My take on Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 12 yo

Again I've been quiet for a while without any new posts, but the reason is not that I would not have any new whisky impressions that I'd like to share - rather I was travelling once more. Now I'm back home, have time to relax on a Friday evening, and want to write down my latest thoughts on my most recently opened bottle of Scotch whisky.

My understanding of the classification of whisky is based on the use of two fundamentally different types of wood casks for maturation: former bourbon casks, and ex-sherry casks. The use of peated malted barley gives another dimension (see, for example, my take on Laphroaig Quarter Cask), but that is a different story alltogether. The use of bourbon and sherry casks for modern Scotch whisky developed out of opportunity after World War II, because these casks were readily available and cheap. Since back then, however, expecially sherry has run out of fashion somehow, while the demand for sherry-matured whiskies is constantly growing. This imbalance prompted distilleries in the 1980s or 1990s to start looking elsewhere for used casks, and they started experimenting with all kinds of stuff, like different types of wine casks, whatever they could get their hands on. Today, finishing whiskies off with some exotic cask is a widespread technique among many Scottish distillers, in order to broaden the range of flavors in their portfolio.

One of the first, if not the first distillery to do that was Glenmorangie, and one of the most common of the exotic casks (by which I mean anything that has not previously held bourbon or sherry), nowadays, are port wine casks. The spirit is usually not fully matured in these port pipes (as the casks for port seem to be called), but only finished off for a certain time after traditionally maturing in ex-bourbon casks. To experience, what such an additional maturation does, and what dimensions this adds to the flavor range of Scotch whisky, I can't think of a better candidate than the Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban, which carries also an age statement of 12 years.

Glenmorangie, incidentally, is also known for having the tallest stills among the Scottish distilleries, which means that during the distillation process the alcohol is separated very cleanly from the rest, creating a very soft and smooth spirit. It is a classic Highland whisky with a very fruity character and not a hint of peat smoke anywhere. Let's see how it fares in my tasting:

Nose: Very soft, not a big nose. Spicy, and a bit reminiscent of oranges. Actually, I expected much more, especially a blast of port. But I can't make out the port influence at all.

Taste: Very soft arrival once more, building up a sweetness. Tastes a bit like chocolate. I guess, the soft sweet aroma is due to the port, but it is much more restrained than I expected. Then again, the stuff is just finished in port casks, so probably my expectations were just wrong.

Finish: Quite long, but smooth. The sweetness turns into an aftertaste of bitter oranges, and in the finish I also can taste some heavy wood. Lingers in the mouth long after swallowing.

Bottom line: By now I'm fully convinced that my expectations were in a completely wrong direction. On my first dram I was disappointed that I could not make out the port wine. However, by now I came to appreciate the stuff a lot more. The port influence is rather subtle, but recognizable if you spend some time with it. The sweet chocolate-orange taste is actually quite delicious, and is something new on my whisky journey. Over all, the Quinta Ruban leaves a rather positive impression, although it will not be among my all time favorites.
  + easy to drink, without any rough features, affordable example of port finish
  - no rough features that could make it somehow unique

Slàinte mhath!