Glenmorangie with extra-wood and wine


October 3, 2025

WF's Little Duos, today Glenmorangie with extra-wood and wine

Simply the latest 'A Tale Of' and a refined version of last year's Decadent Drams, released under his pen name 'Westport'.

Ras-el-hanout

Glenmorangie ‘A Tale of Spices’ (46%, OB, 2025)

There, hang on tight, this one’s been finished in Moroccan red wine casks, plus new charred oak, plus PX, plus STR. It’s a bit like throwing Keith Jarrett, Jimmy Page, Flea and Ringo Starr together on the same stage. In short, improbable… Having said that, there are some excellent Moroccan wines, I do recommend S de Siroua, 100% syrah. Colour: gold. Nose: I must confess, it does start off a bit planky and vinous, with notes of strawberry, rose, peach, apricot, and Fanta… And perhaps, given Morocco’s involved, a hint of ras-el-hanout, that famous spice blend found in many a local dish. On the other hand, all of this merges after a few minutes and becomes much prettier, even the planky notes retreat somewhat. Phew. Mouth: same story, the arrival’s on cherry liqueur and sawdust, but it does mellow and turn more enjoyable, even though the wood remains quite assertive. Finish: long, spicy and fruity. Comments: still a touch improbable and it does feel a bit concocted, but in the end it’s genuinely good. That said, it remains quite a way off the excellent ‘A Tale of Tokyo’ from 2023 (WF 88).
SGP:661 - 81 points.

Westport 21 yo 2003/2024 (51.8%, Decadent Drams, 217 bottles)

Ex-refill hogshead + 1st fill oloroso sherry for two years. Colour: gold. Nose: well now, this is more Glenmo than Glenmo itself, rather fresh and verging on the ethereal, with a sherry influence that leans more towards sultanas than drier elements, along with sesame cream, orange marmalade, apricot jam, quince jelly, and the faintest hint of Turkish delight. With water: spices surge forward en masse upon dilution, dominated by cinnamon, before everything rather amusingly snaps back to the distillate like an elastic band. Mouth (neat): much more spice-led now, with ras-el-hanout making a triumphant return, plus black pepper, turmeric and ginger, quite surprising for a DD in fact, but there you have it. With water: the distillate reclaims centre stage, offering candied lemons, only for the sherry to counter with touches of mustard and green walnuts, then honey and dried figs sweep in to restore order. Finish: long, and certainly spicy by this point. Comments: this Glenmorangie rather enjoys a game of hide and seek with the taster, who ends up happily taken for a bit of a ride. Right, right...
SGP:561 - 87 points.

Check the index of all Glenmorangie we've tasted