The Changing Face of Glenmorangie Original (40%)
In August of last year, the publicists for Glenmorangie whisky sent me over a bottle of the venerable single malt’s 10 year old Original declaration, which had been repackaged into a new bottle with modernized branding. I reviewed it, noting at the time that it was “a classic for a reason,” and commented on the changes having been made for aesthetic purposes only.
Little did I know that a much greater overhaul was on its way.
This past summer, Glenmorangie surprised single malt drinkers everywhere when they changed the Original to a 12 year old, and surprisingly didn’t even change the price! (At least in Canada. Sources in the UK report that the price was bumped by as much as £8 across the pond, and of course it is entirely possible that the same is eventually planned for our market.) The stated reason, according to the press release, was because tasting panels had found the extra two years of aging adds “extra silkiness, sweetness and complexity” to the whisky, and according to the brand’s Director of Whisky Creation, Dr. Bill Lumsden, “turns up the volume on our signature whisky’s classic notes of orange, vanilla, peach and honey.”
Fortunately, stock at the LCBO was such that I was able to score bottles of both the old and new Original, and so have the opportunity to compare them side-by-side.
Before getting into the tasting notes, however, it deserves noting that, as per the photo montage shown, the old and the new bottles are identical save for the age statement found on the neck tag and at the bottom of the label. So for buyers unfamiliar with the change, as was a friend of mine who served the 10 year old declaration at a recent party, the shift might not even be noticed.
As per my year-old review, both Glenmorangies offer perfumey citrus and vanilla on the nose, with the 12 year old’s aroma being arguably a bit more dense and creamy, more marmalade than floral citrus, but ultimately quite similar. On the palate, however, the difference is more stark and, frankly, delightful. Where the 10 year old’s gentle combination of caramel, preserved lemon, floral peach, and light orange offer a soft, almost sensual – as I noted in 2023 – flavour experience, the 12 year old’s character is a bit more boisterous, certainly amped up, as Dr. Lumsden observed.
The basic flavours of the 10 year old are still present, but there seems to be more of everything in the 12 year old, and a couple of other notes besides. Alongside the signature orange and peach flavours, both bigger than in the 10 year old, there is a decidedly increased presence of vanilla and much more of a honeyed character. Returning to the 10 year old, it seems almost timid in comparison.
Ultimately, I suspect this was a move made in recognition of a changing whisky marketplace, one in which big peated malts are faring well and American bourbons and other whiskeys are making inroads. Being a global brand competing against not just Scottish single malts, but Irish, Canadian, American, Japanese, Belgian, Indian, French and so many other whiskies, I think LMVH, the brands owners, thought a more aggressive approach might be required for its signature malt. And I think they might be right.
93 ($75 -$78)