Glenmorangie 1963 A 50 Year Old Beast

How rare does rare have to be if it is a Scotch costing $2,600? Very rare, at least if you are Glenmorangie Distillery. The fine folks from this distillery recently unveiled Glenmorangie 1963, a very old expression that will only be available in 50 bottles worldwide and 20 here in the United States.

As the story behind Glenmorangie 1963 goes, the bottles holding this release, filled in 1987, were “recently discovered in a hidden corner of one of Glenmorangie’s expansive Highland warehouses.” Prior to bottling, they had been extra-matured in Spanish Oloroso Sherry casks for almost two years before hitting the market the same year the world population reached approximately 5 billion.

Given that this is an extra special release that is very expensive, and said to be the “world’s first wood-finished whisky,” it is no surprise that “each of the bottles is engraved with a unique number and is presented in a metal “time capsule”-style box.  The box has a polished oak wood interior, and contains a luxurious booklet customised with a hand-signed note of authenticity” from the distillery’s director of distilling Dr. Bill Lumsden. The labels, collar and cork are made of the purest .925 solid silver as well.

Glenmorangie describes the 1963 release as being

a warm walnut brown in colour and on nosing offers a beguiling mix of toasted coconut, vanilla fudge and cherries. Glenmorangie 1963 offers notes of juicy peaches, pineapples and sweet caramelised oranges, dusted with Demerara sugar. Notes of nutmeg, marzipan and walnuts are also prevalent; characteristic of Oloroso Sherry cask finishing.

Good luck hunting one of these bad boys down, as it certainly will only be available through top end stores and whiskey specialty shops.