Glenmorangie Signet Bottling Note

This superb Glenmorangie was created with a marriage of whiskies produced from two unique types of malted barley: a single estate Cadboll variety and malted chocolate barley, which is better known as a basis for craft beers.

The Signet was distilled twice through Glenmorangie's copper-pot stills, by a team of 16 distillers known as the 'Sixteen Men of Tain'. It was subsequently matured in bespoke American virgin oak casks before it was bottled at 46%, and received no chill-filtration.

While it carries no-age-statement, there is said to be an element of some of the distillery's oldest and rarest stocks, ranging from 35 to 40 years old, in this Highland single malt.

Beautifully packaged and stunningly arranged, the Glenmorangie Signet is an outstanding whisky of unprecedented style and taste. Dr. Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie's Master of Whisky Creation, described it as the culmination of a "lifetime of experimentation and innovation".

The hard work paid off, as the Signet won Whisky of the Year in the same year as Lumsden was named Master Distiller of the Year at the 2016 International Whisky Competition.

This edition takes it name from the ornate square design that adorns most Glenmorangie bottles. The signet itself originated from the Hilton of Cadboll Stone, a Pictish artefact that dates back to around the year 800 AD.

Part of Glenmorangie’s Prestige Range, this 18 year old spent its first 15 years in American white oak bourbon casks. After this time, 30% was transferred to Oloroso sherry casks where it spent its final days, as the rest remained in bourbon casks. After 18 years has passed in total, the whisky was reunited and bottled at 43% ABV. A thick, creamy and fruity single malt Scotch whisky presented in a wonderfully elegant bottle. It certainly looks prestigious.

A fresh, fruity drop, very lively, but also with depth. However, not completely round and in the end with discrepancies.

Nose

80

sweet and fresh with orange, cherry, white oak, brown sugar and fine caramel, some apple and vanilla, jelly candy with light citrus notes, background raisin, hints of milk chocolate and burned nuts, candy and sugar-dried dates

Taste

79

Lots of oak on the first step, becoming increasingly spicy, white pepper, apple, vanilla, sherry, lots of syrup, caramel, orange, cinnamon and a little brown sugar, with a slight bitterness, subtle sage, removes sulfur, barley and yeast

Finish

74

Sherry with hints of sulfur, pepper, vanilla, gentle citrus aromas, a hint of cherry, unfortunately with an acid undertone

Another release from Tullibardine's The Murray series, Double Wood has been matured in two woods (in case you hadn't guessed). Distilled in 2005, first it rested in first-fill bourbon casks, before it was transferred to first-fill sherry casks for a secondary maturation. The glorious combination of bourbon creaminess and sherried spices shines once again!

A coastal and peaty single malt, the flagship expression from Clynelish boasts a fabulous flavour profile filled with its distinctive waxy notes. Clynelish is the successor to Brora which closed in 1983, which it is built opposite. A well rounded Highlander, though this expression is a bit less peaty than the Brora bottlings of yore.

Officially launched in 2006, this 10 year old lies at the heart of the Isle of Arran range and exudes all the honeyed richness we have come to associate with the island distillery.

Tasting Note by The Chaps at Master of Malt

Nose: Herbal, biscuity, hedgerow greenness and dried grass, like a long English summer's afternoon.

Palate: Sweet. Quite malty, digestive biscuits, followed by green fruits and Cox's apple peel.

Finish: Slightly bitter, maltiness.

A big, exciting step for the young Lowlands-based Lochlea distillery. Our Barley is the first single malt to join the distillery's core range! Following the popularity of its Single Malt First Release, the Lochlea team set about creating this expression for all to enjoy. Matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks, as well as shaved, toasted and re-charred barriques, the whisky was bottled up without any added colour, or chill filtration. Judging by this, there's a promising future for Lochlea!

Tasting Note by The Chaps at Master of Malt

Nose: Sweet, juicy fruit salad, a drizzle of honey, and sugared orange peel with soft notes of grassy malt beneath.

Palate: Buttered soda bread, crushed almonds, tinned peaches with chantilly cream. Prickles of peppery barley gently build.

Finish: A touch of maple syrup and nutty, toasted oak. Creamy layers of vanilla soften the spice.

The second release of Lochlea's Harvest Edition, a range inspired by the end of summer when the farm distillery's barley is harvested and used for the next year’s whisky production. It was matured in a combination of carefully selected Tawny and Ruby Port casks, STR barriques, and first-fill bourbon barrels, but this year there's a much higher proportion of Port casks as the spirit is another year older and the brand felt that it could stand up to the intensity these casks.

Tasting Note by The Chaps at Master of Malt

Nose: Dried fruit, marmalade, ginger snaps, and apple.

Palate: Walnut, chocolate-covered raspberries, pink peppercorns, and sweet spice.

Finish: Sticky toffee, sweet tobacco, and red grapes.

The Original is the flagship single malt Scotch whisky from the Glenmorangie Distillery in the Highlands. Matured in a combination of first-and-second-fill American white oak casks for 10 years, the expression is a benchmark for creamy, approachable single malt. A long-running go-to dram for many whisky enthusiasts (including a few here at MoM Towers), this stuff is superb as an aepritif, though more than suitable for enjoying on a cooler evening.

Tasting Note by The Chaps at Master of Malt

Nose: Very fruity and thick. Rich notes of lemon, nectarine and apple. Spices.

Palate: Fresh and balanced, vanilla. Boiled sweets, very creamy, tiramisu, toffee.

Finish: Quite long, gentle, malty and very fruity.