Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 14 Year

A COMPARISON OF GLENMORANGIE Glenmorangie 10 Glenmorangie 14 Quinta Ruban Port Cask Finish Glenmorangie 18 I decided to re-evaluate some Glenmorangie after a recent review of the Glenmorangie 12 Lasanta Sherry Cask Finish. My experience with this producer is limited, but I own three bottles, so I sampled them. Glenmorangie 10 The color is a pale yellow-orange. The nose is subdued; even after 20 minutes, it remained unexpressive, reminding me of a wine in a dormant state. I remembered notes of honey and apricot, but they were barely perceptible after a few minutes. Honey is present on the palate, accompanied by a glycerin-like texture. Vanilla joins a slight bitterness on the finish. Given its relatively young 10-year age statement for Scotch, the bitterness is unlikely to be from wood tannins. It's 43% ABV and disappointingly less complex than I recalled. It received a 3.0 rating, but I'd still keep it on hand. Glenmorangie 14 Quinta Ruban Port Cask Finish This expression has a clear, deep amber color, noticeably darker than the 10-year, attributed to its aging in ruby port casks. The aroma is inviting, with notes of chocolate-covered cherries, candied ginger, brown sugar, and orange oil. The palate begins sweet, with a slightly syrupy texture. Dark caramelized sugar leads to a pleasant bitterness on the finish, reminiscent of café Cubano, dark orange, and white pepper, lasting a moderate to long time. The 43% ABV is well-integrated. It's non-chill filtered and bottled at 43% ABV. It's excellent, exceeding my prior impression, and earned a 4.0 rating. Glenmorangie 18 The color is a medium amber. The nose offers aromas of stewed peaches, white chocolate hazelnut cookies, cocoa, and spearmint, later developing a concord grape juice note. The sweet palate features bittersweet chocolate and mulled apple cider. A coffee-like bitterness appears on the finish, similar to the Quinta Ruban, alongside vanilla and lingering mild chili notes. While the bitterness is enjoyable, it detracts from the smoothness typically found in other 18-year-old whiskies. With aeration, it does seem to gain smoothness and sweetness. It's 43% ABV. It's very good, but not quite outstanding enough for a 4.0 rating, scoring 3.75. The standout of the evening was the Quinta Ruban. Both the 10- and 18-year expressions were less impressive than I remembered. While I'd happily keep the Quinta Ruban and the 10-year on hand, I'm uncertain about the 18-year. Its elaborate packaging and "Extremely Rare" labeling seem to promise more than it delivers. It has its strengths and represents decent value at around $120 for an 18-year-old spirit; it's a nice addition to a collection, but not essential. None of these are bad, and the Quinta Ruban is quite appealing.

When Glenmorangie announced the overhaul of their main lineup, I was unsure how to react. The idea of different 12-year-old versions based on the standard 10-year seemed brilliant. Experimenting with that was a bold move. This is my first taste of the new range. The Quinta Ruban was possibly my favorite from the original lineup, but fortunately, this was the only one that saw an improvement on paper. I'm eager to see the impact of two extra years in the barrel on the port variant. Nose: Smells of strawberry and blackberry jam. Raisin, vanilla, toffee, malt, and honey. Vanilla frosting and custard. Raspberry. Apple, pear, apricot, and floral notes. Honeydew. Orange citrus and milk chocolate. Cola. Black currant. Black pepper, ginger, cinnamon, and oak. Palate: Tastes of blackberry and strawberry jam. Raisin, apple, fig, date, some dried apricot, raspberry. Vanilla, milk chocolate, toffee, malt. Orange citrus. Pomegranate and honeydew. Walnut and pecan. Black currant. Black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and oak. Finish: Lingering notes of blackberry and raspberry. Black currant. Walnut and pecan. Vanilla, toffee, and caramel. Black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and oak. The finish is moderately long, leaning towards the longer side. Excellent. Not only does this surpass the 12-year QR in quality, but it's also my top Glenmorangie reviewed so far, even above the 18. As expected, this 14 is very similar to the original 12, with minor variations in flavor notes and a bit more depth. It delivers precisely what you'd anticipate from two additional years in the cask without any other changes. I'm very pleased that Glenmorangie not only preserved this but enhanced it. At $57, the price increase was about $4-5, which I'm quite sure is less than the combined effect of tariffs and inflation over that period. Regardless, it's fantastic value for money. I'm looking forward to trying the new Sauternes cask; my experience here has almost guaranteed that the Lasanta will remain unchanged, as there were no modifications noted. Fantastic product. 4.5/5.

