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Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1989 Joins Special Whisky Collection

Glenmorangie out of Scotland, back in late 2016, debuted a limited edition 25 year old Scotch from 1990 that was aged in select ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. It formed the start of the distillery’s Bond House No. 1 Vintage collection, so named after one of the distillery’s former aging warehouses. Bottling number two is now making its appearance, with an interesting twist in that it was partly matured in a rare type of French wine cask.

Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1989, according to those behind it, is a 27-year-old whisky that Dr. Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie’s Director of Distilling, Whisky Creation & Whisky Stocks, created. He initially arranged for select parcels of the Scotch to be finished in a handful of casks, the most interesting of which once contained Côte-Rôtie wine from the northern Rhône wine region of France. Since wine from the Côte-Rôtie appellation (French for roasted slopes) is created from the co-fermentation of syrah and viognier grapes, it is said he was “interested in the character it would bring to Glenmorangie’s soft and smooth spirit.” 

As the Côte-Rôtie-aged parcels showed themselves to be ready, Dr. Lumsden reunited them with spirit from the same vintage finished in ex-Oloroso sherry and ex-bourbon casks. It was then finally bottled at 43% ABV.

“The Bond House No. 1 Vintage collection invites single malt whisky collectors to explore some of Glenmorangie’s most rare and prized vintage whiskies, marked for greatness from their year of origin,” said Lumsden in a prepared statement. “After 27 years of maturation, I knew that Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1989 was ready to share. Each cask in the assemblage was carefully chosen to complement the depths brought upon by the ex-Côte-Rôtie casks. Connoisseurs will delight in the beautiful balance of subtle finesse, richness, and intensity of the expression, which is extraordinarily varied for a whisky of such age.”

Plans call for this Scotch to price around $665 USD. You’ll find official tasting notes for this russet colored whisky below for your consideration.

  • Nose: Toasted marshmallow, almond, and a curious, perfumed top note. Classic, buttery scents of vanilla and fudge, burst into notes of baked apples, red fruits, blackcurrants, tropical fruits, fragrant wood smoke, freshly baked bread, and beeswax.
  • Taste: An oily, viscous mouthfeel with a gentle peppery sensation on the palate. Baked apples, fudge, and gentle citrus flavors.
  • Finish: Floral orange blossom and honey, hints of eucalyptus oil, and sweet aniseed, along with some leather and oak. The addition of water brings more tropical fruits and an intensified citrus note, like dried zest of clementine. A long finish ends with classic wood spices and oak shavings.
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