Glenmorangie Barrel Select Release Cognac Cask Finish 13 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

One of the distillery's more polarising bottlings in recent years, Glenmorangie's Cognac Cask Finish has been praised and disparaged by the public and bloggers with comments from "Next Level" and "Crazy good" to "One of the worst Glenmorangies in twenty years". Our sentiments lie towards the former, and a cursory review online would suggest the majority do too.

Glenmorangie is not the first Scotch distillery to turn to Cognac for a secondary maturation, but it’s still not exactly a common choice, partly because it's a difficult balancing act. Head of Whisky Creation, Bill Lumsden is mindful of how easily the lightness and elegance of Glenmorangie's distillate can be overwhelmed, stating that all previous experiments left the Cognac overshadowing the whisky’s character. So to get the balance right, he employed Cognac casks that had been filled several times, resulting in a more reserved wood influence. Like other wood finishes in the series, it was initially aged in ex-bourbon casks before being finished for four years.

The nose takes time to gather steam, building with dried apricots, orange spice cake and cocoa as well as hints of clove and pepper. In the mouth, it's a graceful, deceptively complex whisky that rewards re-tasting and improves after air contact; A supple, malty entry gives way to classic cognac-like flavours suggesting dried figs, grapes, honey, dark chocolate, mandarin peel and pineapple chews. A flurry of white pepper warms things up at the finish, before the final stages turn mildly astringent leaving you with hints of cigar box, oak shavings and a soft, lingering sweetness. You'd expect Cognac’s grapey / orchard fruit characteristics would naturally compliment ‘Morangie’s sweet citrusy style - and they certainly do here. Unveiled in the UK in August 2021 as a 'small batch release' and one of a very few Glenmorangies to be bottled without chill filtration, chances are it won’t be repeated. At the time of writing, there's no indication that the official importers will be bringing this to Australia, so it may be your first and last opportunity. 46% Alc./Vol. 

Other reviews... The aroma showcases a lot of juicy white grape and tropical notes of guava and mango. Lemon and buttery pastries, so common to this Highland malt, are present in abundance, so much so that had I nosed it blind, I might not have even detected a finishing. With more time to open, a subtle leathery quality arrives that adds welcome contrast to the classic distillery character. On the palate, the finishing is more immediately apparent with that white grape and spicy French oak shining brighter. Notes of clove-studded orange and vanilla custard ride an oily wave, accented with a bit of peppercorn and candied citrus, into a gently warming finish of tobacco, baking spice, and juicy stone fruit. More internet sleuthing suggests that Dr. Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie’s whisky-maker in chief, used third and fourth-fill Cognac casks for this release to ensure the finishing didn’t overpower the underlying single malt. Mission accomplished, in my humble opinion. Another solid addition to the Glenmorangie catalogue, even if I did have to dig around for the deets. - drinkhacker.com

"...One of those whiskies which is all about the delivery. Which is quite brilliant." 90 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2024