Glenmorangie is joining the wave of ultra-aged whiskey releases. On Thursday, the Highland distillery announced the launch of a 50-year-old single malt, marking the distillery’s oldest Scotch yet.
The half century-old whisky is one of the final Glenmorangie expressions to come from barley malted on site, a process that the distillery ceased in 1977. The special release is the result of the vision of Glenmorangie’s director of distilling Dr. Bill Lumsden, who oversaw the Scotch’s maturation for its last 30 years. After joining the team in 1995, Lumsden identified a number of casks with potential for long term aging. In 1999, Lumsden brought together a small selection of bourbon cask- and sherry butt-aged whiskies for the project, and left the marriage to rest in a hogshead barrel for another 27 years.
Glenmorangie 50 Years Old was non-chill filtered and bottled at 45.7 percent ABV (91.4 proof). Brand tasting notes highlight baking spices, toffee, and leather on the nose. The palate brings pepper, tea leaves, grape must, and oak tannin, leading into a long, spice-forward finish.
The distillery commissioned renowned ceramicists Peter and Laurie Pincus to create the sleek porcelain package design. The pair developed an elegant, oval-shaped vessel that features 50 different colors as a nod to the whisky’s age.
The exceedingly exclusive bottling — only 149 numbered bottles of Glenmorangie 50 Years Old exist — hit the market for a suggested retail price of £25,800 ($36,000). It is available to select retailers, through Moët Hennessy Private Client Team network, and at the distillery’s visitor center in Tain, Scotland.
