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Glenmorangie Nectar D'or

Average score from 37 reviews and 156 ratings 87

Glenmorangie Nectar D'or

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@talexander
Glenmorangie Nectar D'or

Happy Easter! I'm preparing to cook a giant feast for 13 people so I thought I'd take a little break and do a couple of Glenmorangies. What is the connection between Easter and Glenmorangie? I have no idea whatsoever.

The Nectar D'Or is a 12 year old, matured in bourbon barrels for 10 years, then finished for 2 more years in Sauternes barriques. Apparently this expression replaces their Madiera cask release. This bottle has been open for at least a year or so, maybe two.

It has a deep but bright golden colour (much like, well, Sauternes). Malty on the nose, with honey, vanilla and very light toffee. Lemon curd. Creme brûlée. Very fruity, with a wee touch of spice. A touch of water adds malt and oak. Very elegant.

On the palate we have a little more spice (nutmeg, ginger, cloves) but it's balanced by sweet light honey, citrus (more lime and orange than lemon this time) and various other fruits (pineapple, mango, coconut). Sweet but also malty and spicy (even spicier with water) - the notes work together in perfect harmony.

The finish also shows some spice with the oak coming forward, sharing space with the light honey. This seems much spicier than I remember; perhaps that's due to oxidizing for a year or two. But I love it - extremely complex, elegant and easy to drink. Would make a good introductory malt, I think. I'm often hit-and-miss with Glenmorangie, but this is one of my very favourites. One of Jim Murray's too, who also scores this a 94.

My own experience with Nectar d'Or is that it does indeed mellow out, sweeten, and come together with a lot of air time. I liked my own bottle of it a lot more after it had been open a couple of years.

I picked up a bottle with the newer packaging a few weeks ago, and just cracked it open.

Enjoying a wee dram as I make some dinner for my boys...By all accounts it seems the same as the so called older packaging, and that's a good thing since it's a great whisky.

@Rantavahti

Finally a character from Glenmorangie! Nectar D'Or is rich, fruity and vinous whisky and suits very well for me. Which isn't usually the case.

Glenmorangie has usually made drams too light for my palate. Glenmorangie Nectar D'Or is not a light one. Even though it's easy to drink because of its sweetness.

This is great for dessert but it is much more. Suits for any occasion because it's that good.

Nose: The Sauternes dominates. Sweet and dry with good fresh barley. Earthly notes and green tea. Water brings the sweet wine even more dominant.

Taste: Peppery and dry with grassy notes. Wine with fructose. Water adds power for the peppers.

Finish: Bitter peaches, kinda like a small furry peach peel. Dry and oaky with spices.

Balance: Wine effects hugely in this whisky. Good dram.

What a marvelous whisky this is. Too bad it's so expensive for a 12yo. If it wasn't for the price I would have this in my bar at all times. I agree with your description. I did a review of this last year and I gave it a slightly higher score of 90-- I must admit I am a sucker for the Glenmo's. I found this vid on YouTube by jewmalt it goes in depth on the making of the Nectar D'or and the other two extra-matured 12yo expressions from Glenmo: (m.youtube.com). CHEERS!

Thanks for the video @vrudy6! I added it into my own blog whiskyrant.com/2014/08/…

@Uisgebetha

A real treat for whisky lovers with a sweet tooth, although it could be too cloying for some.
Nose: Chardonnay, candied orange zest and vanilla Taste: Rich full bodied almost syrupy with the sweetness. Orange blossom, honey and vanilla.
Finish: Some dryness at last begins to creep in with honey and apple.

@SimeonSanchez

The legs move very slowly down from the wet line and the color is a delicate reddish gold.

I find the nose a little hard to take. At first, it's slightly vomitous and sickly sweet. High alcohol leads to pungency like lemon. There's slight vanilla, together with the old cherry-oak of the American casks. The shades of bourbon are like finding a familiar friend in a big crowd.

Then there's STRONG vanilla on subsequent nosing. Hints of mango and strawberry.

For taste, it's an explosion of flavor. There's white wine, honey, vanilla, and the cordiality I've found in my favorite Scotches. It evaporates into my head.

There's zero bitterness and a lingering, minty finish.

(The avuncular Ralfy calls the 12-year Glenmorangie variants "poncy," "posh," "poofy," or some other disparaging British term, but this is one of my favorite liquors.)

Haven't had any Nectar D'or in a year (maybe more) so I popped open a new bottle last night...Wow - what a wonderful whiskey this is - had to bump up my previous rating from 90 to 92.

Might have to pick up a few more bottles to tuck away.

I agree. It is one of my favorites also. It's just different than anything out there, thanks to the Sauternes cask extra maturation. However, a bit expensive if I may add. That's why When i'm in the mood for Glenmo's, I often end up getting the Lasanta, which is a phenomenal product also--even though is a whole different animal. Excellent review Mr. Sanchez!!!!

