I tried £25k 50 year old Glenmorangie whisky - it’s like nothing else from this Highland distillery
The Highland distillery recently launched its oldest whisky to date, and food and drink editor Rosalind Erskine was one of a lucky few to try it
In late September, Glenmorangie launched their oldest whisky to date; a 50 year old which their head of whisky creation, Dr Bill Lumsden had been overseeing since he first started in his role. It was when Dr Lumsden, the former Glenmorangie distiller manager, was creating the recipe for a 25 year old did he lay down some of the oldest stock to “see how far he could push the Glenmorangie spirit.”
Now, 25 years on, I was one of a small group of people who were lucky to attend the launch event of this whisky, and try a dram.
The creation of Glenmorangie 50 Year Old began with some of the last batches of barley malted in the distillery’s own floor maltings which were decommissioned in 1977, rendering The 50 Years Old a rare taste of a bygone era.
Distilled in Glenmorangie’s uniquely tall copper stills, the spirit was then laid down to mature in bourbon hogshead casks and first-fill Oloroso sherry butts in the mid-1970s. The whisky had already achieved a considerable age when Dr Bill joined Glenmorangie as the distillery manager in 1995, and during those early years of his tenure, he identified a handful of casks with the potential for significant ageing.
Read more: 'It’s an unashamedly old fashioned whisky' - Glenmorangie release 50-year-old single malt
He has called this “one of his proudest creations”, and said: “I often wondered if the day would ever come that we’d be able to bottle a Glenmorangie with such a mighty age statement. The combination of Glenmorangie from classic bourbon barrels, with a touch of sweet yet spicy sherry cask-matured liquid presents a stunning whisky of depth and complexity, harmonised with Glenmorangie’s signature elegance.
“It’s also particularly special that this whisky was created from some of the last batches of barley to be malted on site at the distillery in the mid-1970s, which has added rare hints of smoke to its flavour profile.”
During the tasting Dr Lumsden talked about texture in whisky and his preference for lively and vibrant liquid. It’s this, the fragrance and vibrancy, which he wanted to preserve in the 50 year old whisky as “it’s so much part of the Glenmorangie DNA”. The project, he called, a labour of love.
The richly coloured whisky has a nose of surprising mintiness, which fans of the brand may identify in the 18 year old. There’s also notes of powdered Turkish delight and an ash note that’s subtle and comes from that floor malted barley.
On the palette there is a rich toffee sweetness and raisin notes from the sherry but this isn’t as pronounced as the colour of the liquid would suggest. There’s also a mineral note and more of that subtle ash and a hint of smoke.
There is also a slight creaminess, notes of pepper, spices and stone fruit such as apricots, candied orange peel and honey. It has a long sweet and slightly spiced finish.
This special whisky has all the key characteristics of Glenmorangie with a hint of the past with the floor maltings that add that ash and subtle smokiness that you just won’t find anymore.
Glenmorangie 50 Years Old will be available from September through the Moët Hennessy Private Client Team, the Distillery Visitor Centre in Tain, and select retailers including, with private enquiries also welcome at glenmorangie.com. It is priced at £25,800.
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