Giraffes and Long Neck Whiskies


February 9, 2024

Giraffes and Long Neck Whiskies

Girafe

A herd of giraffes spotted in Tain. Did you know that Glenmorangie
also funds the protection of real giraffes through a partnership
with NGOs and the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland?

La Girafe Chic 25 yo 1997/2023 (51.5%, Murray McDavid, Mission Gold, Margaux wine cask finish, 459 bottles)

Indeed that's 'Girafe' in French (nod to LVMH), which takes only one 'f'. Giraffe neck, tall stills, understand? It's a tad sad that they would have finished it in a Bordeaux cask, but you never know, it could still work. After all, one of the most famous - not one of the best – official Glenmos was finished in ex-Margaux casks too, like 25 years ago. Oh and by the way, 'Margaux' and 'Château Margaux' are two different things. All Château Margaux are Margaux, but very few Margaux are Château Margaux. Colour: dark gold. Nose: cake, raisin bread, then bay leaves, a bit of red pepper, crème brûlée, a touch of masala, peonies… It's all a bit of a jumble, but it's okay. With water: well, more green spices, pepper, foliage, dry spices… Perhaps not the most pleasant nose ever. Mouth (neat): it really feels like a mixture, with pepper and capsicum, burnt cake, more bay leaves, burnt wood, ginger… With water: I don't think that Glenmorangie, or any good quality malt whisky, could withstand a confrontation with a Médoc wine without the end result seeming a little unbalanced and, above all, a tad pointless. Finish: quite long, not immensely pleasant. Comments: I've already tasted these vintages of Glenmorangie neat, they've always been nice, even if they've never made us totally ecstatic. Here, we are in the realm of why/why not, even if it could have been much worse. I find that there are many new MMcDs that are much, much superior at the moment.
SGP:551 - 80 points.

Westport 17 yo 2006/2023 (55%, WhiskySponge, refill hogshead, 129 bottles)

You can always count on the Sponge. It's amusing, there's a giraffe on the label, making one think that this placid animal has become one of the symbols of the famed Sutherland distillery. Oh, of course, Westport, that's Glenmorangie. Drop any notion of micro-blending or the use of teaspoons, that's all just for folklore and the lawyers. Colour: pale gold. Nose: fresh and sweet. A load of vanilla sugar and sugar cane syrup. It's quite spectacularly simple in that sense, but I'm sure water will change everything. With water: not everything, but acacia honey comes out and a bit of syrupy peach and honeysuckle too. That's pretty. Mouth (neat): even more vanilla sugar, lemon candies, lemon balm water, granny smith... The tension only grows, for a good cause. With water: all is very well, it becomes nicely lemony, with herbal teas in the background. Finish: medium length. Lemon, honey, maple syrup, lemon balm. Comments: but honestly, an ex-Margaux cask, what sense does that make? I mean in the previous one of course, this one is very good all around.
SGP:641 - 87 points.

Check the index of all Glenmorangie we've tasted so far