@vrudy6

This is a different scotch. Sweet, elegant and rich. All this wrapped around a wonderful lemon filled pastry, dusted with confectioners sugar and spice. Its nutty, with a white wine flavor that is unique from any other whisky. Its base, The Original 10 year old, comes through and intertwines with its added layers from the Sauternes casks. This is probably one of the sweetest scotches I've ever tried. It's thick and oily, thanks to not being chill-filtered. At 46% abv, the high level of alcohol and spice helps balance the sweetness. Add a little water and it becomes a silky-smooth lemon, cream wonder. The Nectar D'or is a Glenmorangie 10 Original on steroids!

Thanks for the inspiration, I did indeed come back to it and found it wonderful. It just needed the right amount of water. I also drank it next to the 10yo Original and found that it made the 10yo look clearly inferior.

You are right vanPelt, the amount of water is crucial. The balance in this SM can be easily tipped-off. Cheers!

@TheEnabler

Nose: nail polish remover and turpentine for the first 10 minutes... then (thank god) wood, honey, roses, sweet tea, grains.

Taste (neat): Smooth and light, slightly sweet. Short finish with a sharp vaguely peppery bite.

Usually when I try a new dram for the first time, I'll add water to see if it makes any difference, but this sample was smaller than usual so I didn't have a chance to.

Thanks for the review. I wasn't impressed with this one at first, either. But after about 3 months open it really came into its own. It becomes a totally different whisky. If you have a bottle of it, I suggest you sit on it for a while and revisit it once time has worked its magic.

Why does this say I am anonymous? I have been a member for years

@vanPelt

First vapor: A vanilla shade of sherry, and with peach.

Nose: Sharp & tart: Lime rind/ kiwi / under-ripe pineapple. Faster breathing reveals lightness, like apple in a soft crisp. Nose2: Creaminess emerges, to make this a sharp lime meringue.

Palate: Brief wheatiness on entrance, quickly becomes tart limoncello with bitterness of lemon zest; never too bitter because it gets creamier, until... it starts sizzling with ginger. If the heat temporarily subsides, there is an impression of apple ice cream. Ginger returns, and the earlier bitterness has eased into amaretto. On the final swallow it is creamy and lemony.

Finish: Ginger still sizzles over a lemony cream base; then grapefruit pith and woody oak come out. Eventually decays to liquorice, after a minute.

This malt is marked by an interesting battle between tart and creamy. For my tastes, the tart wins out a tad much to be a favorite. But this is still a fresh and lively malt experience worth trying, with no especially jarring sensation. I find it the most similar to the Original, but less wheaty, less smooth (overall), and more complex.

@tjb

This is the 3rd bottle of the Glenmorangie gift set that I am trying. This is another 10cl bottle which ideal for sampling without having to buy a full bottle. This 12 year old expression is matured in Sauternes casks. It shares the appearance of Sauternes in that it is light and bright the bottle and glass.

I added the tiniest drop of water for this review. The nose gives you Apples, honey and heavy floral notes making you think of a warm summers day.

On the palate its Fruity with sweet honey, hint of spice and an oak finish.

You can taste the dessert wine influence in the Whisky and it is smooth and drinkable. A solid, sweet dram perfect for light hearted summer drinking with friends.

@tjb, if you get a full size bottle of Nectar d'Or you may find, as I have, that it gets much fuller and richer with a good bit of oxidation. I had had some of this at a friend's house and liked it very much, then was somewhat disappointed when I opened my first 750 ml bottle of it. The sweetness and fullness I had remembered just were not there, and it was a little austere rather than rich. After quite a few months of the bottle open, though, what I had remembered, and liked, from my friend's house, was much more in evidence. A lot of bottles are not at their best sampled and reviewed right away. That is one of the downsides of those very convenient small bottles.

@hunggar

I have always been quite vocal about my love for the Glenmo 10 yr Original. Cheap, light, sweet, smooth, creamy, citrusy, and delicious. Not impressive or complex, it’s just good. It’s a staple in my cabinet. Not having been particularly impressed with the Quinta Ruban or the Lasanta, the Nectar d’Or and the Astar remain the only affordable members of the basic range for me left to try. Here’s how the former fared… Nose: Some elements of the Original. Vanilla, crème brulée, citrus, and light grainy notes. The Sauternes scents make a solid appearance here too. It’s quite tangy, grapey, and winey. There’s also chocolate, toffee, mango, and charred oak. Palate: Both butter and white pepper hit first. Dark chocolate for days. Bitter citrus, sawdust, wine, and some mild fruits. The spiciness is powerful, but it’s not rough or unpleasant. It’s a well-rounded and intentional spiciness. Finish: Big, dry oak with lingering spices. Quite long. Every element of a black forest cake is here. Dark chocolate, cherries, and cream. Lovely. This stuff is damn good. It’s a bit too spicy and bold to be an everyday dram. But, it’s one of the best engineered spice attacks to be found in the world of whisky. Rounded, robust, and most importantly, consistently pleasant. A spicy whisky can so often come across as harsh or rough around the edges. Not here. This comes on smooth, builds itself up gradually, reaches a powerful crescendo, and then lingers for just the right amount of time. Unlike the rest of the Glenmo lineup, the sweetness doesn’t dominate, and the brand has taken this bottling in a totally different direction. Certainly the most interesting member of the Glenmo family I’ve tried so far. Well done.

