🥃 Glenmorangie
Distillery and single malt brand in Tain in the Highlands, founded in 1843; stills 5.14 m tall; the core The Original is now 12 years old.
Glenmorangie is a distillery and single malt Scotch whisky brand in Tain, Ross-shire, in the Highlands 24. It was founded in 1843, is owned by the LVMH group, and its 5.14 m stills are called the tallest in Scotland by LVMH 23. The core The Original is 12 years old at 40% ABV 7.
The distillery was founded by farmer William Matheson and his wife Anne; at first the whisky sold for a few shillings a gallon. According to the producer, the Gaelic name means "Valley of Tranquility" 4. LVMH's purchase of the brand is dated to 2004 3.
The story of the "Sixteen Men of Tain" has a real basis: it was the name of the core team of Gordon Smart, who ran the distillery for 50 years from 1920. Today the producer speaks of "24 Distillers of Tain", led by manager Edward Thom 4.
The 5.14 m stills 2 gave the brand its mascot: the producer compares them to a giraffe and credits the height for a delicate, fruity spirit. Since 2020 Glenmorangie has supported giraffe conservation with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation 6. The distillery lies at 57°49' N, further north than Moscow 2.
According to Difford's Guide, the water comes from the Tarlogie springs and the malt is unpeated 8. The Original matures in American white oak ex-bourbon casks 3, and other expressions are finished in casks that held sherry, port or sweet wine 7.
The range today: The Original 12, The Lasanta 12 and 15, The Quinta Ruban 14, The Nectar 16, plus The Accord 12, The Elementa 14, The Vindima 16 and The Infinita 18 7. The Original used to be sold as a ten-year-old, and The Nectar as Nectar d'Or 37.
Why it matters to you. Old and new bottles of one name can differ in age: The Original was ten years old and is now twelve 37. Strength differs too: 40% in The Original, 43% in The Lasanta, 46% in The Quinta Ruban and The Nectar 7. WHO: no amount of alcohol is safe 5.
Facts
| Year founded | 1843, William and Anne Matheson (Tain, Ross-shire) 4 |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (Single Malt) 1 |
| Raw material | Unpeated barley malt; water from the Tarlogie springs 8 |
| Distillation method | Twice, in stills 5.14 m tall 2 |
| Cask type | American white oak ex-bourbon; also sherry, port, sweet wine casks 37 |
| Minimum maturation | The Original: 12 years; legal minimum 3 years 17 |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 40% ABV (The Original); 43% (The Lasanta); 46% (The Quinta Ruban, The Nectar) 7 |
What it includes
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Glenmorangie → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🐝 American white oak
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🧪 Water, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 British
- Part of
- 🥃 Whisky, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Moët Hennessy
- Related to
- 🌍 Western Europe
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Glenfiddich, 🥃 The Macallan, 🥃 Caol Ila, 🥃 Balblair
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Glenmorangie has sixteen men of Tain?
That was the name of the team of manager Gordon Smart, who ran the distillery for 50 years from 1920. Today the producer speaks of 24 Distillers of Tain.
Why are Glenmorangie's stills so tall?
They stand 5.14 m, and LVMH calls them the tallest in Scotland. The producer credits the height for a delicate, fruity spirit and compares them to its giraffe mascot.
Who owns Glenmorangie?
The LVMH group. The purchase is dated to 2004; Moët Hennessy UK handles distribution in the United Kingdom.
Is Glenmorangie peated?
No, the malt for Original is unpeated, so the taste has no smoke, unlike whiskies from Islay.
How does The Quinta Ruban differ from The Original?
The Quinta Ruban ages for 14 years in bourbon and port casks, at 46% ABV. The Original ages for 12 years in bourbon casks, at 40% ABV.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🌍 Western Europe — France, the Netherlands, Britain, Ireland, Belgium and Luxembourg: a mild, moist climate, pastures and hundreds of cheeses such as Roquefort, Camembert, Gouda and Cheddar.
- 🧑🤝🧑 British — People of Great Britain; their protected West Country Cheddar matures for at least 9 months, and tea is drunk with milk.
Similar
🥃 Loch Lomond Distillery · 🥃 Glengoyne · 🥃 Teaninich · 🥃 Monkey Shoulder · 🥃 Glen Elgin · 🥃 Glen Ord
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), regs. 3, 8, 10, 12 (Single Malt, Islay, age statements)
- LVMH: Glenmorangie (Tain; 5.14 m stills; 140 aromas; 57°49' N)
- Difford's Guide: Glenmorangie The Original (owned by LVMH; American white oak ex-bourbon casks; tallest pot stills)
- Glenmorangie: Our History (William and Anne Matheson, 1843; Valley of Tranquility; Gordon L Smart; 16 Men of Tain; 24 Distillers of Tain)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)
- Glenmorangie: About Us (stills as tall as a giraffe; Giraffe Conservation Foundation, 2020)
- Glenmorangie: all whiskies (The Original 12, The Lasanta 12 and 15, The Quinta Ruban 14, The Nectar 16 and others)
- Difford's Guide: Glenmorangie (Tarlogie springs, unpeated malt)