Glenmorangie Unveils 50 Year Old, Its Oldest Single Malt
Glenmorangie has released the oldest whisky in its history. The Glenmorangie 50 Years Old is a Highland single malt limited to just 149 numbered bottles, and each one comes in its own handcrafted porcelain display vessel made by American ceramic artist Peter Pincus. It is a rare look at a style of Glenmorangie that can no longer be made, and a milestone for the distillery's whisky makers.
The Release
The story starts in the mid-1970s. The spirit was made from some of the last batches of barley malted in Glenmorangie's own floor maltings, which were decommissioned in 1977. It was distilled in the distillery's tall copper stills and filled into bourbon hogshead casks and first-fill Oloroso sherry butts.
Dr Bill Lumsden, now Master Distiller, joined Glenmorangie as Distillery Manager in 1995. The whisky was already well aged by then, and in those early years he noticed a handful of casks that looked capable of very long maturation. In 1999 he selected a small parcel from them. Most of it was bourbon cask whisky, with a smaller share from the sherry butts. He married the parcel in a single refill hogshead, a tightly coopered cask chosen because it would give the gentlest wood influence over a slow, extended rest.
That cask then sat for another 25 years. After five decades in total, Lumsden judged it ready. According to the distillery, the whisky is a deep mahogany colour. The nose offers baked oranges, sultanas and nutmeg with a herbal top note. The palate is gently peppery, with toffee, stewed Assam tea leaves, birch tar, and touches of clove and oak tannin. Lumsden also points to the old floor-malted barley as the source of some rare hints of smoke. He called the bottling "one of my proudest creations."
The packaging is a major part of the release. After visiting the distillery and tasting the whisky, Peter Pincus, his partner Laurie and their studio team spent about 1,000 days making 149 ceramic vessels. They developed new ceramic techniques and created 50 custom colour pigments inspired by the whisky's tasting notes. Each vessel carries a hand-applied pattern of its own. Together the pieces fit into a tessellated wall of art titled "Together in Spirit."
The Story of Glenmorangie
Glenmorangie is a Highland distillery in Tain, Ross-shire, Scotland. It is known for having the tallest stills in Scotland, which are central to its light, elegant house style. According to the company, there is a record of alcohol production at Morangie Farm as early as 1703, and a brewery later sat on the site, sharing the farm's Tarlogie Spring water. William Matheson, a former distillery manager at Balblair, acquired the farm in 1843, and the whisky-making era began from there.
The core range includes the Original 12 year old, an 18 year old and a 25 year old. Beyond that sit a long list of cask finishes, extra matured bottlings and special editions, which have made the distillery a favourite for experimental, wood-driven releases. Glenmorangie is owned by The Glenmorangie Company, part of LVMH, and the company says its whisky makers have been refining single malt for more than 180 years.
Why It Stands Out
Fifty-year-old Scotch is rare in any year, and this one has a story that goes beyond the number. The barley comes from Glenmorangie's own floor maltings, which closed in 1977, so this liquid can't be remade. Lumsden has also guided its maturation for about three decades. The mostly bourbon cask makeup, finished by a small sherry influence, is a different path from many ultra-aged Scotches that lean heavily on sherry. The ceramic collaboration adds another collectible layer, since the vessels are designed to work both individually and as part of a larger artwork.
The Details
Style: Highland single malt Scotch whisky
Age: 50 years
Cask: Bourbon hogshead and first-fill Oloroso sherry butt whisky, mostly bourbon cask, married in 1999 in one refill hogshead
Release Size: 149 numbered bottles
Packaging: Individual porcelain display vessels by Peter Pincus
Availability: Through the Moët Hennessy Private Client Team, the Distillery Visitor Centre in Tain and select retailers. Private enquiries are welcome via glenmorangie.com.
Release Date: Available from September, per the release
Tonights Poison Take
This is a true collector's piece. It combines a bygone malting era, a long-term vision from one of Scotch's best-known whisky makers, and a ceramic artwork that took more than three years to finish. Price and ABV weren't shared in the announcement, and with only 149 bottles, most people will follow this one from the sidelines. It is still a fascinating look at what half a century does to Glenmorangie's elegant style.
Disclosure: The author works in beverage alcohol distribution and may have a professional relationship with this brand or its parent company.
Please enjoy responsibly.
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