The good folks at Glenmorangie continue to explore new flavours and forge new paths in their pursuit of interesting and tasty whiskies. Well, I say “good folks”, but perhaps “the good doctor” would be more appropriate, as it is Dr Bill Lumsden who has once again pushed the boundaries and played around with the ingredients.
Whilst it would be easy to rest on their laurels and be satisfied with their core range aged expressions (The Original, 18yo, 25yo, etc) and the Extra-Matured set (Quinta Ruban, Lasanta, and Nectar d’Or), Glenmorangie continues to add to their portfolio with their Private Edition whiskies. These include releases such as Ealanta, Companta, Taghta, etc, and you can read Whisky & Wisdom’s reviews on these also. (Links further below). But let’s get to the point: Glenmorangie’s latest release and the new kid on the block is the Tusail. (Gaelic for originary)
Some people mistakenly assert that the Scotch Whisky Association is too restrictive in what it permits as “being whisky” and that being limited to using just barley, yeast, water and oak confines the whisky makers to too narrow a spectrum of possible outcomes. Such thinking is nonsense, and you’ve only got to look at (or, rather, taste) the MASSIVE diversity and range of flavours that today’s whiskies offer to confirm this. Enormous (or subtle) tweaks and different results can be achieved by varying the two key ingredients (the type of barley and the strain or variety of yeast), not to mention the almost limitless variations and permutations you can obtain by adjusting fermentation times; how the stills are run; the shape of the stills and the character that the stills impart on the spirit; and the actual taking of the spirit cut. And we haven’t even put the spirit into oak yet! Since the oak contributes around 60-70% of the final flavour, you can see that there really is plenty of scope for a curious distiller to forge new ground or explore new flavours.
Anyway, my point being, Tusail is yet another example of Glenmorangie’s Dr Bill Lumsden tweaking and manipulating the formula to create something new. In this instance, it’s the barley.
The majority of malt used in the industry today is selected for its yield, rather than its flavour. It’s all about obtaining the maximum litres of alcohol per tonne of barley, and it’s only small, boutique projects, distilleries, or special campaigns that entertain the notion of selecting a certain barley variety for its flavour, rather than for its yield. Tusail is one such project, and the selected barley was Maris Otter. Maris Otter was developed in the mid 1960’s and found favour in the UK’s beer industry (or, more accurately, its cask-conditioned ale industry) for its low nitrogen content; its flexibility and ease of use in the malting process; and – more importantly – for its rich, nutty flavour.
However, even in the ale or beer world, Maris Otter fell out of favour as consumer’s tastes changed and the variety became unreliable due to cross-pollination and the spread of uncertified seed. By the early 1990’s, the variety was at risk of extinction, and it took a concerted effort by some dedicated ale-loving souls to bring Maris Otter back from the dead and make it a viable crop once more. Today, Maris Otter is grown in small quantities, more-or-less exclusively for the UK’s top ales, and it commands a premium over more commonly-used malting barleys. Little wonder, then, that when Dr Bill heard about Maris Otter’s wonderful story, let alone the bold flavours it produces, he moved quickly to commission a new Glenmorangie project. The barley was floor malted in the traditional manner (again, a rare and expensive exercise in the context of modern malting methods), and the resulting spirit was put into cask for an eagerly-awaited maturation.
I caught up with Dr Bill over lunch during his recent Australian visit (far too brief and fleeting, as always), and immediately sensed his excitement and sense of pride with this new whisky. How would the barley’s deep, strong, and robust character combine with Glenmorangie’s lighter and more delicate house style? Would the two clash in a clumsy two-step? Would they cancel each other out? Or would they marry in a wonderfully harmonious relationship and live happily ever after?
Well, we needn’t guess or speculate…let’s taste for ourselves and see how it stacks up. Thanks to the good folks at Glenmorangie and EVH, I was able to spend some time with a dram or two during a quiet moment. Here are my thoughts:
Glenmorangie Tusail, NAS, 46%
Nose: Maybe all this talk of malt has influenced my olfactory faculties, but I’ll say it right at the front: This is a really malty nose. It transports me straight to the malting floor, and delicious aromas of barley fly out of the glass. If you’ve been privileged enough to walk around a maltings, or even just the tun room of a distillery, the nose on this whisky will take you back to some happy memories. The initial aromas are quite beer-like, and I likened it to the nose of a lightly-hopped pale ale. Well, at least for the first minute or so. For, after that, the familiar citrus and spice of Glenmorangie started to emerge. Sweeter aromas also waft out, offering hints of sweet boiled lollies, Danish pastries, orange tea cake (or perhaps madeira cake?) and a very soft floral note. Franjipani?
Palate: Now, this is different. Very unique. Having hinted at a pale ale on the nose, the palate reminded me of a porter: It had some roasty-toasty notes, and hints of toffee. Some subsequent googling reveals that Maris Otter has indeed been used and favoured for many porters and darker ales, so it seems the dots were there to be connected. It’s a drier palate than most Glenmorangies, but – as you’d expect from the pedigree – it’s incredibly complex and multi-faceted.
Finish: Bold, dry, rich, and full-flavoured. The official tasting notes make a reference to dates, and a minute or two after you’ve swallowed your last mouthful (note I did not say “sip”), you indeed have the unmistakable flavour of dates in your mouth. Some whiskies taper off to a quiet whimper. Not this one – the finish on the Tusail continues to bellow out a rich, warm baritone note that Lou Rawls would have been proud of.
Comments: With apologies to Dr Spock’s often misquoted line, it’s Glenmorangie, Jim, but not as we know it. The DNA is here, the complexity and completeness is here, and the fragrant delicacy is here – in all its sweet, citrusy, goodness. But this also offers a classy touch of toffee; a dry toasty note; and a bigger soundstage. It’s like Glenmorangie with the volume turned up, yet with a knowing, watchful eye still on the EQ. (There’s an analogy for all you sound engineers out there). It does exactly what I’d like a Private Edition bottling to do…give me a Glenmo, but present it in a new and different light. Well done, Dr Bill !
The Tusail has been bottled at 46% ABV, it is non chill-filtered, and it’s available from the Moet Hennessy Collection for $165. Get it while you can.
Cheers,
AD
The links to Whisky & Wisdom’s coverage and reviews of Glenmorangie’s other releases are here:
Companta
Milsean
Taghta
Bacalta
Spios
