Glenmorangie The Original 10 Year

I can say this was the first whisky I truly drank for the sake of tasting. While I’ve tried various spirits before, this is the first time I’ve done such a detailed review—specifically for Glenmorangie The Original. The bottle design changed after the distillery was acquired by LVMH, resulting in the iconic shape it has today. Visually, it’s a very aesthetic bottle, and its pale yellow liquid suits the design perfectly. As soon as the bottle is opened, a sharp citrus aroma emerges. This scent continues when first poured into the glass, but after a bit of airing, the sweet caramel notes behind the citrus begin to come through. On the first sip, there’s a light citrus tang along with a faintly sweet flavor. After this sharp taste, the finish delivers a slightly sour and spicy burn. I don’t have much more to say about Glenmorangie The Original. The sharp citrus flavor just isn’t for me. It stands out from the other drinks I’ve had before, which is why I found it worth writing about. While it’s a decent entry-level whisky in terms of price/performance, I personally found it rather “boring” overall.

A delicate, Single Malt Whisky by the Glenmorangie Distillery in Highlands, Scotland aged for 10 years. It has a thick & rich birth with notes of flowers, vanilla cream, honey, spices & fruit; while a fresh & balanced life adds notes of citrus zest, orange, lemon, nectarine, peaches, candied apple, pear drops, toffee, tiramisu, herbs, rose petals, carnations, mushrooms & toasted malt; that leads to a long & fruity death with notes of malt. June 2019 / December 2021 / August / November 2022 / October 2023

Total Score : 2.75 [Eng] [Nose] - Weak smell of alcohol. - Caramel - Delicate floral scent. - It's not flesh inside, it's a weak banana scent that smells like it's sniffing out the skin. [Palete] - Sweet - Little spicy. - Nutty flavor, like a grain of peanuts that isn't too greasy. - Light [Finish] - Very dry. - Grain scent. [Kor] [Nose] - 약한 알코올 향 - 캐러멜 - 은은한 플로랄 향기 - 과육이 아닌, 껍질 바깥으로 맡는 듯한 약한 바나나향. [Palete] - 달콤함 - 약한 스파이시 - 많이 기름지지 않은 땅콩 한알과 같은 견과류 맛. - 가벼움. [Finish] - 많이 드라이. - 곡물향이 남음.

Main word that comes to mind is simply solid. Its smooth, delicate, and perfect for sipping to enjoy. There’s nothing overwhelming or screaming at you, it’s rather inviting instead. Struggling to find specific notes, but will continue to try, likely will be the standard to which I hold other Scotches. Interested to see the difference between this and the new 12 year they’ve made this into.

Sweetness and stone fruit (pear?) with a lightness that matches the rounded and smooth palate. Light malt, a mineral touch and a spice that suggests its highland origin. A bit of barrel comes through, providing a bit of bitterness on the finish. The finish is not strong or long, but the drink is well-rounded and pleasant, especially at its price point.

I recognize that this is very good scotch made with great care. Smooth as could be without dropping a whole bill, maybe even punches a little above its price point in that regard. But there’s none of the smoke, iodine, maltiness or licorice sting that I (personally) drink single malt for. You’ll very likely enjoy it more than I did.