Glenmorangie The Lasanta 15 Year

Review #50 - Whisk(e)y #34 Acquired as a 100ml sample, part of a Glenmorangie 12, 14, 14, 15 tasting set, so not the most cost-effective per ml. Chill-filtered - Yes Artificial Colour - Yes ABV - 43% Appearance - short to medium legs, deep-gold color with a copper hue. Nose - clear sherry influence, darker fruit, muted dried fruit, pronounced oak and sharp oak spice, vanilla, and some honey. Palate - quite coating, with a much lighter, unfamiliar fruit note on the front, a very sharp, numbing spice, chili, but it fades quickly, leaving an oily sensation and extremely subtle malt character. Finish - very short, dry, oak, subtle dried fruit (fig, dates, raisins). The aftertaste is very faint but offers more pleasant sherry cask qualities, with minor bitterness. Adding water sharpens the nose further, emphasizing the oak, but it significantly softens the palate's spice notes while retaining the woodiness. The taste is slightly better with dilution. Extensive oxidation reveals crispbread, sweetness, creaminess, and allows the sherry to come through a bit more... it tastes great then, but that's after two months with a more than half-empty 100ml bottle... Glenmorangie has been a major disappointment for me overall. Excessively spicy, either very short finishes, unbalanced palates, or both. Too much oak. Out of the 12yo, 14yo Quinta Ruban, and 15yo Lasanta... the 15yo is decent, but Glenfiddich 15 is vastly superior, the 14yo Quinta Ruban is unique, and the 12yo... I'd rather not discuss it. Representative finishes that are interesting, but unhelpful when the base is over-oaked and flawed. 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

I'm thoroughly impressed by this whisky's quality. For less than £50, it's truly exceptional. Nose: Immediate notes of thick honey and toffee, complemented by rich red fruits and a distinctively pleasant sour red wine essence. Subtle spice underlies it, with just enough smoke for texture. Palate: Fruity at first, followed by a perfectly developing spice. All the flavors meld beautifully; the red wine influence persists alongside honey and toffee, creating a seamless complexity. It's rich, impactful, and deeply satisfying. Finish: Long and oak-forward, with gentle spice. The red wine, honey, and toffee notes linger and evolve throughout the finish. Each sip is layered, balanced, and captivating. This is precisely the kind of whisky I enjoy—rich, complex, and full of flavor. Honestly, more people should experience this; it's one of the most enjoyable drams I've had in quite some time. Score: 9.5/10 🥃

A refined Single Malt Scotch from the Highlands region of Scotland, crafted by Dr. Bill Lumsden. This expression was matured for 15 years, utilizing a mix of bourbon and sherry barrels, before being bottled at 43% ABV. It greets you with an aroma of grain, wood, nuts, fruits, herbs, and spices. Its palate is full and intricate, revealing notes of honey, floral malt, chocolate-covered raisins, currant buns, and caramel. The finish is smooth and moderately long, featuring hints of oak, cinnamon, clove, toffee, chocolate-covered nuts, leather, preserved orange peel, sweet dates, and molasses.

Just another tasting experience, neither the best nor the worst. It's somewhat surprising that after 15 years in a barrel, this whisky remains acidic and somewhat harsh. Fortunately, a caramel note makes it more engaging. So, give it a try, but don't expect it to be the ultimate whisky.

Typical sherry whisky. Wood, toffee, red fruit, dried fruit, raisins. Strongly reminds me of Aberlour 14.

Served over ice, it's mellow. The sherry character comes through. Hints of cocoa and stone fruit are present.