Glenmorangie A Tale of Cake (46%, OB, 2020)

• ABV: 46%
• Age: NAS
• Bottling: OB
• Category: Highland single malt scotch whisky
• Cost: £75
• Origin: Glenmorangie distillery
• Vintage: Undeclared

What they say

Dr. Bill Lumsden (Glenmorangie’s director of whisky creation) was recently musing on how some of his most joyful memories involved cake, which inspired the good doctor to make a whisky evoking those cake-filled moments! Glenmorangie’s A Tale of Cake was initially matured in bourbon casks, before being moved over to Tokaji wine casks to help develop those yummy cakey notes. The result is an expression packed to the brim with vanilla and fruit notes, as well as depth and complexity.

Official tasting notes:

• Colour: Rich copper
• Nose: Complex, rich and multi-layered, with a burst of passion fruit, peach, pear, mango. More savoury notes like baking bread, gentle sappy oak and a curious, flinty minerality emerge. This is then followed by classic Glenmorangie notes like honeycomb, vanilla and almond, with a hint of milk chocolate. With a splash of water, more zesty notes emerge, like apricot, elderflower, flowering currents, honey pollen and peach syrup.
• Taste: The mouthfeel is surprisingly luscious and tart at the same time, leading into a burst of sweet, candy-like flavors – honey, white chocolate, apricot, almond, vanilla and pear. This is balanced by a hint of tangy orange and menthol, both classic Glenmorangie flavors.
• Finish: The lingering aftertaste again reminds you of a delicious combination of honeycomb, chocolate almond and pecan nuts.

What I say

Dram #1 from WOLS 2020 T8 Cask Finishes Tasting. I had this pegged as a virgin oak finish/maturation due to plenty of vanilla and harsh woody notes, oh well.

My tasting notes:

• Appearance: Pale gold (4/20), medium tears and legs.
• Nose: Vanilla, white chocolate, nutty, sweet and fresh, soft fruits, apple, pear, orange, peach, not much malt influence here.
• Taste: Soft and gentle on the palate, apples, pears, bananas a little granular sugar, quite fresh then harsher virgin oak/white oak wood.
• Finish: Long, sweet and dry, becomes bitter.

Overall

Well I guess malt-light highlights Glenmorangie’s delicate spirit and I did pick up on a bit of fruit and sugar here but this was much more fresh wood than a piece of cake for me.

Score 80/100

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