Glenmorangie 12 Year Lasanta Deconstruction OL Blending Sample

Review by: The Muskox

Yesterday I was lucky enough to attend a tasting of Glenmorangie and Ardbeg whiskies, put on by the lovely Toronto Whisky Society and cohosted by Canadian brand ambassador Bry Simpson!

This dram was Bry’s surprise for us – a taste of one blending component of Glenmorangie’s Lasanta. That bottling is a vatting of Oloroso-finished and PX-finished whisky, bottled at 43%. What we had here, though, was just the Oloroso-finished component, and still at cask strength! What a rare treat from a distillery that notoriously likes to bottle at low proof.

Distillery: Glenmorangie.

Bottler: Official bottling.

Region: Highlands.

ABV: 55.6%, cask strength.

Age: 12 years old. Bottled in 2020.

Cask type: Oloroso sherry finish.

Color: No colour added, un-chillfiltered.

Nose: Balanced and but rather volatile from the proof. Fresh fruit notes of pear, nectarine, grapefruit peel, and orange juice. Sweet nougat, vanilla, and white chocolate. Slightly herbal and grassy, maybe some fresh thyme and even green coffee beans. Hints of varnish and graphite.

Palate: Medium texture, drinks below its proof. Arrives with dry and nutty sherry. The middle is buttery and treacle-y, with varnished oak, nutmeg, melon, and ginger.

A little water smooths things out a little, cutting some of that varnished note.

Finish: Fairly rich, slightly dry. Chewy toffee and butter tarts. Raisins and tart yellow plums. Lingering light oak.

Possible SMWS bottling name: “Freshly-lacquered sitting room”

Notes: Pretty good, and much more interesting than the normal Lasanta. That isn’t just a comment on the proof – there’s much more complexity and an interesting dryer sherry character in this version. The citrusy and grassy character is pretty similar to that single-cask Amontillado-matured Glenmorangie I tried late last year, though this one isn’t quite as complex and has much more of a spirity and varnish-y kick. In fact, I tried this next to a glass of Quinta Ruban and wasn’t quite sure which one I liked more… I think the Quinta Ruban might have won.

Alright, please let this be the last Glenmorangie I drink for the next little while.

Final Score: 80.

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.

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