Scotch

Glenmorangie is the top-selling single malt whisky in Scotland and the UK. It is produced using the tallest pot stills in Scotland to create an elegant whisky that is full of complexity. Its delicate layers of flavors make Glenmorangie perfect for novices and connoisseurs alike. Glenmorangie uses the smallest spirit cut in the industry and leads the way as an expert in cask maturation, using some of the finest barrels from around the world.

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In 1843, a farmer, William Matheson, established the Glenmorangie whisky distillery in northern Scotland's Highlands. Glenmorangie was one of the first licensed distilleries in the area and Matheson, along with a team of experts known as "the sixteen men of Tain," created what has become the best-selling malt whisky in the UK. The Glenmorangie distillery and brand changed hands a few times after Matheson's death, but was eventually purchased by a local distributor called McDonald & Muir in 1918. The distributor owned the company until it was purchased by LVMH in 2004.

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Glenmorangie is produced using very lightly peated malt. The wash produced from this malt is distilled using the tallest copper pot stills in Scotland. Seventeen feet tall stills help to create an incredibly delicate and complex whisky. These stills were originally made for distilling gin, but William Matheson saw that they would be perfect for making his unique whisky spirit.

In addition to these special stills, Glenmorangie uses the smallest spirit cut in the industry in order to retain the finest, most elegant spirit. In this context, a “cut” means the amount – greater or lesser – a master distiller elects to retain from the “heart” of an entire distillation run, which is roughly divided into three successive sequences: the “heads”, being the first part, the “heart” in the middle, and the “tails”, being at the end. So the “cut” referred to above comes from the “heart”, which is always considered the purest and best portion in this three-stage distillation process. At most distilleries, the average spirit cut is 19–20% of the distillate; at Glenmorangie it is 17%.

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After two distillations, the spirit is aged in casks where it takes on much of its character. Glenmorangie utilizes many types of casks to develop flavors and complexity in its whisky. No other Scotch distiller has done as much to master the art of maturation. The varieties of casks used include: Bourbon casks with an average 195-liter capacity, bourbon hogsheads of 250 liters, Bourbon puncheons of 500 liters, Sherry butts, or long casks with the same capacity as bourbon barrels, port pipes of 500 liters and Madeira drums of 700 liters.

Tasters at Glenmorangie are confident that their whisky is completely mature after ten years because the desired style is a whisky of light and delicate character. These attributes come from the tall stills and the lightly peated malt. The purest characters of the malt and water come through at an early age, while the character of the cask comes through after extended aging. This is particularly true of first-fill casks.

Many of the Scotches produced at Glenmorangie are bottled after an optimal period of aging in ex-Bourbon casks, or 10-25 years. Others undergo a period of "finishing" in another type of cask. This finishing period can last from 6-24 months.

According to the experience of the Master Blender, Scotch matures more quickly in Burgundy casks, so those whiskies are only finished for six months. The wood in Sherry, Port, and Madeira casks has already released the majority of flavoring materials to the wine so these Scotches take on more character from the wine than from the wood. Whiskies are normally aged in these barrels for 24 months. Glenmorangie was the first distillery to introduce bottlings based on this idea of finishing casks.

The core of the Glenmorangie range is the 10-year old, aged exclusively in first and second fill ex-Bourbon casks. Some of these casks are made with old growth oak from a Glenmorangie-owned forest in the Ozarks. These casks are leased to Bourbon distilleries Heaven Hill and Jack Daniels. Glenmorangie was a pioneer in the use of ex-Bourbon casks, and a majority of Scotch producers have followed suit.

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Prior to bottling, most Glenmorangie whiskies (aside from Ardbeg and Glenmorangie Original) are chill-filtered to prevent the development of a haze during shipment. The process used is called soft chill filtering in which the spirit is chilled to 4°C (39°F). Some distilleries prefer greater stability and chill to -4° C (25°F), but the distillers at Glenmorangie believe this strips too much of the character from the spirit.

When barley is malted, the compound ethyl laurate is produced. This compound solidifies at low temperatures and will produce a haze or worse, a big blob, in the whisky. The completely harmless ethyl laurate haze will disappear at room temperature, but chill filtering removes ethyl laurate, preventing a haze entirely. Some producers leave the compound in their whiskies because it gives a smooth silkiness to the spirit. Whiskies of this type are usually labeled as such in order to prevent difficulties with alarmed consumers. Single malts with an alcohol level above 43% needn't undergo this process, which is used at Glenmorangie and Ardbeg for the extra matured ranges and artisanal offerings.

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The maison now comprises Glenmorangie and Ardbeg and the blending and bottling facility known at Broxburn. There are approximately 360,000 casks of whisky aging at Broxburn and another 200,000 aging off site. The casks are stored at a constant temperature of 12 – 14°C year round, without rotation or topping up. Casks are organized with universal bar codes, and they are maintained by an on-site cooper.

Scotch from Ardbeg are shipped in cask and emptied (tipped) at Broxburn, while those from Glenmorangie are tipped at the distillery and shipped in tanker. Upon receipt the whisky is broken down with water to 67% abv for cask aging, and the alcohol level is again adjusted at bottling. In both cases, de-mineralized well water is used.

Blending tanks of 25,000 liters are used, and the whisky is pumped in, homogenized, and sent to the bottling line without an extended marrying period. Just prior to bottling, the color of some whiskies is adjusted with caramel made from molasses (as is all spirit caramel). No caramel is added to Ardbeg, and little if any is added to the other whiskies bottled as single malts.
The heart of the Glenmorangie range is the ten year old, which is aged exclusively in first and second fill ex-bourbon casks. Glenmorangie was a pioneer in the use of ex-bourbon casks, and this practice has been adopted by the majority of all producers. Casks are palletized for aging and stacked on end.

It is the opinion of the tasters at Glenmorangie that their whisky is completely mature after ten years. This is the case because it is essentially of a light and delicate character. Two reasons account for this: it is produced in the tallest stills in the Highlands, and it is produced from very lightly peated malt. It is also true that the pure characters of the malt and water come through at an earlier age, while the character of the cask comes through with longer, extended aging. This is particularly true of first fill casks.

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The Tarlogie Springs, Glenmorangie's own water source and most prized asset, is the product of rain that has been forcing its way through layers of limestone and sandstone for a hundred years. These natural minerals give it its 'hard' water qualities and provide Glenmorangie with a raw ingredient unique amongst Highland distilleries. Our ancient ancestors drank here, considering the pure, mineral-rich waters of the Springs to be sacred. We think they're pretty special too!

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