@T4sho3

The Nectar D’or: this is a miniature and I wanted to let it breathe a little before I indulged. I recently read a review from teebone673 about this dram and was excited to try mine so here we go.

On the nose there is strong, young citrus notes, honey coated mangos, fresh air breeze in an orchard, almonds and fruit. The nose is sharp in the introduction, but delivers with multiple layers of fruit and spices. Honey develops into syrup and malty undertones. Slight hints of vanilla oak….Think whisky honey hence the “Nectar.”

The taste is soft with layers…..again honey, citrus and tangerines. A beautiful flavor of sweet white wines slowly developing into a sharp alcoholic spice near the finish. Leaves the tongue tangy? A young whisky; after about 15 seconds a hint of light oak, delicious.

The finish is warm and inviting. Tasting its age with more and more tangy spiced honey, citrus and alcohol lasting medium in length.

Final thought: Enjoyable, sweet dram well suited for after dinner as a dessert. The alcoholic zest of the finish makes me want to try this as an older, more mature expression……still, well put together.

Nice review, man. Seems like we had some similar flavors going on, maybe I noticed more spice. The tangy spiced honey is definitely something I got and really enjoyed. The one thing I noticed was the finish could have been longer and looks like you may have thought the same. Glad you enjoyed it overall. Thanks for the review.

@teebone I definitely enjoyed it and am debating on getting a bottle to see what oxidation will do with the flavor over time. Teebone do you still have the HP 18 I'm going to review mine tonight hope you do the same......good reason to have a dram

@BlueNote the Quinta Ruban is really good but you have to let it breath a bit, also if you do get a bottle try adding a few drops of water to the dram to open up the flavor and friend me for the review I would like to know your thoughts. Cheers!

@teebone673

I'lll start by saying that Glenmorangie is a favorite distillery of mine. I can honestly say there is not a Glenmo I have tried and disliked. I just love their style. This one is right at the top, probably my favorite of the range. This is a spicy one and that's why I love it.

Here we go...

Nose: Wood, wood spice, cinnamon, apples, apricots, sour grapes, mustines, vanilla.

Palate: Spice in a big way. All kinds of spice. Pepper spice. Wood spice. Spiced Vanilla. Cinnamon. Honey. Apricot, orange and red apples. The spiciest Glenmo I've ever tried.

Finish: Medium. Spicy still, the tongue is zinging. Cinnamon and nutmeg. Orange zest big time. Call me crazy, but Black Licorice??

This stuff is wonderful. It is definitely sweet, but not as sweet as I expected it to be. Again, the spice dominated and I loved it. Would I call it a dessert dram? No, but it definitely would be great for dessert, or any other time of the day. My favorite Glenmo and that is saying something because I love the Original, Quinta Ruban, Astar and the 18 year. Enjoy this anytime, guys.

Thank you @teebone673 for the mouth watering review, I believe I have a miniature of the Nectar D'or and I feel its about time I cracked that baby open. I always drink whisky neat, would you recommend adding water to this one?

I actually like this one without water. With a few drops of water the spiced toned down a little and the orange picked up. I liked the full spice I got from this one without water. Was really surprised how spicy it was, but loved it. Still, with a little water this was an outstanding dram and I recommend you try it with and without water to get what you're looking for. Enjoy!

@juglans

A delightful whisky, with no edges at all. Very smooth, sweet and syrup. Mayby even a bit to smooth. You have to take your time to discover all the tasting notes. A good dessert whisky.

@Bryvsspy

My first bottle of whisky was Glenmorangie the Original 10 yr. This was my second. I figured seeing that I enjoyed so much the original I couldn't go wrong with another bottle from the same distillery. Before buying this I heard Andy Macdonald describe this whisky as walking into a french pastisserie. Fresh, lemon tart, citrus, crème brulée flavours. That was enough for me to decide it was worth the cash. I've since purchased several bottles and keep coming back for more. I always keep a bottle of this in my cabinet. My next Glenmorangie discovery, I hope, will be Signet or Quinta Ruban but probably the Quinta Ruban seeing that it's more in my price range and more available in my area. Thxs for reading.

@AKGcandlefish

Color: bright sunlight.

Nose: honey, lemons, orange blossoms, and amaretto.

Body: smooth, silky, and creamy.

Palate: Sweet! Cherries dipped in honey. Bavarian cream. Touch of lemon.

Finish: vanilla and white chocolate. Something faintly herbal. Very light, almost effervescent, like it floats back into your mouth after being swallowed.

Wow. Nectar of the gods indeed! I've been wanting to try this one for a long time, and now that I've tasted it, I can't stop drinking. This is delicious, like biting into a pastry. It is the exact opposite of a good Islay malt. Complex and seductive, but tender and feminine. I haven't had the 18 year or any of the other premium Glenmorangie bottlings, but of the headlining four, this one is far and away the most rewarding. Well worth the price if you can afford it.

