Glenmorangie Artein 15 Year Old

Back in the 1960s, when my 70 year old wild-ass sister was in her 20s, and there was no such thing as a bottle of Scottish Single Malt Whisky for sale anywhere (The HORROR, the HORROR! What did Scotch malt snobs DO in those Dark Ages?), because they didn't sell any single malt Scotch per se in those days, Mary Anne would nurse a drink of blended Scotch at a party for hours. She knew she was safe with a glass of Scotch because she knewe that she would not be tempted to drink it and get herself into trouble. Until a couple of years ago, she used to love to annoy malt lovers by saying, proudly, "I hate Scotch". The Scotch she hated turned out to be the mass-market blended kind she remembered from her early adulthood. Twenty or so months ago, when I gave her a generous dram from this to be reviewed bottle of Glenmorangie Artein, she asked for a second glass, and then a third glass,...and then she promptly drove up the road to a nearby liquor store and bought herself 6 bottles of Glenmorangie Artein...some to be later given as gifts. She said at the time, and I agreed with her, "This drinks like wine."

To refresh the memory about the annual Glenmmorangie Private Edition "begats"...first begat was Sonnalta PX, second was Finealta, third was Artein, fourth is Ealanta...one per year...there will likely be a fifth one soon. The reviewed bottle has been open a little less than 2 years and is 20% full. Tuscan Wine casks were used for the finish.

Nose: pleasant nicely sweet/dry balanced red wine; medium and high pitched barley malt flavours, slight contribution of flavours from the oak...a little vanilla. There is also a bit of fruit of the apple and pear variety, as in Glenmorangie base malt. Citrus is also quite noticeable when you look closely

Taste: the nose flavours translate rather emphatically to the mouth, with a very strong tart citrus kick accompanying strong red wine flavours. The flavours are mostly quite sharp and pointed. This is delicious and easy-drinking...

Finish: ...moving to a rather sour and dry type of finish. Mouth puckering, and something which is likely to appeal to any whisky lover who likes a lot of citrus together with a wine finish

Balance: any whisky which is "easy-drinking" has a sort of balance. I would describe the balance here as good, but it definitely progresses from delivery to finish in a dry-sour manner. Very enjoyable whisky

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