Review #49 - Whisk(e)y #33 I purchased a 100ml sample as part of a Glenmorangie 12, 14, 15 tasting set, so the price per ml wasn't ideal. However, this is my first non-chill filtered, natural color, 46% ABV whisky... it was certainly time! Appearance - Orange-pink color, very viscous, with medium-long legs. Nose - This is the most unique whisky aroma I've encountered so far! It's very port-forward; I wouldn't even identify it as whisky if it were diluted. Sweet, sour, slightly acidic, round, with barely perceptible alcohol, subtle spice, rich, oily, honey, ripe fruit (red apple, but also something more unique...grape? apricot mango?) perhaps, buttery, milk - milk chocolate, creamy, slight nutty-almond undertones. Palate - Very oily, mouth-coating, with a great texture, followed by sharp oak spice, a slight sour note, more alcohol, and oak. Finish - Medium length, mouth-coating, oily, buttery. The sharp spice dissipates, leaving it sweet and oaky, with some dryness towards the end. A very subtle dried fruit aftertaste...raisins very much in the background. I perceive the oiliness deeply on the back of the palate, likely due to the NCF. It's strangely good! Adding water surprisingly sharpens the nose, bringing forward apricot and red fruit notes. However, it mellows the palate, enhancing the sweetness and emphasizing the back-end oiliness. Okay, this was an interesting experience. The nose is by far the most intriguing and complex; the taste was somewhat disappointing. It's not my preferred style overall, but it is intriguing and unique. It does improve as it sits and opens up. Rating System: 5.0 - Perfect 4.5 - Exceptional 4.0 - Very Good 3.5 - Good 3.0 - Decent 2.5 - Average 2.0 - Below Average 1.5 - Barely Drinkable 1.0 - Undrinkable 0.5 - JB

The aroma initially presents as somewhat sharp with notes of charred oak and straw, complemented by a pleasant blend of honey and port. The wine influence is present but not overpowering. It develops a subtle creaminess and faint dark chocolate notes as it sits. The taste is smooth and coats the mouth with port, creamy oak, dark chocolate, and hints of straw. It has a certain richness, and the port finish provides a wonderful dessert-like quality. It's an excellent fusion of wine and whisky, showcasing the best attributes of both. The finish is of moderate length, with lingering wine tannins, balanced by oak and dark chocolate. Undertones of straw fade pleasantly. This is a truly great example of a finished Scotch. When other drinks won't satisfy, this serves as an ideal dessert whisky. It's perfect in every way, until it's gone.

I initially missed any fresh notes in this scent... (update - I couldn't detect them at first). In contrast, it's incredibly sweet with nectar, fig preserves, fruitcake, and even more sugar for the conclusion. A very fruity sensation, expected after a 4-year finish from a minimum 14-year total aging. Quality malt can also be discerned beneath all the fruit. Then a compote of strawberries, cherries, and fresh cranberries emerged. On the tongue, the fruitiness yields to the malt initially. Abundant golden malt, a hint of demerara-flavored coffee, which subtly shifts to a delightful, exquisite cake topped with dark chocolate and packed with dried red fruits. The finish is moderately long, with excellent harmony between malt and wine notes. A fair price-to-quality ratio and high ratings from me for a malt whiskey that's fairly accessible and not too expensive.

An intense Single Malt Scotch Whisky from Glenmorangie Distillery in Highland, Scotland, aged for at least 10 years in American white oak ex-Bourbon casks and then finished for 4 years in Port casks. It has an aromatic start with notes of cedar, sugar icing, tart summer fruits, milky coffee, and almond pastries; while a rich and bold middle adds notes of Turkish delight, honeysuckle, dark chocolate mousse, Bourbon biscuits, orange oil, toasted almonds, blackcurrant, and raisins; leading to a long and slightly woody end with notes of pepper, oak, stewed berries, mint chocolate, bitter orange, and honey. December 2021 / January / August 2022 / November 2025