I am tasting this very nectar (again) right now. A very slight touch of water really changes/softens the flavors. I definitely agree with the touch of lemon and overall decadent sweetness of this bottling. Very good indeed. Thanks for your reviews. I've enjoyed them all thus far. Being new, I often have a hard time relating what I smell and taste to something identifiable and you have helped with that tremendously.

@awhiskyodyssey

Glenmorangie’s original expression was the whisky that I was enjoying when I first began to fall in love with single malt scotch. I was alone, reading a good book, enjoying a generous dram; I was nosing and tasting, slow and mellow, and the subtle aromas separated and re-coalesced. It was an epiphany!

Shortly thereafter, my Mom gave me a bottle of Quinta Ruban for my birthday: it has a much more more complex nose than the ‘original’ expression, and I was hooked.

The Nectar D'or expression is a 12 YO scotch that is first matured for a minimum of 10 years in ex-bourbon casks, and then finished in hand-selected Sauternes wine casks (ABV 46%).

Colour: Gold (of course)

Nose: An aromatic honey-sweetness with subtle notes of peach, orange and lime.

Palate: full and deep; fruit-wine, raisins, citrus, sweet-vanilla.There is a subtle taste — almost unpleasant, but it adds to the whole in a wonderful manner — that I assume can be attributed to the Sauternes influence. the addition of a few drops of water did nothing to enhance the whisky; I prefer it neat.

Finish: long and smooth: warm honey, sweet pears.

The influence from the Sauternes casks is delivered wonderfully: a sumptuous communication between wood, wine and malt. I closed my eyes and felt like a decadent gentleman lounging in his private study enjoying a very satisfying dram.

Nice review, I can relate to your experience. The original was my first bottle as well and discovered Nector D'or afterwards and have been hooked ever since. My Mother offered my a bottle of Nector d'or for Christmas this year. I've been looking forward to trying the Quinta Ruban and Signet but I need to get through a couple of bottles to make some space first.

Thanks for the comment: I think you'll enjoy the Nector d'or.

Sláinte

@WhiskyBee

Complex, elegant, floral, fruity…adjectives that come to mind when I think of Glenmorangie. One of the first distilleries to experiment with various cask finishes before the practice became all the rage, "Glen-mo" also acquired something of a reputation for the inconsistency that often results from such experimentation. Fortunately, they also have a reputation for more hits than misses.

Along with the 10 yo Original, the Nectar D’or appears to be one of the two most popular expressions in the Glenmorangie range. I find it a very drinkable dram with a few slight unpleasant notes, but there are enough good things going on here for me to give it a strong-ish recommendation.

Nose, neat: After about 15 minutes of opening up, I get plenty of malt, brown sugar, honey, vanilla, fresh-baked shortbread cookies, and some touches of flowers and grasses. An excellent nose to be sure, but from time to time I get some slight traces of what I can only describe as sweat and metal – the way your hand smells after carrying around some dirty coins. It’s slight, I don’t get it with every whiff, but it’s enough to mark it down a couple of ticks in the aroma department.

Taste, neat: A blast of unanticipated peppery spices, cinnamon, and fruit, followed by a fairly long malty finish. Maybe a touch of bitter tea in there as well. For a 46-percenter, there’s not too much burn here.

With a splash of water and another 10 minutes:

Nose: Hm, I think I prefer this neat. A bit of water tends to flatten it out and emphasize the dirty notes. The malt and honey remain strong, and there’s a bit of apple I didn’t detect before, but rest of the pleasant layers have been washed away.

Taste: I liked the palate neat, but I like it even better now. It’s now alive with complexity and fruity layers. It verges on the overly sugary, perhaps, and it’s lost a bit in the finish, but the gains more than make up for the losses.

I like this whisky, but I’m slightly confused as to how to drink it. I think I’ll try half a dram neat and half with a spoonful of water next time to get the best of both worlds.

@Lucianandrei

at first glance it resemble with it's smaller cousin : Lasanta.... But there is more about it. Nose: a good cherry , swwet , tinny caramel. Also the taste kicks in for real after the 3rd or 4th unit. the finish is amazing: explosions of cherry with a bit of citrus... caramell ... and i don't know. if i had less brain i would still be drinking(to kill the remaining brain):)). a real pleasure about nectar d'or. best advice: buy 2-3 bottles, you will apreciate a lot that you have some more after you have finished the first bottle..it is one for non peated lovers!!!!

@Pierre_W

In addition to the original Glenmorangie Nectar d’Or, a 12-year old expression, this new version has been given an extra three years of maturation in ex-Sauternes casks and was launched in 2011.

The nose is fruity and sweet with a lot of honey and a very distinct winey note, no doubt due to the influence of the finish in Sauternes casks. I also detected apricots, lemons and some vanilla, everything delightfully interwoven. I have never had a nose that was more under the influence of a wine flavour than was the case with this one but it works brilliantly!

The palate is full and sweet, with again honey, vanilla and now also oranges and caramel making an appearance. In addition there is a touch of malty spice that nicely complements the flavour range.

The finish is quite long and rich, with honey notes and the same malty spiciness that I had noticed with the palate.

