Review by: The Muskox

After trying the 1991 and 1996 Grand Vintages, I’m not so hot on the series. Let’s see if the 1997 can save things.

This one is actually older than the 1996 vintage, having been bottled two years later. We also have the name of the winery the casks are sourced from – Château Montrose in Bordeaux. I don’t know much about wine, so I won’t pretend to know exactly what this particular wine should do to the whisky. One interesting thing I learned about these bottlings at the tasting is that the casks that are bragged about on the label aren’t the only ones used in the vatting. That’s not just pre-finish either. Interesting.

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Distillery: Glenmorangie.

Bottler: Official bottling.

Region: Highlands.

ABV: 55.7%. Cask Strength.

Age: 24 years. Distilled in 1997. Bottled in 2021.

Cask type: Finished in a Bordeaux red wine casks from Château Montrose.

Price: N/A, tasting sample. ($1240 CAD)

Color: Light gold. Natural Color. Chill Filtered.

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Nose: Rather bright and zesty in comparison to the 1991. Lots of dried blueberries and raspberries, as well as oily citrus peels, some lighter tropical fruits (mangosteen!), and peaches. Stronger floral notes than the other Grand Vintages, with lavender and even some habanero. Smoky dark chocolate, a hint of fudge, toasted caramel-coated oak, and fresh ginger.

Palate: Medium-light texture. Arrives creamy, with spicy ginger, flower petals, honey ice cream, and more of that buttercream. More of that winey sweetness comes through with time, with a hint of that zingy candy note. Soft exotic oak and sandalwood. Hints of banana and kiwi.

Finish: Medium-length, filled with honeyed creaminess and fruit. Grapefruit soda, peach nectar, and ginger juice. Lingering lavender ice cream and vanilla fudge.

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Possible SMWS bottling name: “Tropical garden creamery”

Sweet, light, and beautiful. That creaminess that ran through the other Grand Vintages is paired with lovely bright fruit, flowers, and spicy ginger. Love that lavender note, too. It feels so much more alive. Could it use more presence from being bottled at a higher proof? Absolutely. Is it worth the ridiculous MSRP? Hell no. Is it a great whisky anyways? Yes.

Final Score: 84.

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
• 50-59: Save it for mixing.
• 0-49: Blech.