Review: Glenmorangie Triple Cask Reserve, “The Original” 12, “The Infinita” 18, and “A Tale of Ice Cream”
Review: Glenmorangie Triple Cask Reserve, “The Original” 12, “The Infinita” 18, and “A Tale of Ice Cream”
Our friends at Glenmorangie recently did a broad revamp of their core lineup, mixing up just about everything we thought we knew about the brand, right down to the divisive, new, and very contemporary label redesign. The revamp has touched a number of expressions, but none is more visible than the new version of The Original, which has long held a 10 year old age statement. Confusingly, the original Original (10 years old) is still on the market. There’s now another not-original Original with a 12 year old age statement attached. Fortunately the age is written in fairly big, bold type, so figuring out which version you’re getting should not be difficult.
We’re also looking at two more new releases — the NAS Triple Cask Reserve and The Infinita, a reimagining (and renaming) of Glenmo’s old 18 year old expression, which was formerly known as Extremely Rare. Now it’s so rare its gone infinite.
And if that’s not enough, we’re finally looking at Glenmorangie’s latest seasonal/limited release, A Tale of Ice Cream.
Get your Glencairns out and follow along!
Glenmorangie Triple Cask Reserve Review
This new, entry-level offering is aged in three types of casks — ex-bourbon, virgin charred oak, and ex-rye whiskey — though its unclear if that refers to full maturation, various finishes, or some combination of the above. The rye is what pops here immediately, giving the nose a racy spiciness, slightly green and showcasing a more savory side of Glenmo — pipe tobacco, leather, and a substantial punch of barrel char. On the palate, more of the same awaits — leathery and tobacco-laden — but filtered through elements of grilled fruits. Plums and nectarines dominate, finishing on bittersweet chocolate and shavings of orange peel. Lots of spice throughout, with a late-game note of floral honeysuckle providing an oddly exotic aromatic note. A heavier oak element lingers however on the finish, rooting the whisky in the New World and leaning into spice elements. 80 proof. B+ / $33 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Glenmorangie “The Original” 12 Years Old (2024) Review
With two extra years of age on it (still all aged in ex-bourbon casks), The Original still fires on cylinders. This has long been a go-to call for an easy-sipping, low-cost neat Scotch that most reputable bars will have on hand, and it shall remain as such. Gentle spice mixes with dried florals on the nose, along with a solid punch of barrel char. The honey-laden palate whisks most of that char away and lets the fruit shine, apples and mandarin oranges set against a backdrop of salted caramel, touched with a grind of white pepper and a hint of sage, which offsets some of the sweeter notes. Versatile and and a little too easy-drinking at 40% abv — a few ticks up on proof might well be in order, but I’m not complaining, I swear. 80 proof. A / $50 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Glenmorangie “The Infinita” 18 Years Old (2024) Review
Same deal as the Triple Cask Reserve – ex-bourbon casks, new charred oak, and ex-rye whiskey casks — but with an 18 year old age statement. That extra time has changed things more than a little: The nose is richly earthy and laden with umami notes, almost leathery and vegetal rather than clearly herbal or grassy. A light furniture polish note adds a level of austerity to the experience. The palate at last sweetens things up, its baked apple character mixing with toasted almonds and crushed graham crackers, making for a chewy cobbler experience. A gentle beefiness endures here, some of that rye-driven greenery evoking rosemary and thyme. But watch carefully for a final burst of strawberries on the conclusion, along with a touch of saffron, which perk this rather savory experience up enough to keep things lively. 86 proof. B+ / $165 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Glenmorangie “A Tale of Ice Cream” Review
Glenmo’s latest “Tale of” whisky (its fifth) celebrates something that everyone absolutely loves: ice cream. (We already did A Tale of Cake, but it’s the sole “Tale of” release we didn’t get to review.) What kind of ice cream, you ask? Strawberry? Vanilla? Rocky road? All of them, apparently: Dr. Bill Lumsden apparently loves the stuff, so he tried to eke out flavors ranging from peach to vanilla to coconut. The trick was “uniting single malt aged in bourbon casks with our first whisky finished in high-vanillin casks. These new oak casks had been especially toasted to bring out more vanilla qualities” as well as fruity overtones. The result is solid, but a bit more scattered than I’d have liked, coming off as, surprisingly, a little sweaty on the nose. Aromas of lemon curd and coconut are present — but there’s also a certain seaside character that is atypical for Glenmorangie, complete with a seaweed note. A biscuity cereal note, endemic of a young Highlands Scotch, emerges with time in glass, while the palate leans into fruit — peaches, for sure, then more creamy lemon curd. Some coconut, husk-like, rings the edges, then moves into a note of milk chocolate, softened by a whiff of smoke. Almond and cereal notes on the finish evoke the cone more than the ice cream inside, but given the virtually impossible task of making a single malt Scotch taste like ice cream, this is probably as close as it gets. 92 proof. A- / $100 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Glenmorangie "A Tale of Ice Cream"
USD100