This is a stunning whisky and by far my favourite one from the Glenmorangie core range (at least until now). It is less floral than the 12-year old version but manages to elegantly combine sweetness with spice and intensity of flavour. The result is a sumptuous whisky that the distillery can be proud of!

Thanks @Pierre_W for writing one of few reviews I can find for this special 15yo version. It encouraged me to track it down. I am now reading it again now, after acquiring a bottle, pouring a dram, and sipping as I read. Very good descriptions, similar to my experience of the nose and finish.

Maybe you can tell me what I'm doing wrong though: the palate is so tart to me! Really puckers my cheeks. Water seems to help (did you add much?), but I just wondered whether you experienced the same thing and had any tips.

This greatly interests me, especially regarding how my tastes differ: I can't imagine NOT using the word "tart" to describe the undiluted malt! My first full-strength glass reminded me of my review of the 12yo ( connosr.com/reviews/glenmorangie/… ). But if your review reflects adding water, then I agree. I noticed the sourness disappear after a good dollop. Let me try again.

And yes! As of today's date, you can still order the 15yo here, although they state "Limited stock" now: drinksupermarket.com/glenmorangie-nectar-d-…

I originally thought I found it at whiskyhuis, but this turned out to be yet another item that was actually not in stock there... you can't really trust them. But I have no problems recommending drinksupermarket; the delivery went just great (it really is the 15yo), and it also sells at the best price that I could find.

@Victor

Sauterne Finish Nectar d'Or is aged a total of 12 years. The reviewed bottle has been open for 18 months. The review is of the whisky at the present time with additional comments made about the progress of the whisky from the time the bottle was opened

Nose: pleasant relatively strong sweet Sauterne and malt flavours. These flavours have opened up a lot since the bottle was opened and are at their strongest and best now. What peat there is, is extremely mild

Taste: very sweet malt and Sauterne are in abundance now, though they were quite understated and not as pleasant for the first year in which the bottle was open. Very mild peat is also present...

Finish: long strong finish with a lot of sweetness, and at this point, a touch of sourness from oxidation. The sourness on the finish now is not sufficient to keep the flavours from being far better now than in the first year that the bottle was open

Balance: This is a bottle I enjoyed at a friend's house, then was disappointed in the bottle of it I later purchased,...until a year later. Now this is quite enjoyable, but...once again, I have to ask myself the question, would I buy it again, and probably have to wait a year for it to develop to a taste profile that I like? Probably not...(3 pts deducted on the balance score for having to wait for it for a year)

J

Nose: Lemony, yogurt, light honey's, nice maltiness, hit of some desert spice.

Palate: Quite thick, citrusy, lemony, apricots, vinilla yogurt, desert spices again, slight dried vinilla, cinnamon, slight pepperiness.

Finish: Long quite soft, lemon tang, some creaminess, slight earthiness, dried fruits.

Probably my favourite Glenmorangie from there 'Extra Matured' range. Quite nice and reasonably priced around where I live.

@SquidgyAsh

So my wife and I had finally got to Helvetica, a whisky bar, after months of attempts. We've been waiting for my sister and brother in law to arrive and in the meantime my wife and I have tried Glenfarclas 12 yr old at dinner, The Yamazaki and Hakushu 12 yr old japanese whiskies. Next on the block is our first ever Glenmorangie!

Glenmorangie Nectar D'or.

I'd heard nothing, but good things about Glenmorangie before, but I'd never tried any so this was going to be a new experience for both myself and my wife.

I take the glass back to my wife and hand it over to her to see what she can see.

Nose: What we both immediately get is fruit. Lots and lots of fruit. Apricot, Peach, Pineapple, Apples, Pears, I swear I smell mango, but my wife says she can't pick that one up, but she gets sultanas which I don't. I immediately think to myself that if this tastes as good as it smells then this too shall be a nice whisky for a hot summers night.

Taste: The fruit continues onto the tongue with apples, lemons, the tang of the pineapple, more and more fruit!! There is some spice, but nothing that I can sit down and put my finger on. But no matter this will make an excellent summer whisky!

The finish is medium with again the fruit dominating everything, mainly sultanas, but there is a hint of oak in the background.

My wife really enjoyed this whisky as did I. Really good thing is my wife up to this point had only really cared for Speysides. Now after this she's interested in trying some more Highlands.

My only complaint with this whisky is that I would have loved to seen it bottled at 50%+ABV. It felt just a little too watered down for my taste.

This is a very good whisky and runs for around $80 AUS.

We're now 45 minutes into our whisky visit and still no sign of my sister or brother in law. We're getting kind of worried so I send them an SMS asking where they are, just as I do this I get an SMS from telling us they're in the upstairs room and look forward to meeting us whenever we get in.

Hahaha, they've been here the entire time! Time to head up and meet the in laws for Family Whisky Time!!

Next on the block: Amrut Fusion!

@Megawatt

Nose: luscious sweetness. I think of fruit (apricot, papaya, peach), white chocolate, slight hint of lemon. Also a bit of fresh sawdust (a smell I happen to love). Neat, there is a slight toasty aroma but with a splash of water it is all perfumed sweetness. It has depth; you feel that the further you stick your nose in the glass, the sweeter and richer it will get. Outstanding.

