Overview: Glenmorangie has announced the release of a 50-year-old single malt, marking the oldest whisky ever bottled by the Highland distillery. This limited production run consists of just 149 numbered bottles housed in bespoke porcelain vessels created by ceramic artists Peter and Laurie Pincus.
The Full Story
Glenmorangie has announced the release of a 50-year-old single malt, marking the oldest whisky ever bottled by the Highland distillery. This exclusive offering provides a taste of a bygone era, originating from spirit distilled in the mid-1970s. Each bottle is presented in a bespoke porcelain display vessel produced by Peter and Laurie Pincus and their studio team over more than three years. The artists created 50 custom colour pigments for the project, with no two vessels identical. Dr Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie’s director of whisky creation, noted that the release is particularly notable because it contains spirit produced from barley malted at the distillery before the closure of its floor maltings.
Production & Profile
The whisky initially matured in bourbon hogshead casks and first-fill Oloroso sherry butts. A small parcel was selected in 1999 and married together in a refill hogshead cask, where it remained for a further 25 years. The resulting whisky combines bourbon cask and sherry cask character, with tasting notes including baked oranges, sultanas, nutmeg, toffee, Assam tea leaves and oak spice. The whisky is bottled at a cask strength of 45.7% ABV, non-chill filtered.
Brand & Industry History
The production began with some of the last batches of barley malted in the distillery’s own floor maltings, which were decommissioned in 1977. This historical context makes the Glenmorangie 50 Years Old a rare taste of a bygone era, preserving the legacy of on-site malting before the facility was shut down.
What This Means
According to the distillery, the resulting whisky combines bourbon cask and sherry cask character. The release was particularly notable because it contains spirit produced from barley malted at the distillery before the closure of its floor maltings. It offers a rare taste of a bygone era with added rare hints of smoke to its flavour profile.
Consumer Takeaway
The whisky is bottled at a cask strength of 45.7% ABV, non-chill filtered, and will be available through Glenmorangie, its distillery visitor centre in Tain and selected retailers. The recommended retail price is £25,800.
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