Glenmorangie has announced an exceptionally rare trio of whiskies that pay homage to Master Distiller Dr. Bill Lumsden’s lifelong passion for fine wine. Limited to just 600 sets, the Pursuit of Passion Wine Cask Collection offers whisky enthusiasts a unique opportunity to experience the marriage of wine cask finishing with Glenmorangie’s signature Highland single malt.
Dr. Bill Lumsden, a pioneering figure in the world of whisky, has long been fascinated by the transformative power of wine casks. Over the years, his travels through Europe’s most celebrated wine regions have inspired a series of bold experiments. This latest collection, featuring whiskies aged 29, 28, and 27 years, reveals what can be achieved through extended maturation in carefully selected wine casks.
Priced at £7,740, the collection comprises three unique expressions, which began their journey in bourbon casks, but were later transferred into wine casks sourced from Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Piedmont.
The collection, featuring whiskies aged 29, 28, and 27 years, reveals what can be achieved through extended maturation in carefully selected wine casks…
Glenmorangie Pursuit of Passion Wine Cask Collection tasting notes
Glenmorangie Margaux Wine Cask Finish (29 Years Old) was distilled in February 1995. After an initial ageing period in bourbon casks, the whisky was transferred in 2004 to red wine casks from Margaux. The whisky spent over 20 years in these casks (the longest finish ever for a Glenmorangie whisky) resulting in an intense, multi-layered profile.
Bottled at 52.5% ABV, the liquid is a deep auburn colour with an aroma said to be rich, mellow, and complex. Expect a symphony of fruity and woody notes on the nose, including baked apple, pears, apricot, and plum. The taste is fruit forward, with apricot, peach, plum, cherries, and baked red apples balanced by chocolate ganache, ginger, and sweet chilli.
Glenmorangie Corton-Charlemagne Wine Cask Finish (28 Years Old), also distilled in 1995, is the only one in the trio to be finished in white wine casks. It was laid down in bourbon barrels before being transferred in 2005 to grand cru white Burgundy casks from the illustrious Corton-Charlemagne appellation.
The result is a whisky said to be uniquely aromatic. Bottled at 52.1% ABV, the mouthfeel is reported as smooth and oily, with honeycomb, syrupy pears, cocoa powder, almond marzipan and Morello cherries on the palate.
Glenmorangie Barbaresco Wine Cask Finish (27 Years Old) is the youngest of the trio. Distilled in 1996, it was aged initially in bourbon casks before being transferred in 2005 to red wine casks from Barbaresco. This experiment has yielded a deep mahogany colour and aromas of toffee, dark fruits like cherries, black pepper, and cinnamon. Its complex flavour profile intrigues with chocolate sweetness, leather, mint-flavored toffee, Christmas cake, ginger, and nutmeg.
A rare and exclusive whisky release
Dr. Bill Lumsden shared his excitement about the collection, stating, “My passion for single malt whisky is perhaps only matched by my passion for fine wine. Of all my experiments, the whiskies in our Pursuit of Passion Wine Cask Collection are among my most prized and delicious. With exceptionally long finishes in precious casks from some of France and Italy’s most renowned wine regions, I’m sure that their complexity will delight and intrigue lovers of both whisky and wine.”
The whiskies are presented in a handcrafted oak presentation case. The marquetry work on the case’s back and sides subtly nods to the staves used in wine cask production, while the front panel evokes the landscapes of the wine regions that inspired these expressions.
The Glenmorangie Pursuit of Passion Wine Cask Collection will be available through the Moët Hennessy Private Client channel from Autumn 2024, priced £7,740 (9,000€). Whisky enthusiasts will also find it at Glenmorangie’s Boutique at Heathrow Airport, Terminal 2, select retail outlets worldwide, and the Distillery Visitor Centre in Tain from October 2024.
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Glenmorangie has announced an exceptionally rare trio of whiskies that pay homage to Master Distiller Dr. Bill Lumsden’s lifelong passion for fine wine. Limited to just 600 sets, the Pursuit of Passion Wine Cask Collection offers whisky enthusiasts a unique opportunity to experience the marriage of wine cask finishing with Glenmorangie’s signature Highland single malt.
Dr. Bill Lumsden, a pioneering figure in the world of whisky, has long been fascinated by the transformative power of wine casks. Over the years, his travels through Europe’s most celebrated wine regions have inspired a series of bold experiments. This latest collection, featuring whiskies aged 29, 28, and 27 years, reveals what can be achieved through extended maturation in carefully selected wine casks.
Priced at £7,740, the collection comprises three unique expressions, which began their journey in bourbon casks, but were later transferred into wine casks sourced from Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Piedmont.
Glenmorangie Pursuit of Passion Wine Cask Collection tasting notes
Glenmorangie Margaux Wine Cask Finish (29 Years Old) was distilled in February 1995. After an initial ageing period in bourbon casks, the whisky was transferred in 2004 to red wine casks from Margaux. The whisky spent over 20 years in these casks (the longest finish ever for a Glenmorangie whisky) resulting in an intense, multi-layered profile.
Bottled at 52.5% ABV, the liquid is a deep auburn colour with an aroma said to be rich, mellow, and complex. Expect a symphony of fruity and woody notes on the nose, including baked apple, pears, apricot, and plum. The taste is fruit forward, with apricot, peach, plum, cherries, and baked red apples balanced by chocolate ganache, ginger, and sweet chilli.
Glenmorangie Corton-Charlemagne Wine Cask Finish (28 Years Old), also distilled in 1995, is the only one in the trio to be finished in white wine casks. It was laid down in bourbon barrels before being transferred in 2005 to grand cru white Burgundy casks from the illustrious Corton-Charlemagne appellation.
The result is a whisky said to be uniquely aromatic. Bottled at 52.1% ABV, the mouthfeel is reported as smooth and oily, with honeycomb, syrupy pears, cocoa powder, almond marzipan and Morello cherries on the palate.
Glenmorangie Barbaresco Wine Cask Finish (27 Years Old) is the youngest of the trio. Distilled in 1996, it was aged initially in bourbon casks before being transferred in 2005 to red wine casks from Barbaresco. This experiment has yielded a deep mahogany colour and aromas of toffee, dark fruits like cherries, black pepper, and cinnamon. Its complex flavour profile intrigues with chocolate sweetness, leather, mint-flavored toffee, Christmas cake, ginger, and nutmeg.
A rare and exclusive whisky release
Dr. Bill Lumsden shared his excitement about the collection, stating, “My passion for single malt whisky is perhaps only matched by my passion for fine wine. Of all my experiments, the whiskies in our Pursuit of Passion Wine Cask Collection are among my most prized and delicious. With exceptionally long finishes in precious casks from some of France and Italy’s most renowned wine regions, I’m sure that their complexity will delight and intrigue lovers of both whisky and wine.”
The whiskies are presented in a handcrafted oak presentation case. The marquetry work on the case’s back and sides subtly nods to the staves used in wine cask production, while the front panel evokes the landscapes of the wine regions that inspired these expressions.
The Glenmorangie Pursuit of Passion Wine Cask Collection will be available through the Moët Hennessy Private Client channel from Autumn 2024, priced £7,740 (9,000€). Whisky enthusiasts will also find it at Glenmorangie’s Boutique at Heathrow Airport, Terminal 2, select retail outlets worldwide, and the Distillery Visitor Centre in Tain from October 2024.
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