Taste: sweet and full but also crisp and toasty. Oaky bitterness as it unfolds on the tongue. Strange that I am finding it more bitter than before on this tasting. Nevertheless, the delivery is silky smooth with a fruity tang.

Finish: the fruit and oak vie for attention as it fades. None of the unwanted sour flavours that you sometimes get with wine finishes.

Balance: overall, a wonderful, luxurious dram. Big on sweetness but still well-balanced. An all-around pleasure to drink.

I had a chance to sample this back in November (thank you @aboutchoice!) and in a 'where the heck did that come from?' moment where a note just jumps out at you, I picked up what I can only describe as 'candied grapefruit'. It was really interesting as this sweetened, tart note really fit in with the overall sweet profile of this bottle.

Nice review. I found myself struggling to identify and describe certain aspects of this whiskey, but after reading your review I can identify most of the things you pointed out. Nice tasting.

@markjedi1

Of all the wine finishes, this Nectar d’Or is probably the most popular. Launched in 2007, this is the orginal with a finish ons weet Sauternes wine casks.

The nose is rather floral and reveals a truckload of honey. Dried grass. Very fruity. A whole basket of fruit, in no particular order: apricots, apples, lime, prunes, clementines and even some kiwi. Turn that into a stew and sprinkle it with cinnamon. You will get this golden nectar. Soft and wonderful.

It rolls across the tastebuds in all its creaminess. Immediately a sour touch of the wine and a bitter lining of the oak ensue, but never go over the top. All is well balanced. The sweetness dominates. Some more citrus now. Mild spices, too. Ginger and cinnamon. Reminds me of cake with lemon curd.

The finish is medium in length on green tea and orange marmalade.

This is an awesome Glenmorangie, even better than the Sonnalta PX which was already very good. As it suits a Sauternes, this should be had after dinner. Around 50 EUR.

@Vinodiuz

From the French wine 'Sauterness' casks comes this wonderful Nectar D'or of Glenmorangie. Delicious and dessert, like wine whisky...

Nose: vanilla, lemon/citrus, sweetness of tropical fruits and spices as nutmeg.

Taste: Fully bodied, of a dessert wine, elements of tintly lemon zest, honey, sugar grapes and roasted nuts on the aftertaste.

Finsh: long, honey, coconut and vanilla chocolate.

Great creation of Glenmorangie, recommended for people who like drams who have wine elements in it. Sweet and delicate.

I own a bottle but have yet to crack it open. I've had the Quinta Ruban (which was too tannic for my tastes) and the Sonnalta PX (which I liked more), so I'm very curious to see how I react to it, as I don't tend to be drawn to the wine elements.

Goodmorning Sir,

Thanks for your comment. Well it is ufourse a whiksy and not wine. But the title what I use for this review of the Nectar D'or, is cause this great dram have rested for 2 years on French 'Sauterness' casks., wine casks. And for me, personally, I find some wine elements in it. Nose and taste the most. But that is ufcourse for everybody different.

@Mahlzahn

I have been looking forward to taste this particular Glenmorangie bottling because I have heard and read so many great things about it. Today, I finally received a sample and poured me a dram straight away :) The Nectar d'Or is one of Glenmorangies special bottlings together with the Lasanta and the Quinta Ruban. It is matured for 10y in Ex-Bourbon barrels before it gets its finish in french Sauternes-barriques, which usually contain the famous sweet, french wine. Together with the mild character Glenmorangie is known for, I expected some really great stuff...Let's see what I could find:

Nose: Very sweet with lots of Vanilla, very mild with hints of citrus and fruits. These were getting even more vivid as I added some drops of water, because the Nectar d'Or comes at 46% and has some potential for adding water in order to explore more of its aromas. Overall a very nice, sweet and solid nose, but nothing spectacular or overwhelming. (21)

Taste: The sweetness continues and dominates, harmonizing well with Glenmorangie's characteristic mildness. Very smooth, a little fruity and soft but with a full body. Nothing flat or boring here...the 46% suit him well ;) After some sips a mild spiciness (maybe ginger) develops, giving the Nectar d'Or a little more depth. Good stuff :) (21)

Finish: Again sweet and mild and warm, but not too long with that hint of spice. A minimal dryness towards the end. (21)

Balance: A very well-balanced dram. All the aromas evolve and complement each other continuously from the nose to the finish. (24)

Overall, the Nectar d'Or is a mild, sweet and rock solid Single Malt that should find a lot of fans and is also very suitable for beginners, because of its mild- and sweetness. However, it lacks some surprises or something spectacular to hit the 90+ points for me. But it is still a very good and very quaffable Whisky!

Great review. Have you tried the Bruichladdich Cuvee 'E' 16 yo (Sauternes finish)? I'm a big fan of it, I'd say it's probably my most favourite single malt to date (I have a sweet tooth and am very partial to dessert wine flavours). I'll be adding the Nectar D'or to my wish list, would be great to contrast and compare how both distilleries have used Sauternes in their whisky. I've heard of Port Ellen and Edradour being finished in Sauternes; anyone know of any that are more commonly available?

