You should never mix grape and grain. It’s one of the first things they tell you after a night of misadventure. Where was that advice 12 hours ago, comes the reply. But there are ways to make wine and spirit work together, particularly in the hands of a master of their craft. As a lover of both fine wine and Scotch whisky, Glenmorangie’s master distiller Dr Bill Lumsden has made it a point of pride in his new cask finish series. His new Pursuit of Passion Wine Cask Collection has taken the idea of grape and grain to the extreme – and the results aren’t as headache-inducing as first feared.
Joining Glenmorangie in 1995, these whiskies are the result of one of Lumsden’s first experiments at the distillery. A true oenophile himself, he explored Europe’s finest wine regions to source precious casks from revered areas of Burgundy, Bordeaux and Piedmont. He filled these casks with relatively young Glenmorangie spirit and left them all for 18 years or longer.
That, by most distillers’ reckoning, is a madness. Glenmorangie’s light and fruity character doesn’t have the sustenance to cope with such a heavy influence for such a long period. But Lumsden has built his reputation on such experiments, and we’re willing to bet that plenty never see the light of day. The fact that Glenmorangie decided to package this up into 600 sets and sell it for £7,740 (approx $10,200), tells you that this one has come up trumps.
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Lumsden, a man with thousands of whiskies to his name, gave insight into his excitement: “My passion for single malt whisky is perhaps only matched by my passion for fine wine. Of all my experiments, the whiskies in our Pursuit of Passion Wine Cask Collection are among my most prized and delicious.” Considering he co-created an American whisky with none other than Beyonce, such statements are not to be taken lightly.
In the Pursuit of Passion’s 600 sets, the experiments include whiskies finished in Margaux wine casks, Corton-Charlemagne wine casks and Barbaresco wine casks at ages of 29, 28, and 27 years respectively. Lumsden chose each cask for its prestige, with each cask coming from one of France or Italy’s most revered wine regions. The bottles come in an oak presentation case, with detailed artwork on the front inspired by the three wine regions.
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The use of wine casks in whisky aging is not uncommon, but such is their ability to influence the flavor, they are often introduced right at the end of the process, sometimes just for a matter of months. Standing in stark contrast, all of these whiskies have spent a minimum of 18 years in their wine casks, all going in after a period of aging in standard ex-bourbon casks.
Understandably, all three whiskies in the series are unidentifiable as Glenmorangie. Yes, there are hints of orchid fruit and floral notes here and there, but the casks have transformed them into powerful, full-bodied wine bombs. That’s not to mark them down though. It’s safe to assume that retaining the distillery character was low down the priority list with this collection.
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Glenmorangie kindly sent us samples of the three whiskies, so here are our tasting notes.
The Margaux Cask Finish
The Margaux Cask Finish is not only the most recognizable of the three casks but also the oldest whisky in the series at 29 years. After an initial period of aging in bourbon casks, the whisky spent over two decades in a small parcel of Margaux wine casks, making it the longest finish as well. Margaux’s are typically full-bodied wines, bursting with rich fruit and earthy notes. This comes through on the whisky, with black cherries and plums running from nose through to the palate, plenty of wood spice and a subtle hint of tobacco.
Score: 8/10
The Corton-Charlemagne Cask Finish
The most experimental of the three, this whisky spent 18 years in white wine casks taken from Grand Cru vineyards in the Corton-Charlemagne region. A typically powerful flavor profile, Corton-Charlemagne wines can often be botanical as well as fruity. This whisky has a smooth a syrupy mouthfeel with a flavor profile to match – sweet and zingy with notes of lime and grapefruit. There’s a touch of juniper in there. This whisky is 27 years old, so there’s plenty of oak spice to go alongside it. A bit too much on the sharper side of things, but with enough complexity to inspire debate.
Score: 7/10
The Barbaresco Cask Finish
Barbaresco is Barolo without the fanfare. They’re both in Piedmont and are both based on the Nebbiolo grape. It’s light in body and fruity, without the heavy tannins of Barolo. The casks have had a heavy influence on the whisky, which almost has a reddish, rusty tinge to it. It’s a heavy dram, full of leather and rich spices, much like a heavily sherried whisky. On the nose, it’s sweet with red berries. On the palate, it’s powerful with star anise and fresh herbs. It feels like a whisky at the peak of its powers, teetering on the edge of overpowering but just about hanging on. A real test for the palate, in all the right ways.
Score: 8.5/10
– 10 A unicorn: Spend whatever it takes
– 8.5–9.5 Top shelf: Impress your fellow whisky geeks
– 7–8: Great: Buy two bottles – one to drink, one to keep
– 5.5–6.5: Good: Keep it on the shelf as a daily drinker
– 5: Not bad: There’s better out there for the same money
– Below 5 – Disappointing
The Glenmorangie Pursuit of Passion Wine Cask Collection will be available through the Moët Hennessy Private Client channel from Fall 2024, Heathrow Airport, Terminal 2, and select retail outlets worldwide. Register your interest here.
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