Glenmorangie Grand Vinatge 1971 Vintage (Bottled 1993) / 43% / 0.7l

There is something majestic about old whisky, especially vintages distilled before we were even born.

There are no stocks, and every now and then a single bottle appears and disappears into someone’s collection. Glenmorangie 1971 is a whisky from over four decades ago, when the distillery was equipped with a single pair of stills and maltsters were still on the company payroll. The Macdonald family, long-time owners, probably never in their wildest dreams expected that one day Louis Vuitton would pay £300 million for their company. Glenmorangie 1971 is a journey back in time, a chance to taste the fruits of the work of the legendary “16 of Tain”.

Aroma: mild but complex, a citrus-spicy combination, bananas, oranges, grapefruits, cinnamon, herbal pepper, traces of salt and beautifully incorporated notes of peat smoke.

Palate: rich and elegant, strong spicy notes, cinnamon, anise, licorice, lemongrass, orange peel, apples and gooseberries, walnuts and dark chocolate with grains of salt.

Finish: long and soothing, quince jelly, candied ginger, licorice, salt and a delicate whiff of peat smoke in the background.