@ systemdown: Thank you! The Nectar d'Or has been my first Sauternes finish that I've tried, so I can't really compare it to others.

@Dellnola

Nose: Lovely honey, almonds in the form of wedding cake, nutmeg, pineapple, sweet lemons, a perfect amount of wine influence.

Taste: Lots of honey again, lemon pie, amaretto, sweet tea, vanilla. Very creamy.

Finish: Honey, vanilla, and oak. Sweet tea returns with lemon. There's also a bit of pepper, but the spiciness is removed.

If there was ever a honeyed whisky, this is it. Glenmorangie again shows its skill with finishes.

@Apollo

This whisky like its younger brother the ten is very subtle and very tasty. No peat. No smoke. No heavy finish. Just sweet young vanilla and delight to drink. In my opinion this is the best Glenmorangie on the market, period!

Agreed Apollo.

Of the 5 Glenmorangie's that I've tried (10 yr Original, Lasanta, Quinta Ruban, Astar, and Nectar'Dor) I must admit to liking this Glenmorangie the best...A really nice combo of silky/smooth/sweet.

@tabendar

The aging in these French Sauternes barrels really compliments the whisky. A touch of heat and spice with a hint of cinnamon that rounds out to a wonderful finish of apple. Very well balanced and smooth.

This is a good "starter"; as in: I started a colleague on whisky with this one at a function where samples were free...it had been a while since I had tasted it and remembered how smooth, light and loverly it smelled.

@jwise

I have heard a lot of wonderful things about the Nectar D'Or from Glenmorangie. I ordered a sample of this whisky from Master of Malt, as I really wanted to taste it, but from the distillery's description I don't foresee this being a whisky I am going to want a whole bottle of (a little too citrusy from the tasting notes). Let's get to it!

The Nectar D'Or is bottled at 46% ABV, and is non chill-filtered.

Nose: The nose is a bit closed off, not like the Sonnalta PX. While being a bit closed, it is still very good: honey, vanilla, and floral notes. The fruit aromas are subtle, but there. Nectarines and a little orange marmalade.

Body: Plenty of body to fill the mouth. Rich and firm.

Palate: Spice comes in on the front. A bit of candied orange.

Finish: Very citrusy on the finish, which is quite long and slightly spicy. A little lime mixed in with the orange citrus. However, it isn't sharp citrus, but just the aroma from oranges and cloves simmering on the stove.

This is good, but I don't think I'll be buying a bottle. I think I like Edradour better, which I describe as "candied orange peel." It has more going on than this one. The nose is great, and the palate is tasty, but the finish is just a little too citrusy for me.

I agree with this, really didn't take to this bottle - I really couldn't get much depth out of this above the really floral zestiness. It was also pretty hot considering it's relatively low ABV. It's definitely drinkable and is a good whisky but I won't buy another - I'd really like to try the Astar.

D

This has an amazing scent, that is light and refreshing. The base notes are still those of the Original, but less heavy handed, while there is a distinctly fresh citrus aroma, and a rather pronounced combo of french cheeses and cashews. The taste though is strongly reminiscent of stomach acid and curdled milk with a lemon component. The finish is oddly numbing, I have no real other way to describe it, its lemony, sweet, and bitter all at once, leaving a more empty feeling than really any discernible flavor.

@jdcook

This year my wife purchased me 3 bottles of whisky for Christmas - a Glenmorangie Nectar D'or, a Talisker 10 year old (to replace a sadly empty bottle) and a bottle of Buffalo Trace. It took surprisingly little wheedling on my part to get her to allow me access to them early.

I decided to try the Glenmorangie first, given that I have heard quite a few people raving about it, and even those 'purists' who think Glenmorangies latest offerings are a bit pretentious say that the Nectar D'or is the best of the current batch of finished releases.

According to the blurb, this dram is aged at least 10 years in ex bourbon barrels and then finished in specially selected Sauternes Wine barriques. The bottle I I have states it is a 12 year old. It also specifically mentions that it isn't chill-filtered and is bottled at 46% so that at least should please Ralfy!

The nose is like creamy syrup; full of cinnamon and sultanas underpinned with a real butteriness (like the smell of partially melted butter on toast). As I keep sniffing I get wafts of honey and hints of lemon meringue pie.

The taste is spicier than the nose, with just the barest hint of wood smoke. Honey, vanilla, hints of chocolate. Really dense with lots of layers. Lemon, yellow apples, cream, butter and even the barest hint of table salt. Leaves my mouth watering! Complex!

The finish is decently long and continues the creamy, buttery, honey goodness. Hints of marmalade, chocolate and even an undercurrent of oak. The sultanas make another appearance as well.

This I think is my new go to drink for introducing people to whisky. Powerful and full of character yet still easy to drink. Excellent in it's own right, but no big learning curve required for beginners! Count me as one of the ravers! It's pretty good value for money too.

I'm currently trying this malt, along with the quinta ruban. I must say the two are completely different, but, whereas in the quinta ruban the finishing overpowers the base malt (the glenmorangie original), completely changing its nature, the nectar d'or enhances its character and adds complexity. I very much agree with your tasting notes and I would add that this one is a step up from the original (which I already love).

