As Glenmorangie’s head of distilling and whisky creation, Dr. Invoice Lumsden is one among scotch whisky’s main specialists in cask ending. His experience and his love of wine are behind the newest launch, Glenmorangie Pursuit of Ardour, a set of three ultra-aged, wine cask-finished expressions.
The gathering’s oldest expression, at 29 years outdated, the Margaux Wine Cask End, was distilled in February 1995, the month that Lumsden grew to become Glenmorangie’s distillery supervisor. It was matured in bourbon casks till 2004, after which refilled into Margaux casks for greater than 20 years, the longest Glenmorangie wine cask end ever launched. It’s not Lumsden’s first Margaux expression, nevertheless, as he launched a 90-point Glenmorangie 1987 Margaux Wine Cask End packaged in an acrylic case again in 2006 (SRP $450), which grew to become extremely collectible. Whisky Auctioneer set a document for this expression in 2021 when it bought a bottle from Pat’s Whisky Assortment for a hammer value of $2,347.
The second-oldest expression in Pursuit of Ardour is a 28 12 months outdated Corton-Charlemagne end, the one white wine end within the set. It was distilled in 1995 and aged in bourbon barrels till 2005, when it was refilled into grand cru white burgundy casks. Lastly, the Barbaresco end is a 27 12 months outdated single malt distilled in 1996 and matured in bourbon casks till 2005, when it was transferred into the Italian purple wine casks from Piedmont.
Glenmorangie launched its first completed whisky in 1987 previous to Lumsden’s appointment. Glenmorangie is acknowledged as a pioneer of ending, although William Grant & Sons’ David Stewart is the primary grasp blender to launch a completed whisky by means of his work on Balvenie. The size of ending deployed right here by Glenmorangie may be very uncommon, because it eclipses the whisky’s main maturation in bourbon barrels by a few years. Grasp blender Maureen Robinson explored the flavour results of prolonged secondary maturation throughout her profession at Diageo. Notable examples embrace her 92-point The Singleton 40 12 months outdated which underwent a secondary maturation for 28 years in bourbon, rum, and PX/oloroso seasoned sherry casks earlier than being completed in Zacapa XO and Royal Rum casks, and her 94-point Linkwood 1981 39 12 months outdated from the 2021 Prima & Ultima assortment, which spent 27 years in 4 virgin American oak casks seasoned with an oloroso/PX mix after an preliminary 12 12 months maturation in refill casks.
Housed in a hand-crafted oak marquetry case, the Pursuit of Ardour marks the primary time Glenmorangie has launched wine cask finishes in Corton-Charlemagne and Barbaresco casks. It’s being bought predominantly by means of Moët Hennessy’s personal shopper community, a workforce of specialists who information you on one of the best in drinks in addition to different luxurious gadgets and experiences, although it’s going to even be accessible within the Glenmorangie Boutique at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 2 in addition to on the distillery. Within the final 12 months, Moët Hennessy has additionally bought Ardbeg The Abyss and Ardbeg The Rollercoaster by means of their personal shopper community.
Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch Pursuit of Ardour Wine Cask Assortment
27 12 months outdated Barbaresco Wine Cask End
ABV: 51.3%
28 12 months outdated Corton-Charlemagne Wine Cask End
ABV: 52.1%
29 12 months outdated Margaux Wine Cask End
ABV: 52.5%
SRP: $9,900 per set
Availability: World launch of 600 units in Fall 2024 can be accessible by means of the Moët Hennessy personal shopper, Glenmorangie’s Terminal 2 Boutique in London’s Heathrow Airport, choose stores, and the distillery customer heart starting October 2024. Registrations of curiosity can be submitted on-line
