Glenmorangie

Scotland’s best-selling single malt Scotch whisky gets its distinctive flavour from a unique finishing process.

The Glenmorangie Distillery was founded in 1843 when William Matheson converted the old brewery, located in the quiet village of Tain near Ross-shire and on the shores of the Dornoch Firth, into a distillery. Vale of tranquility – this is what the name of the distillery translates into. The tradition of the legendary Men of Tain – a skilled group of 16 craftsmen entrusted with creating the singular taste of Glenmorangie, forming the backbone of the distillery – is still maintained. They work around the clock, only stopping each year for Christmas. The tradition of only doing the best is still practised by the brand today.

The innovative finishing process of Glenmorangie is their signature. Instead of regular casks, the whisky is finished in sherry and port casks – this is where the whisky gets its exceptional taste. Glenmorangie Distillery was the first to research different types of oak and their effect on whisky – they test numerous species from slow-growing American white oak to species growing in Northern Missouri.

Glenmorangie whisky is first matured in ex-bourbon oak casks produced in Kentucky. Wine casks are used to finish matured whisky. The team of whisky masters is headed by Dr. Bill Lumsden, whose goal is to push the boundaries of single malt. So far, they have had their best results with whiskies that have been extra-matured in former sherry, port wine, or Madeira wine casks.

Glenmorangie does not use a lot of smoke to dry their malt, and regular brewers’ yeast is used to start the fermentation process for barley malt. As a result, the whisky is more mellow, less smoky. Today, Glenmorangie is one of the most famous single malt whisky producers in Scotland. They have won more awards than any other Scottish single malt brand. Writer Iain Banks praised Glenmorangie for its innovation in adding the malt to wine casks.

A leading Parisian perfume house identified no less than 26 individual aromas in Glenmorangie malt.

Pictish legacy

Glenmorangie’s logo is inspired by the Signet of the Hilton of Cadboll Stone – a nod to the Picts who lived in Tain before the Scots, around the 1st millennium AD. The Hilton of Cadboll, a Pictish stone, was originally erected near the distillery site. The original stone is in a museum, but a replica was carved by sculptor Barry Grove, and it bears the same Signet.

The tallest stills

They distil their spirit in the tallest pot stills of Scotland. The thin, long necks ensure that the heaviest particles of the whisky vapour get trapped and distilled again, resulting in a wonderfully pure and mellow spirit. Their long copper necks stand at an impressive 5.14 metres, the same height as a fully grown adult giraffe!

Careful fine-tuning

Glenmorangie’s craftsmen are continuously searching for new ways to fine-tune the taste of their products. The first maturation takes place in ex-bourbon casks, after which the product is placed in wine, port or sherry casks for extra maturation.

Mineral water

If whisky distilleries traditionally use soft river water which lacks minerals, then Glenmorangie uses unique water from the distillery’s own water source – the Tarlogie Springs – the water of which is especially hard and rich in minerals.