Glenmorangie Single Malt Whisky Announces Second Release in the Bond House No. 1 Vintage Collection – Grand Vintage Malt 1989

Distillery’s First Expression Part-Matured in Ex-Côte-Rôtie Casks

APRIL 2, 2018 – Glenmorangie Single Malt Whisky’s Bond House No.1 Vintage collection celebrates the unique origins of the Highland Distillery’s most prestigious parcels of aged whisky, each distilled in a single year. Today, Glenmorangie announces the second limited release in the Bond House No. 1 Vintage collection: Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1989, the first Glenmorangie expression to be part-matured in rare ex-Côte-Rôtie casks.

Glenmorangie’s Bond House No. 1 Vintage collection takes its name from the largest of Glenmorangie’s 19th century Bonded Warehouses. For generations, Warehouse No. 1 was home to Glenmorangie’s casks of maturing spirit, but in 1990 as the Distillery sought to meet surging demand for its single malt around the world, Warehouse No. 1 was transformed into a new still house, revered today as Glenmorangie’s Highland Cathedral. The story of Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1989 begins with some of the last spirit to ever to emerge from the Distillery’s former still house. While select parcels of 1989 spirit lay maturing in the finest casks, Dr. Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie’s Director of Distilling, Whisky Creation & Whisky Stocks, vowed to honor Warehouse No. 1’s legacy with a highly sought-after cask assemblage.

Dr. Lumsden arranged for select parcels of the 27-year-old single malt to be finished in a handful of casks, the most prestigious of which once contained Côte-Rôtie wine from the northern Rhône wine region of France. Since wine from the Côte-Rôtie appellation (French for roasted slopes) is created from the rare co-fermentation of Shiraz and Viognier grapes, Dr. Lumsden was interested in the character it would bring to Glenmorangie’s soft and smooth spirit. As the Côte-Rôtie-aged parcels reached their prime, Dr. Lumsden reunited them with spirit from the same vintage finished in the finest ex-Oloroso sherry and superior ex-bourbon casks. This assemblage of aging counterparts created a unique vintage Single Malt, distinguished by its softness, oaky depths, and hints of ripe, red fruit.

Tasting Notes: Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1989
(Chill-filtered and bottled at 43% ABV; $665 U.S. market SRP)
Color: Russet.
Nose: Toasted marshmallow, almond, and a curious, perfumed top note. Classic, buttery scents of vanilla and fudge, burst into notes of baked apples, red fruits, blackcurrants, tropical fruits, fragrant wood smoke, freshly baked bread, and beeswax.
Taste: An oily, viscous mouthfeel with a gentle peppery sensation on the palate. Baked apples, fudge, and gentle citrus flavors.
Finish: Floral orange blossom and honey, hints of eucalyptus oil, and sweet aniseed, along with some leather and oak. The addition of water brings more tropical fruits and an intensified citrus note, like dried zest of clementine. A long finish ends with classic wood spices and oak shavings.

“The Bond House No. 1 Vintage collection invites single malt whisky collectors to explore some of Glenmorangie’s most rare and prized vintage whiskies, marked for greatness from their year of origin,” says Dr. Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie’s Director of Distilling, Whisky Creation & Whisky Stocks. “After 27 years of maturation, I knew that Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1989 was ready to share. Each cask in the assemblage was carefully chosen to complement the depths brought upon by the ex-Côte-Rôtie casks. Connoisseurs will delight in the beautiful balance of subtle finesse, richness, and intensity of the expression, which is extraordinarily varied for a whisky of such age.”

Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1989 will be available in specialist whisky shops around the world, Travel Retail, and the Glenmorangie Distillery Visitor Center.

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For more information & images please contact:
Tori Katz
Wagstaff Worldwide
212-227-7575, ext. 4309
tkatz@wagstaffworldwide.com

About Glenmorangie:
Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch Whisky originates in the Scottish Highlands where, at the Glenmorangie Distillery, it is distilled in the tallest malt whisky stills in Scotland for a purer spirit, expertly matured in the finest oak casks for great depth, and perfected by the Men of Tain, who have passed their skills down the generations, often from father to son. These select craftsmen go to unseen lengths to ensure that Glenmorangie is made in the same unhurried, uncompromising way as it always has been. The Distillery was founded in 1843 and is renowned as a pioneer in its field, uniting tradition with innovation.

