Glenmorangie 19 Years Finest Reserve Review

Glenmorangie 19 Years Finest Reserve comes from their best casks of ex-Bourbon whisky. No sherry, no wine, no port, nothing but extra-aged, giraffe/swan neck distilled spirit in its purest form. If you really want to get to know extra-aged Glenmo, this is the one.

As you might be able to tell from the photo, the first taste, and rough notes, of this whisky came from a tasting (SCWC). The second and third tasting, and subsequent notes, came from the sample I was sent by a friend with a deep Glenmo collection when we chatted about setting up this mega-vertical.

– [x] Opening chit-chat
– [x] Explanation of what’s being reviewed
– [ ] Lets’ get to drinkin’

Glenmorangie 19 Years Finest Reserve Review – Details and Tasting Notes

Whiskey Details

Natural Color

Style: Single Malt (Scotch)
Region: Highlands, Scotland
Distiller: Glenmorangie

Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley
Cask: ex-Bourbon
Age: 19 Years
ABV: 43%

Glenmorangie 19 Years Finest Reserve Review Price: NA – Auction, Specialty Store or Private Seller (Originally $160)

Related Whiskey

Glenmorangie Original 10 Years
Glenmorangie Lasanta 12
Glenmorangie Astar
Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 14
Glenmorangie 18 Years

White background tasting shot with the Glenmorangie 19 Years Finest Reserve sample bottle and a glass of whiskey next to it.

“Showcasing the mastery and vision of our whisky creators, this delicate expression was carefully aged in only the finest American white oak ex-bourbon casks, before it was deemed to have reached its utmost balance of maturity and finesse.” – Glenmorangie

Glenmorangie 19 Years Finest Reserve Review Tasting Notes

EYE
Golden honey

NOSE
Malty sweetness, Honey Nut Cheerios, dried orchard fruit, vanilla cake, citrus peels, oak and some bits of toffee and a light herbal touch with some baked goods… waffles?

Fruity, pastry sweet and a tad earthy with a lingering note that makes me think of malty Belgian waffles. No syrup.

PALATE
Malty sweetness, cereal grain sweetness, Honey Nut Cheerios, citrus peels, roasted notes, oak, honey and dried orchard fruit with marzipan-like and herbal touches and again that Belgian waffle hint.

It’s not a heavy note of waffles, but there is this continual “fringe note” of Belgian waffles that keeps coming up.

FINISH
Medium-long -> Dried orchard fruit, oak, HNC and…. waffles. With a touch of cinnamon.

BALANCE, BODY and FEEL
Well balanced, medium-full body and a warm soft feel.

Glenmorangie 19 Years Finest Reserve Review – Overall Thoughts and Score

I’m kind of enamored with this light waffle note, I feel like I just found Waldo. Setting aside that fascination and focusing on the dram at hand, it’s good. It’s a well-constructed, well-executed, fully ex-bourbon Glenmo aged for 19 years.

I’ve been sipping, analyzing and researching whisky for a decade and a half now. I’ve taken notes on over 2,500 whiskies and easily experienced another 600+ that I never took notes on. During this journey, I’ve had many moments where I favor different styles, but one thing has remained a favorite: ex-Bourbon Scotch.

It sounds generic on the surface, but the more I taste the more I enjoy getting at the core profile of a distillery and that’s really found in ex-Bourbon casks. I love sherry, port, Madeira, etc. but the older I get, and the more I experience I have, the more I enjoy coming back to well-crafted ex-bourbon whiskies like this Glenmorangie 19 Years Finest Reserve. It’s just plain good.

SCORE: 4/5 (good, definitely recommend ~ B+ | 87-89) – Thanks to Travis for the sample