Glenmorangie A Tale of Cake

Review #063 Type: single malt scotch Proof: 46% Comments: No Age Statement, matured in ex-bourbon casks, finished in tokaji dessert wine casks Tasted after: first up Appearance (no score): Tawny color. Swirling shows a thin line clinging to the glass, with slow-forming legs. Nose: 16/20 Very subtle, sweet, and delicate. Notes of Port wine, vanilla, caramel, apricots, and a sweet pastry aroma like a frosted fruit danish. Palate: 33/40 A pleasant, almost creamy texture. Flavors of honey, green apples, yellow pears, orange peel, and bitter dark chocolate. Finish: 30/40 Medium length. Starts with honey, almonds, nutmeg, and candied oranges, then finishes with chalk, black pepper, and bitter oak tannins. With Water: The Port wine aroma from the nose disappears, replaced by a resemblance to Cabernet Sauvignon. It's less sweet, with subtle cinnamon and baking spice notes not previously detected. The palate gains some minerality and malty character, and the finish develops a creamy vanilla note that softens the oak bitterness. Total: 79/100 Final thoughts: This is an enjoyable, easy-drinking whisky, but it lacks dynamism and excitement. The bitterness of the finish clashes with the sweet profiles of the nose and palate. It's very sweet and smooth, and I don't regret purchasing it. However, I find myself reaching for other bottles when I want something similar, like Clynelish 14 (which also offers better value). Price: $99 Would recommend: no Would buy: no Scoring Legend: 96-100: Exceptional, divine, a treasure to be savored, 5 stars. 90-95: Nearly perfect, truly special, 4.75 stars. 85-89: Very good to amazing, nearly flawless, 4.5 stars. 80-84: Quite good, very enjoyable, but not outstanding, 4.25 stars. 75-79: Good, enjoyable but flawed, unlikely to repurchase, 4 stars. 70-74: Solid, wouldn't seek it out, 3.75 stars. 55-69: Drinkable, 3.5-2.75 stars. Below 55: Suitable for cooking or discarding, 2.5 stars or less.

The latest Glenmorangie release is quite an experiment: "A Tale of Cake," inspired by a pineapple cake enjoyed with a daughter. An interesting backstory, but how does it taste? Presented at 46% ABV with a golden hue. Aged in bourbon barrels and finished in Hungarian Tokaji wine casks, a very sweet wine. Let's discuss this dram: it's essentially Pineapple. That's my entire review, haha. On the nose, it's genuinely like CAKE. It starts with pineapple pulp, an oily texture, and abundant vanilla, followed by cherry syrup. It truly smells like cake – a dry vanilla cake. After a few minutes, you get the essence of dulce de leche found inside a vanilla cake. The aroma is perfectly delivered, with no alcohol notes. If you smelled it blindfolded, you'd swear it was actual cake. It has evolved into something like a tres leches cake. The pineapple aroma is that signature Glenmorangie pineapple, truly exceptional. On the palate, it's very similar to the original 10-year-old, with a prolonged peppery spiciness and a hint of vanilla, possibly due to the higher alcohol content. There's plenty of pineapple juice. I'm holding the first sip in my mouth; you could savor it indefinitely; it's quite gentle. The second sip offers more toffee and dulce de leche, with the pepper becoming noticeable after four seconds. Pineapple is still present. It has a distinct white wine character. The finish has a grassy tobacco dryness, but leaves a cloying sensation, reminiscent of eating something very sweet. It's slightly citric and dusty, perhaps like cider or an apple liqueur. The finish feels a bit young. Overall, this whisky boasts an incredible aroma that truly delivers on the promise of 'Cake.' The palate is very easy to drink but remarkably similar to the Glenmorangie Original. The finish differs from the nose and palate. It's like an enhanced version of the Glenmorangie 10-year-old (which could be said about most other expressions from this distillery). My score is a solid 88 out of 100. It's definitely worth trying, but I doubt you'll buy more than one bottle, as there's much to explore in the whisky world, and this one, while interesting, isn't particularly memorable.

