Glenmorangie 18 Year Old Extremely Rare / Azuma Makoto

Crafting single malt whisky since 1843, when farmer William Matheson and his wife Anne followed their dreams and founded the Glenmorangie Distillery. Despite being owned by blenders, MacDonald & Muir, for most of the 20th century, Glenmorangie had an early focus on bottling its single malt. This became the distillery's main output in 1959, and with the unique flavours derived from Scotland's smallest stills, coupled with their pioneering use of wood finishing, Glenmorangie is now one of the world's biggest selling malts. As a result, the distillery portfolio over the years has been extensive, and little has been spared for independent bottlers.

The 18 year old age-statement from Glenmorangie was introduced in the 1980s, remaining unchanged until it was rebranded as this, the Extremely Rare, in the relaunch of the core range in 2007. The whisky has been matured for 15 years in ex-bourbon casks prior to a 3 year finishing period in Oloroso sherry casks.
This limited edition features artwork by Japanese flower artist Azuma Makoto. The use of flowers in the design was inspired by the whiskies tasting notes and consists of almost 100 blooms. It was premiered at Chelsea’s Saatchi Gallery in London in September 2021.

    Nose:    Rich, rounded and sweet with dried fruit and complex floral notes such as geranium, jasmine and narcissus.

    Taste:    A silky balance of honey, malt and a host of flowers including tuberose, sweet pea and honeysuckle. Rich figs and dates emerge with a hint of wood smoke in the background.

    Finish:    Long and enticing with the sweetness of dried fruit and subtle dryness of Oloroso nuttiness.