Glenmorangie Malaga Cask Finish 12 Year

The nose is rich and vibrant starting with a mix of balsamic strawberries, lemon curd and coconut macaroons then dark chocolate covered espresso beans and freshly lit pipe tobacco followed by sour cherries, sautéed figs and blackberry jam that transitions to moderate baking spices and mildly bitter black tea with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium to full mouthfeel starting with creamy yet slightly sour red berries that quickly veers towards a moderate bitter spice that slowly fades to spicy dark chocolate mocha, honeycomb and freshly lit pipe tobacco followed by blackberry pie, sour cherries and candied lemon peel that transitions to moderate baking spices and mildly bitter black tea with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length starting with creamy red berries, honey and light florals that slowly fade to the background of dark chocolate covered espresso beans, moderate black pepper spice and freshly lit pipe tobacco. At 47.4% ABV, this turned out to be a surprisingly rich whiskey that the nose leans dominantly towards mildly sour red berries but is underscored by creamy sweets and mild earthy notes that carries over to the taste that has a moderate spice throws off the balance before fading to allow those rich yet sour berries through along with a mild bitterness before finishing with bold and sweet berries with a light honey drizzled over the top that fade to mildly spicy yet sweet earthy notes. At $80 when these were first released, I think this would have been a perfect dram for anyone looking for a rich yet slightly spicy red berry dram, but at the secondary prices I'm seeing after a quick search, there's plenty of tasty drams I'd rather buy for much less. Thanks so much for sharing this one @Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington

Showed up next to the tale of cake edition at $30 less. Reading about the Spanish Malaga wine drew me in due to the use of PX grapes. There is clear Sherry influence but it’s not in your face (or in your nose I should say) due to spending 8 of its 12 years in ex-bourbon barrels prior to 4y in ex-Malaga barrels. Color: pale golden Body: plentiful whispery legs and velvety on entry but sharpens as it coats the mouth Nose: grape jam, raisins, malt, hint of oak Palate: bolder than expected with allspice, raisin, oak, hints of leather and then a wash of orange peel and slightly bitter cocoa before the raisins and toffee slide back in for a lengthy finish. This is pleasant but without any wow factor. Chasing a $35 bottle of Glen Fohdry that Total Wine is pushing I’m scratching my head a bit trying to justify the 2x price. The palate is pleasant complex with slight evolution of flavors. The finish is lengthy. There is just no substantial minerality, no surprises, no wow. This is a touch better than Glen Droch 12 but not remarkably so. Oh well, I’ll drink it. ——— Hang on, fresh palate... this is rich, spicy and bigger than I initially gave it credit for. Pouring it by itself and not chasing something else does it more justice. Viscous, spicy, full of well balanced oak, raisin and a bit of milk chocolate. The finish just won’t go away - moments upon moments of rasin and plum, honey and whisks of malt. This easily outdoes Glen Droch 12. This is decadent. Score goes up and another pour is in order...

Glenmorangie is one of Scotland's fanciest distilleries. This Malaga Cask Finish is actually a whisky that has been matured in Malaga Dulce casks which is a fortified wine from another Andalucia location (diferent from the sherry triangle) but made from the Moscatel and Pedro Ximenez grapes. The "Malaga" Term is only to describe the origin, but you can compare it to a very sweet sherry. Bottled at 47.3%abv, beautiful tawny color. On the nose, this is a very wonderful, inviting dram. Tiramisu dessert. Red fruits, a nice coffee, cream. Rice with milk, Kahlúa liquor and caramelized apple. After the first sip, the aroma turned into sugar syrup, maple honey, sweet popcorn, marshmallows and tabaco. On the palate, it starts with a beautiful blackberry marmalade flavor. Then it changes to cinnamon and orange. A second sip gave me the tiramisu from the nose and bitter coffee beans. A third sip revealed cotton candy. Very complex. Aftertaste is the weakest part without been bad at all. Lots of hay, salt and tobacco. The second sip was a lot more bitter, with a dark chocolate note, a 100% cocoa one. Overall, this is one great whisky. I actually feel that Glenmorangie has made some not great expressions lately, but they did hit the nail on this one. Yes, it is overly sweet, but i have a sweet tooth. Beautiful dram 90/100 is my score.

Glenmorangie was one of the first single malts I ever had. It’s generally an entry point to single malt introduction, along with Balvenie or Glenfiddich. I’ve not had a Glenmo in ages, and for some reason, was in the mood for a simple down to earth non-peated single malt. This pour is courtesy of @Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington This is nice. There’s an oiliness and fullness that I wasn’t expecting. And considering Malaga is a sweet wine, this really isn’t all that sweet. Fruit and oak are jousting for the limelight, neither taking the stage, Glenmo honey is there, but well balanced by some blackberry, peaches, and apricot. All wrapped in a graham cracker crust. This is a nice simple sipper. I’d gladly have a bottle on hand, and offer it to folks that are accustomed generally to bourbon. Don’t expect to be challenged or looking for life altering sips, it’s just a nice summer sipper at a good value and age statement. Thanks @Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington for the pour!

NOSE Fruity-taffy sweet, heavy malt, honied dried fruits, sultanas, raisny-pruny and a light touch of metallic medicinal notes and dry oakiness. Starts with a candy-style sweetness, but as it opens it morphs into more of a darkly fruity/raisiny-pruny style of sweetness. Lovely. PALATE Raisny-pruny, dried orchard fruit, copper, toasted graham, dark honey, blackberry taffy, vanilla frosting and a bit of oak and nuts. Palate switches things around from the aroma and starts fruity sweet and slowly turns to more candy sweet.

- Nose // cream soda, cake, vanilla, berry/dark fruit, raisins/dates, wheat, nutty, oaky, honey, after it opens hints of tea maybe? - Palate // creamy/oily feel, cake/cookies, vanilla, butterscotch, fruit - dates, some nuttiness, maybe a hint of chocolate after it opens a bit - Finish // dates, slight citrus, oaky/nutty Definitely a sweet after dinner treat - although I would enjoy this anytime! Quaffable. Delightful.