Whisky #117 – Glenmorangie Companta Private Edition Single Malt

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Glenmorangie Companta Private Edition Single Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 46.00%. Tasted at home – $195 (bottle).

Colour: Stunning deep bronze-amber hues.

Nose: Sweet muscatels, perfume, subtle oak – much more subtle than other Glenmorangie expressions.

Palate: Oily mouthfeel, quite woody. Smooth entry but the warmth and flavours develop and slowly resonate through your mouth, much like a double bass note that lingers in a concert hall after the rest of the orchestra has fallen silent. I know that sounds a bit wanky, but as an ex-musician that was the most appropriate analogy to describe what the whisky was doing in my mouth. Love it.

Finish: Spicy tart raspberries, bit of pepper. Medium-long finish in terms of flavour and warmth.

Comments: Each year Glenmorangie have a special ‘Private Edition’ release, last year’s was the award-winning Ealanta, which Jim Murray crowned as world whisky of the year.  This year I was fortunate to get my hands on a bottle of the Companta. For this release, Glenmorangie have taken some of their regular 10 year ex-bourbon barrel maturation, before then placing it into a combination of ex French red wine barrels, 60% in Clos de Tart and 40% in Rasteau barriques.

From probably what is still my favourite distillery, I was really looking forward to cracking open this one. It certainly didn’t disappoint, although it’s not quite got the residual sweetness of say some sherry-matured drams that share a similar colour (e.g. the Glendronach Revival 15 year old) though that is to be expected given it was matured in ex red wine barrels. It’s a bit drier, but still packs loads of flavour. If you can find yourself a bottle somewhere (and they are hard to track down), get some – you won’t be disappointed!