unconventional. It presents flavour notes that I have never before encountered in a scotch whisky, and am reasonably sure that I may never see again. Single malt purists see the trend toward finishing as a bad thing, but this is a Scotch that flies heroically in face of those arguments. It is a rich, tasty malt, perfect for summer or winter, beginner or aficionado – and it is most certainly worth a try. Glenmorangie 12 year old Port Wood Finish has asserted itself as the star of my burgeoning single malt collection, and at a reasonable price, it may just do the same for you.
"Don't you drink? I notice you speak slightingly of the bottle. I have drunk since I was fifteen and few things have given me more pleasure. When you work hard all day with your head and know you must work again the next day what else can change your ideas and make them run on a different plane like whisky? When you are cold and wet what else can warm you?" - Ernest Hemingway
Related Reviews:
The Balvenie 12 year old DoubleWood
Recommended:
Yes
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headlessparrot
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Member: Bryan Jansen
Location: Ontario, Canada
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Are you gonna bark all day, little doggy, or are you gonna bite?
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