@drinix - I'm not that big of a fan of the quinta ruban, but I really like the Nectar D'or. I would agree, the finishing in this case has significantly added to the base malt (and the 10 year old original is a way more than decent entry level dram). I would highly recommend this to anyone - it is an excellent malt at a very decent price!

@Kalekas

This will be no more than a quick, first impression of sharing a bottle Glenmo's Nectar D'Or with some friends: the most obvious flavour note is the pure blast of sweet from the Sauternes barrel in which this was finished. Relying on memory (because it's all gone now) this is even sweeter than their Sonnalta PX finished in Pedro Ximenes barrels.

I'm hugely impressed by the blenders' playful attitude to whisky making. Nothing seems out of bounds when they're putting together a new expression, whether it's Port, Sauternes, Pedro Ximenes or 'Truffle Oak' - whatever that is.

For the record my friends, Spanish and English, most of them not whisky drinkers, loved the Nectar D'Or and I had to remind them it was 'un préstamo' (a loan) and it was returning home with me.

@nycadman

I had my first sip 2 minutes ago and the finish is still lingering. Incredibly smooth, well-balanced, just the right blend of power and precision.

Well done. One of my all time favorites.

@jmende1

This will be my first review on connosr (or at all really). I'm a chef, so I think about food pairings when I have scotch. This is a very special bottle for me, as I got it for the first Father's day that I was a subject of. So without further adieu:

Pre dilution Nose: Peach, Plum, Citrus, Jelly beans, cotton candy, white grapes, oak, sauternes (obviously), poached pear, medium vanilla hints

Flavor: medium body, light tartness, disintegrates on your tongue in a fruity, slightly nutty flavor, a slight tang nestles in between taste buds. Gentle bitter finish.

Diluted: Nose: candied orange rind, peaches Flavor: loses some tartness, gains a little sweetness. Flavor doesn't seem to be as complex when diluted. Wood and apple on the finish. As for the texture on the tongue, the tang is muted

Food pairing ideas: App: Tuna skewer, candied grapefruit, watercress (Intersested to see what a peppery green would do to balance the sweetness of this dram)

Main: Sauternes poached Foie gras.

Dessert: Meyer lemon semifreddo

@LeFrog: I totally agree, there's also something which I stubbornly don't like about the notion of 'dilution', it's a stupid thing i know, but it just doesn't sit well with me. I also admit that there's an element of laziness to it, I like the direct route of bottle to palate without a water middleman.

@Hogshead: I totally agree with your point as well, there can be no rules, hence the beauty of whisky enjoyment. If someone likes to have coke with their whisky, most of us would frown, but if that's the way they like it then so be it. I have read though that there is a scientific reason why water releases the bouquet in whisky, that it breaks down the flavour compounds and therefore releases flavour-containing molecules.

So the summary would probably be that like LeFrog, it's not a 'macho' thing that I don't like to add water, probably just an ideological one, as well as a sensory one. I'm sucker for cask strength whiskies for that reason - a more intense flavour and a sense of "authenticity", as misplaced a notion as that may be.

Nice review.

@OJK re: not adding water - I also love drinking whisky neat - even at cask strength. Adding water dilutes the intensity which is a big part of the enjoyment for me.

(It's not a fashionable thing to say, I know.)

@WhiskyNotes

Nose: apples and cinnamon. Apricots and tangerine. Hints of pineapple on syrup. Some kiwi. Quite warm with hints of cake and lemon pie. Honeysuckle. Very sweet.

Mouth: indeed very sweet but it shows more spices from the oak now. Much thicker and richer than the Original. Big hints of marmalade and all kinds of yellow fruits. Honey. Lots of vanilla and white chocolate. Mocha in the aftertaste.

Finish: medium length, creamy and firm enough thanks to the oak. Hints of ginger.

I have to (almost) agree with your summing up of the Nectar D'Or - it is a damn fine whisky (I paraphrase freely). I'd put Sonnalta PX just a notch ahead, but I probably spend my hard-earned on the Nectar D'Or as I think it comes n at better value for money.

Was your rating of 7.5 for this whisky a mistake? surely in the scheme of things it's worth at least an 8.5 - 9?

I'm not as generous as other reviewers when it comes to scores. I've tasted over 600 whiskies so far, and I want to put everything in perspective. 7.5/10 is a very decent score in my view, certainly for a mainstream whisky.

I agree, I'd definitely prefer Sonnalta PX over this one.

@WhiskyOClock

Oh boy, this is some good stuff. Refreshing on the nose with florals, citrus, and honey. The palette follows through on the nose with honey and an enveloping spice. Finish is long and complex... excellent. The Nectar D'or is my favorite of the Glenmorangie finished whiskies; it deserves a permanent spot in your whisky cabinet. Very highly recommended (as if you couldn't tell).

Not only my favorite Glenmo but my favorite Dram, by far!

@yossiyitzak

Got pancakes? This is stuff is so syruppy sweet. This is one that will alway have a place on my shelf for when I want to treat myself

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