I sought out a different Scotch and chose this as something new to try. This tastes good neat from a glencairn. It was allowed to rest for several minutes after being poured. The bottle has been open for a few weeks and is about 3/4 full. In the glass, it appears as a burnished brass color. A swirl shows thick sheeting and slow, large drips. The aroma is delightful, quite fruity. I detect notes of tangerine, pineapple, some green apple, and strong hints of confectioners sugar. There's a lot going on here. This whisky is finished in tokaji wine casks. I have no idea what tokaji wine tastes like, as I've never encountered it before this bottle. However, it contributes a complex, sweet fruitiness to the nose that is simply captivating. On the palate, it's not quite as rich as it seemed. Slightly creamy, but certainly not excessively so. The mouthfeel is silky, though perhaps a little thin compared to my expectations. The flavor profile includes sweet citrus fruits, ripe orchard fruits, confectioners sugar, yellow cake with vanilla frosting, a faint bitter golden oak note, and just a touch of white pepper. The finish is satisfying, if perhaps a bit brief. There's a good barrel influence, a bit of vanilla - likely a remnant from its bourbon barrel aging. This is a lovely tribute to a Speyside style. Consider it a playful Highland malt, and you'll understand. This is quite a treat. The nose exceeds expectations, but the taste profile is solid. It's easily approachable, with honey and complex fruit, a nice mouthfeel, and a good presence. The only thing preventing this from being a truly world-class drink is the short finish. I most certainly recommend this.

Nose - cinnamon, nutmeg, pineapple, powdered sugar, cherry, marshmallow, brown sugar, grass, apple, cooked caramel, honey, fresh oak, cereal grain, pear, vanilla frosting, with a mild to moderate ethanol burn. Taste - spiced honey, pineapple, brown sugar, caramel, creamy vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, black pepper, baked apple, lemon zest, pear, cereal grain, sweet floral notes, sweet wine, barrel spice, with a mild to moderate alcohol bite. The finish is medium length with flavors of honey, pineapple, and baking spice. If Glenmorangie aimed to create pineapple upside-down cake in liquid form, they certainly achieved it. This is a dessert in a glass. The nose presents pineapple, honey, strong baking spices, and citrus zest. The palate is similarly sweet and rich. However, there's still some youthful graininess and tartness, which seem to be characteristic of this series of Glenmorangie expressions. Overall, I prefer this one to the other releases I sampled this week, but not enough to increase the rating. I would be curious to taste a more mature Glenmorangie to see if that bright graininess is toned down. Perhaps the Glenmorangie style just isn't for me. Many thanks to a friend for the sample. This marks the end of my Glenmorangie tasting series. I'm uncertain what I'll be sampling tomorrow, so it will be a surprise for everyone.

Nose: Vanilla, citrus, syrup. Hints of Victoria sponge cake. Palate: Citrus, quite tart. Vanilla, white chocolate, nutty/marzipan, salt & butter, dark dried fruit. Finish: Long, pleasantly bitter. Citrus, light fruit, pastry. Slightly woody. Overall, a clean, salty, and biscuity dram. Sour notes on the aftertaste, but with the remaining sweetness, it's quite enjoyable! Adding water brings out more bright fruit notes. It does reduce the complexity and adds some woodiness at the very end. The spirit is their standard 10-year-old, then finished for a period in Tokaji casks. I was somewhat hesitant about this whisky. I disliked the 'Cake' branding, expecting it to be much sweeter than it is. This is a delightful dram. The casks are from Royal Tokaji barriques of various vintages (primarily 225L, with some 300L).

When this release was announced, I found the idea of a scotch trying to taste like cake amusing. I was curious to see if Glenmorangie could create a whisky that a pastry chef would admire. The aroma is distinctly cake-like, with notes of caramelized pineapple, peach, pear, vanilla cream cheese frosting, white chocolate sheet cake, and subtle baking spices. The taste is also cakey. It begins with a creamy texture, reminiscent of whipped vanilla cream cheese frosting, followed by caramelized pineapple, peach, pear, white chocolate sheet cake, and finishes with baking spices and medium oak tannins, leaving a short trail of those fruits, a slight alcohol warmth, and lingering baking spices. Overall, it's an interesting and fun experiment, but for the same price, I'd prefer to drink the 18-year-old with a slice of cake to satisfy my cake craving and enjoy a superior whisky.