Glenmorangie
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Glenmorangie – "the Glen of Tranquility" – (or valley, big, of peace) is a distiller of single malt Scotch whisky, located on the south coast of the Dornoch Firth, 1 mile North West of the town of Tain, Ross, Scotland. It is the best-selling single malt in the UK market, and has been best-selling single malt in Scotland for over 47 years - "Scotland's Favourite Malt".
Glenmorangie is distilled in the tallest pot stills in Scotland, at over 5.1 m (16 feet 10 inches) in height. The distillery claims that this produces the purest, lightest spirit possible, due to the high level of reflux the spirit undergoes during the distillation process. The whisky is distributed in 10-, 12-, 15-, and 18-year-old varieties. The Glenmorangie is initially aged in American bourbon casks made of American White Oak from the Ozark Mountains of Missouri. Glenmorangie's uncompromising quality standards dictate that these casks are made of specially selected, slow-growth wood and then air-dried for 2 years. Casks are then seasoned by either Heaven Hill or Jack Daniels distillery for a further 5 years, to remove unwanted levels of wood tannins. A full 7 years since the trees were felled, casks are finally ready for Glenmorangie to age their spirit. Exclusive use of American white oak, imparts delicate but complex aromas of vanilla, citrus orange and delicate floral hints. Glenmorangie 10 Years Old was tested by a French perfume house and found to contain at least 26 separate identifiable aromas.
Also released are a range of malts that, after aging in ex-bourbon white oak casks, are transferred to casks that have been used previously to mature wines. This process is known as finishing.
Glenmorangie offers whisky finished in sherry, port wine, madeira, and burgundy casks as part of their permanently available portfolio. For the enthusiast, from time to time they also release rare, 'Special' Wood Finishes. Examples from the past have been the award winning Sauterne Finish, the Tain l'Hermitage Finish and the most recent; Margaux Cask Finish (rumoured to have been finished in the very finest Chateaux Margaux Casks?)
Another Glenmorangie innovation is their bottling of whisky that has matured in casks in the distillery's cellar, number 13, that lies closest to the sea. It is thought that this different environment gives the whisky a character distinct from the standard Glenmorangie.
Glenmorangie refuses to sell whisky for use in blends, fearing that casks will find their way to independent bottlers. Recently, the distillery has sold casks to blenders with a small amount of Glen Moray Single Malt added, so that the whisky is technically a vatted malt, and can not legally be bottled and sold as a single. Note that Glen Moray distillery is owned by the same parent company, Glenmorangie plc.
[edit] The Glenmorangie Company.
Glenmorangie used to be controlled by the Macdonald family, who helped to found it in 1893. It is now no longer an independent distiller. In 2004, the family sold it to Moet Hennessy, which is owned by the French LVMH (BBC article).
The company also produces another successful single malt, Ardbeg, on the Island of Islay, which was revitalised by the company in 1997. Other brands are the Speyside single malt Glen Moray. They also handle Bailie Nicol Jarvie, Martin's Deluxe and Highland Queen blends. The bottling plant and Headquarters are currently in Broxburn, west of Edinburgh.
[edit] Pronunciation
The correct pronunciation of the name places the emphasis on 'MORRangie' (as in the pronunciation of 'orangey') [1], not the 'moRAN-gie', as commonly mis-pronounced by UK and US consumers alike. See External links below.