About the Bond House No.1 Collection:
The Bond House No.1 Collection is an exclusive collection of vintage expressions, all exceptionally fine and smooth. The series, which celebrates Glenmorangie’s most prestigious aged whisky, has been created for connoisseurs and collectors. Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1990, released in 2016, was the first expression in the collection. It has been lauded by industry experts, winning first place at the International Whisky Competition in the Single Malt Whisky 12 Years and Over category, and gold medals at the International Wine and Spirits Competition and the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1989 is the Collection’s second release.

About Dr. Bill Lumsden:
Dr. Bill Lumsden is Glenmorangie’s acclaimed Director of Whisky Creation, Distilling & Whisky Stocks. Dr. Bill is regarded by the malt whisky industry as an innovator, creating whiskies which have revolutionized the single-malt market. In recognition of his team’s work, The Glenmorangie Company was named Distiller of the Year at the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) in 2012. Dr. Bill, who has a PhD in biochemistry, has combined art and science in his work since he joined The Glenmorangie Company in 1995. He is renowned for his groundbreaking wood management techniques, experimentation with exceptional casks at various ages, and use of extra-maturation. Dr. Bill has won a series of prestigious awards and accolades. He recently added to his plaudits by winning the International Whisky Competition’s award for Master Distiller of the Year 2016 and 2017. He was further honored with the title of Master Distiller/Blender of the Year, at Whisky Magazine’s Icons of Whisky 2016 awards.

About the creation of Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1989:
Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1989 has its own unique story to tell. Created from select parcels of 1989’s distinctive spirit – some of the last ever distilled in Glenmorangie’s traditional still house – this exquisite expression is the Distillery’s first Single Malt Whisky ever to be part-matured in ex-Côte-Rôtie wine casks. Wines from the prestigious Côte-Rôtie appellation (French for ‘roasted slopes’) are named after the steep hillsides on which the vineyards are located – and the long hours of sunshine they receive. The wines are created from the rare co-fermentation of Shiraz and Viognier grapes, bringing forth contrastingly floral and meaty aromas. Glenmorangie has never before harnessed the power of ex-Côte-Rôtie casks – and Dr. Bill was inspired to discover the character they might bring to Glenmorangie’s soft spirit, by judiciously finishing a tiny parcel of 1989 spirit within. He then united this precious parcel with spirit from the same vintage, finished in a handful of other prestigious casks, such as superior ex-wine casks, finest ex-Oloroso sherry casks and superior ex-bourbon casks. And in this remarkable assemblage, he realized his vision for the powerful complexity of Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1989.

About Glenmorangie’s traditional still house:
At the center of the Distillery, today welcoming visitors from around the world, are the sandstone walls of Glenmorangie’s former still house. This traditional building was constructed in 1887. That year, the Distillery was rebuilt by its new owners – a consortium of businessmen who bought it from Ann Matheson, widow of Glenmorangie’s founder William Matheson, who ran the Distillery for 25 years after her husband’s death in 1862. At first, this still house contained just two of Glenmorangie’s signature copper stills, the tallest in Scotland. Then, as the world’s appetite for Glenmorangie grew, their number increased to four, in 1977. In 1990, Bonded Warehouse No.1 was transformed into a new still house, capable of housing further stills – and the former still house, for so long a vital part of Glenmorangie’s story, prepared for its own renaissance. Converted into a part of the new reception center and museum soon after, it now brings the Distillery’s past alive for the many visitors who journey across the globe, to discover the place in which Glenmorangie has been crafted since 1843.

About Bonded Warehouse No. 1:
Warehouse No. 1 was the largest of the traditional 19th century Bonded Warehouses at the Glenmorangie Distillery, with a capacity of up to 2,000 casks. It was unusually tall, a three-story building. In 1990, Warehouse No.1 was transformed into the Distillery’s still house, allowing Glenmorangie to meet the surging demand for its finest single malt from whisky aficionados around the world. As the very heart of the Distillery, this majestic building became home to eight of Glenmorangie’s signature tall stills. The exceptional height of the building and of Glenmorangie’s stills – renowned as the tallest in Scotland, with necks the same height as an adult male giraffe – has led it to be known fondly as Glenmorangie’s Highland cathedral. Today, there are 12 stills.

Responsible Drinking:
The Glenmorangie Company advocates responsible drinking and suggests that drinkers enjoy Glenmorangie whiskies in moderation and in line with recommended daily guidelines for alcohol consumption.

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