Glenmorangie Releases A Tale of the Forest Scotch

The latest new expression from Glenmorangie is A Tale of the Forest Scotch, a whisky made from barley kilned with woodland botanicals.

These include juniper berries, birch bark and heather flowers, along with a little peat.

The idea for this special release came from Dr. Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie Director of Whisky Creation, enjoying the woods around his home.

“Every time I go into the woods where I live, I notice something new, be it the fragrance of last night’s rainfall or the sound of leaves rustling a particular way,” Lumsden says. “I began to imagine how we could bring the forest to life in a whisky, by kilning barley with materials from woodland, the way our ancestors did.”

“After many experiments, we decided on juniper, birch bark and heather, which would traditionally have been used in the kilning process, to create a Glenmorangie as lush and leafy as the forest itself,” he continues. “With aromas of pine needles, woodland moss, juniper’s sharpness and tastes of eucalyptus, mint, bitter orange and distant smoke, A Tale of the Forest is a whisky to surround, delight and surprise you, whether you enjoy it deep in a forest or in cocktails at home.”

Glenmorangie A Tale of the Forest is bottled at 46% ABV.

On the nose is sweet malt, biscuit, and creaminess with a botanical edge, like juniper or coriander, the company says. A splash of water releases herbal and perfumed top notes, such as juniper, coriander, damp woodland, pine needles, nettle and mint. The palate brings a peppery, effervescent mouthfeel before peppermint, menthol, eucalyptus, pine, wood sap, angelica, bitter orange and a hint of aromatic wood smoke.

The taste continues with a bitter-sweet oak tannin, along with oily vanilla and hints of aniseed. The finish is citrus notes such as orange and lemon, and oak.

Glenmorangie A Tale of the Forest has a suggested retail price of $102.99 per 750-ml. bottle. On the bottle is imagery by Thai illustrator Pomme Chan, who took inspiration from the forests of northern Thailand. This follows news of the brand revealing new packaging for its core range and the launch of Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1998.

Lumsden hosted a dinner and whisky tasting in New York in late October to launch the expression. Guests were greeted with a Hedgerow Sour cocktail that incorporated Glenmorangie A Tale of the Forest. Here’s the full recipe.

The post Glenmorangie Releases A Tale of the Forest Scotch first appeared on Cheers.