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Distillery in Focus:           Glenmorangie
Region: Highlands
Name: Glenmorangie Distillery (“The Glen of Tranquility”).
Status: Active
Website: www.glenmorangie.com
Telephone: 01862 892 477
E-Mail:visitors@glenmorangieplc.co.uk
Address: Tain, Ross-shire, IV19 1PZ
Visitor centre: Yes
Owner: Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH), France.
Established in 1843.
Stills: 4 Wash and 4 Spirit stills. The tallest of Scotland (5.14 m)
Percentage of single malts: 70%.
Casks used for maturation are sherry, bourbon, wine and other casks (15%).

Regular Bottling:

Since 2007:

Nectar D'Or (Sauternes finish) 46%
Original 40%
Qinta Ruban 46%
18 YO 43%
25 YO 43%

Until 2007:
Glenmorangie 10 YO 40%
Glenmorangie 10 YO Cask Strength
Glenmorangie 15 YO 43%
Glenmorangie 18 YO 43% (Low stocks beginning 2006)
Glenmorangie Port wood finish 43%
Glenmorangie Sherry wood finish 43%
Glenmorangie Madeira wood finish 43%
Glenmorangie Artisan Cask 43%

For the tasted whiskies, click here

Glenmoranagie was one of the pioneer in promoting "wood finish" version and released a large number of wood finishes, which can be consulted in my report on Wood Finishes.

In addition to the "standard" range, Glenmoranagie has released several special releases such as the Glenmorangie 30 YO Oloroso, Burr oak reserve or the Speakeasy (exclusively sold at the distillery).

Contributed to the following blends: "Highland Queen". "Martin's VVO" and "Bailie Nicol Jarvie (B.N.J.).

Noteworthy is that the Tarlogies springs provide the water to the distillery and what is unusual for the water of a scottish distillery is that it is not soft water, but hard water which is used for the distillation process.

History of Glenmorangie

The first distillery in Tain was built in 1826. In 1843, William Math(i)eson took a lease of the Morangie farm and took out a license to convert the brewery, which came with the farm, into a distillery. Rather than buying new stills, he bought 2 second-hand stills used in a gin distillery. In the 1880s, during Alfred Barnard's visit, the production was around 20'000 gallons a year (~100'000 litres). In 1886-7, the distillery was established as the Glenmorangie Distillery Co. Ltd. by the Maitland brothers and was completely renovated. Before the great war ended, Macdonald & Muir, blenders in Muir and the whisky broker Mr. Durham took over the local ownership of the distillery in 1918 for £74'000. During this period, the production increased to 110'000 gallons a year. Until 1940, exclusively peat was used for the Maltings. The distillery was rebuilt in 1979-80 to accommodate the 2 new stills, which were increased to eight in 1980. In 1996, Glenmorangie was turned into a Public Limited Company, Glenmorangie PLC. In October 2004, LVMH took over Glenmorangie PLC (and the two other distilleries of Glenmorangie PLC, namely Ardbeg and Glen Moray). The distillery was only silent between 1931-36 and 1941-44. The visitor center opened in 1994 and a small museum in 1997. Glenmorangie is the best selling Scotch malt whisky in Great Britain and amongst the top ten in the world. In 2001, about 3 mio litres of whisky were produced at the distillery. The distillery was expanded in 2009, with a new pair of stills added in order to incrase the capacity of production to 6mio LPA.

The washbacks and mash tuns (on the back) are all made of stainless steel. The shape of the stills of Glenmorangie are unique: they are the tallest of Scotland (5m14) and very narrow.
An insight of one of the traditional dunnage warehouses in Glenmorangie. Casks are racked on 2 or 3 levels. The numerous warehouses in Glenmorangie are a mix of traditional dunnage warehouses and of modern ones in concrete.

Source: www.Glenmorangie.com, Distillery Visit, The Scotch Whisky Book by Tom Bruce-Gardyne and The Scotch Whisky Distilleries by Misako Udo.
©P.Brossard 15Apr06. Last update: 31 Oct 09.

Tasted whiskies:

Official/original bottlings (OB)  
Age  
Glenmorangie 25 YO, OB, 43%, B: 2007 Rating: 16/20
Glenmorangie Oloroso 30 YO, OB, 44.3% Rating: 15/20
   
Vintages  
Glenmorangie 1963, OB, 43%, B: 1980s. Rating: 17/20
Glenmorangie 1971 Culloden, OB, 43% Rating: 15/20
Glenmorangie 1981, 10 YO, OB, 59.2%, B:1992, c. 946. Rating: 12/20
Glenmorangie Burr Oak 1993, 56.3%, OB, B: 2004, 1152 b. Rating: 16/20
Glenmorangie Truffle Oak 1993, 60.5%, OB, B: 2005, 886 b. Rating: 15/20
   
No Age Specified (NAS)  
Glenmorangie Artein, OB, 46%, B: 2012 Rating: 12/20
Glenmorangie Astar, OB, 57.1%, B: 2008 Rating: 15/20
Glenmorangie Dornoch, OB, 43%, B:2016 Rating: 12/20
Glenmorangie Finealta, OB, 46%, B: 2010. Rating: 16/20
Glenmorangie Quinta Rubin, OB, 46%, B: 2010 Rating: 09/20
Glenmorangie Signet, OB, 46%, B: 2008 Rating: 13/20
Glenmorangie Speakeasy, OB, 58%, 14 YO, Cask 5449 Rating: 05/20
Glenmorangie Spios, OB, 46%, B:2018. Rating: 12/20
Glenmorangie Taghta, OB, 46%, B: 2014 Rating: 11/20
Glenmorangie Tarlogan, OB, 43%, B:2016 Rating: 13/20

 

Independent bottlings (IB)  
   
Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS)  
Glenmorangie 1995 125.21 A Jackpot of Christmas spices, 13 YO, SMWS, 56.4%, B: 2009, 268 b. Rating: 15/20