Pining for the Spring
Glenmorangie 14 Quinta Ruban Review
In the throes of winter, we need something to warm us up. Something to remind us that spring will be here soon and summer will follow.
The whisky that I’m sharing with you today is exactly that sort of dram. The Glenmorangie 14 Quinta Ruban is part of Glenmorangie’s core range of whiskies. This is their port cask expression.
Even if you’re not a fan of sherried scotch and you are sceptical of finishing whisky in wine casks, you should give this a go. It may change your mind.
As it happens, the Quinta Ruban was also the first whisky I had at the beginning of 2024. And if this whisky is indicative of the year to come, then we’re in for a good one.
Alright, you’ve probably guessed by now what my marks for this Glenmorangie will be. But before I give you the tasting notes and the final verdict, let me share a bit more about Glenmorangie Distillery.
Glenmorangie is situated in the town of Tain in the Scottish Highlands.
In the early 1800s, it was called “Morangie” and it was actually a working brewery. In 1843 William Matheson acquired the brewery and the surrounding farmland and converted it into a whisky distillery. He also changed the name to Glenmorangie (meaning valley of tranquillity in Gaelic). At first, he relied on two small second-hand gin stills for producing his whisky.
Through changes in ownership over the following decades, Glenmorangie established itself as a reputable Highland Scotch. So much so, that Glenmorangie was one of the most popular Scotches at the end of the 19th century. It was even sold to luxury establishments such as The Savoy in London.
As popular as it might have been, it was not immune to the problems of the whisky industry during the prohibition era as well as the two World Wars. Glenmorangie had to stop production and was practically closed down several times in the period between 1920 and 1945.
In the post-war era, Glenmorangie was revived and it quickly regained its popularity. The Distillery underwent several expansions in the 70s and 90s as the demand for whisky was rising.
In 2005 French conglomerate Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH) acquired the distillery. LVMH also owns one of my favourite Scotch distilleries- Ardbeg, but that’s a story for a different post.
To revamp the brand, LVMH started experimenting with different cask maturations. That’s how we arrive at Glenmorangie’s modern core range: the Original 10-year-old, the Lasantha 12-year-old sherry cask finish, the Nectar D’or, and the Quinta Ruban 14-year-old port cask finish.
All are whiskies that maintain the Glenmorangie DNA. A characteristic light fruity taste that derives from Glenmorangie’s tall neck stills (sometimes called giraffe stills)- the tallest stills in Scotland!
Now let’s examine what lies in the snow (please don’t drink your whisky cold…)
Tasting Notes:
The bottle has been open for about two months. The whisky has had enough time to open up and develop, as I’ve sampled it over this time.
Nose:
Straight away, you can feel the strong cask influence. The first impression I get is that of desert wine, almost going into cognac territory but with a distinct malty note. There is a strong red fruit note- something like raspberry or strawberry. As the dram opens up, you get vanilla, crème brulée and dark chocolate with a hint of mint.
With water: More sweetness develops. Instead of the fresh red fruit, you may get more jammy notes (strawberry jam, orange marmalade). The characteristic notes of Glenmorangie show up in the background- mango, pineapple, ripe peach.
There is also a perfume-flowery note showing up but I can’t exactly place it. Maybe violets?
Taste:
The mouthfeel is something that I love about Glenmorangies. Their whiskies have a very nice viscous, velvety texture. On the palate, you may get toffee, caramel but also dried fruits: raisins and dates. There is also a marzipan desert note, mixed with a pinch of salt. Notes of coffee liquor and fresh coffee beans develop, with oak in the background.
With water: you will get more of that wood spice and ginger. The tropical fruit notes come through: mango and pineapple again.
Finish:
Medium finish. Very mouth-watering.Notes of dark chocolate with raisins. Coffee bitterness and oak spice remain.
Conclusion and Mark:
Excellent dram! A sweet, rich, dessert-style whisky. Very tasty with a pleasant texture and a satisfying finish. The extra ABV (46%) helps convey the complexity of this whisky. That would have been lost if it was chill-filtered.
Mark: 91/100
Final Thoughts:
I enjoyed this one a lot. It’s approachable, without being mellow and boring. I feel like I find something new every time I try this Quinta Ruban.
It’s a great dram for winter- a nice reminder that spring is around the corner. It’s a worthy addition to any whisky enthusiast’s collection.
Would I buy it at the bar? Yes, absolutely.
Would I buy a bottle of this again? Yes, I’m already thinking of getting a backup bottle for next winter. It is generally available and for about 40–45 Euros, it’s worth every cent!
