Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1997 (Bottled 2021) / 43%/ 0.7l

At the end of 2016, Glenmorangie Distillery introduced a new series, the Bond House No. 1 Collection.

Its name refers to the 19th-century Warehouse No. 1, which was converted into a distillery in 1990. The herald of the new series was the Grand Vintage Malt 1990, which received excellent reviews. The Grand Vintage Malt 1997 presented here is the latest addition to the series (2021). The whisky spent the first 10 years of maturation in bourbon barrels, then another 13 years in red Bordeaux barrels from Château Montrose (Saint-Estèphe appellation). The whisky was bottled at 43% abv on March 16, 2021 in an edition limited to 10,100 bottles. (Official tasting note.)

Aroma : a fascinating harmony of scents. Floral notes of rose, jasmine and clove intertwine with ripe red fruits, mint toffee, sweet pastries bathed in icing. A drop of water enhances the intensity of the aromas of rose and clove and combines them with subtle notes of chili, ginger and cloves.

Palate: A delicately spicy prelude slowly opens a symphony of sweets, fruity candies, ripe red berries, pineapple pieces and jelly with quarters of pears and tangerines embedded in it. In the next wave arrive almonds and marzipan, vanilla, apples in toffee glaze accompanied by a bit of ginger and chili.

Finish: long, sweet and rich, yet with a subtle spiciness.