Glenmorangie debuts Sonoma-Cutrer Reserve

The Glenmorangie Company has unveiled a limited edition 25-year-old single malt whisky finished in Chardonnay wine casks from California’s Sonoma Valley.

Only 1,000 bottles of the new Glenmorangie Sonoma-Cutrer Reserve whisky have been created. The expression is described as one of Glenmorangie’s ‘most rare and unique creations’.

Years ago, Glenmorangie’s director of whisky creation, Dr Bill Lumsden, discovered the Chardonnay white wine from the Sonoma-Cutrer winery in Sonoma Valley, California.

Lumsden wanted to explore the ‘fruity and floral flavours’ of the wine and took a handful of casks from the winery.

In March 2005, he filled the casks with a batch of Glenmorangie single malt whisky, which was distilled 10 years prior.

After 15 years resting in the casks, the resulting whisky offers ‘gentle, floral’ aromas and citrus and vanilla on the palate. The ‘subtle and honeyed’ finish has hints of cocoa powder, toffee apple and fudge.

Lumsden said: “I can almost taste the sunshine ripening California’s grapes, in our richly delicious Glenmorangie Sonoma-Cutrer Reserve.

“Swirling with aromas of roses and carnations, and tastes of buttery vanilla, mandarin and pears, it’s as delicious as the whisky I imagined when I first tried Sonoma-Cutrer’s Chardonnay wines, so long ago.

“Finished for 15 years in a small batch of these casks, which we have never used before at Glenmorangie, this single malt is an absolute one-off.

“Bold and creamy, yet still superbly subtle, it deserves to be enjoyed by whisky lovers old and new.”

Bottled at 55.7% ABV, the whisky will be made available to Moët Hennessy UK’s private client team. It is priced at £1,750 (US$2,442) per 700ml bottle.