Glenmorangie A Tale Of Winter Single Malt Whisky

  • Country: Scotland
  • Region: Highland
  • Category: Single Malt Whisky
  • Owners: LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton SE
  • Bottler: Distillery
  • Brand: Glenmorangie
  • Age Statement: 13
  • Chill Filtered: No
  • Alcohol % ABV: 46
  • Cask Strength: No
  • Average Price (2023) £: 75
  • Colour Status: Unknown
  • Peated / Smoke: Lightly Peated / Smoked
  • Cask Maturation / Finish: Ex-Bourbon / Ex-Marsala Wine Cask Finish
  • Single Cask: No
  • Mash Bill: Malted Barley
  • Barley: 100
  • Whisky Experience Level: Intermediate
  • Value Score : 92 out of 100
  • Bottle Stopper: Natural Cork
  • Packaging: Box
  • Core Bottle or Special Release: Special Release
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Glenmorangie A Tale Of Winter

From Master of Malt

Following on from Glenmorangie's A Tale of Cake, the magnificent distillery has gone and created Glenmorangie A Tale of Winter (we do like the idea that "cake" is in fact a season and that it precedes winter, but we don't think that's what they're going for here)! Director of whisky creation Dr. Bill Lumsden wanted to evoke the feeling of winter, of sitting in front of a fireplace while the snow fall outside, and to do so, he finished a bourbon barrel-matured single malt in ex-Marsala wine casks. All those rich, comforting, chocolatey notes certainly put this one in the 'winter warmer' category.

Tasting Note by The Chaps at Master of Malt

Nose: Honeycomb, chocolate digestives, fragrant lavender, sultana, and cinnamon.

Palate: Cocoa, Brazil nuts, vanilla tablet, jammy red berry sweetness developing, crystallised ginger.

Finish: Spicy ginger remains, mellowed by vanilla and chocolate mousse.

One comment

  • Review 142 29th December 2021

    While visiting the Glenmorangie Distillery Shop in early November 2021, two whisky bottles stood out on the shelf amongst the many on offer. The first was a distillery exclusive, celebrating the construction of the 'Lighthouse' at the distillery, a single malt of the same name retailing for £85 and aged for 12 years. The second, the follow up act to the popular 'A Tale of Cake', a whisky that we haven't managed to try, was 'A Tale of Winter'. If ever there was an example of a manufactured whisky with a specific profile in mind it was 'A Tale of Whisky', see the distillery bottle notes in the pane to the left.

    Bottled at a healthy 46% ABV, the bottle clearly states non-chill filtered, the colour a deep brown amber colour, suggesting overuse of caramel colour, however, this could be cask influence, the bottle nor the carton state if is adjusted or natural colour.

    A brief search of the internet suggests most retailers are out of stock having priced the bottle at £74.95, the bottle we are reviewing was £75 and is still available at LVMH drinks branded website of Clos19 at the time of writing- Link Here 

    Based on the price and whisky specifics, it achieves a value score of 92.23 out of 100, let down only by the lack of colour information (We actually believe this to be natural colour), not a bad score achieving over 90 points for a 13 year old single malt.

    It has be matured in ex-bourbon casks before having a finishing period in ex-Masala wine barrels from Sicilly, Italy. Masala wine being a fortified wine very much of a similar style to sherry. Given our love of sherry bombs, this whisky was one we were oh so looking forward to trying.

    On the nose, the sweetness jumps out of the glass, probably too sweet. There are spice notes and some undescriptive fruits, maybe orange oil, there is also a nuttyness. On the nose alone is doesn't conjour up an idea of winter.

    On the palate, it is thick, quite syrupy in texure and almost as sweet as a syrup. There are very strong notes of Masala wine, very similar to Oloroso Sherry, which suggest some very wet fresh casks were used. The initial taste would have you confused for thinking this was a fortified wine as opposed to a whisky.

    With water and a bit of time, on the nose, ex-bourbon notes start to appear, maybe some citrus and honey notes in particular. Nothing much more reveals itself.

    On the palate, it has relaxed and some other subtle flavours appear. But the overwhelming take away from this whisky is that has too much of the finishing cask and not much of the ex-bourbon influence. This drinks like a sherry.

    Of course we will continue to taste this whisky and spend time adding water and giving it time, but from our initial tasting, it is quite disappointing.

    We wouldn't buy another bottle and on our initial thoughts give it a provisional 82 out of 100. Its not terrible, it is drinkable, it's just disappointing.

Mark Smith

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