Glenmorangie Port Wood 12 Years Review

The Glenmorangie Port Wood 12 Years was the precursor to the Quinta Ruban which made its debut in 2007 as an NAS whisky. In 2010 QR picked up the 12 year age statement and 9 years later (2019) it was switched to the 14-year-old we have in the market and on shelves now.

I’ve definitely tasted the NAS Quinta in the past, but I don’t have any of it to taste with this and the Quinta 12 or the Quinta 14 already covered. I’d love to have been able to set up a lineage vertical starting here and ending in the present, but unfortunately, no one I know had the NAS anymore so I was only able to do the three mentions.

Not being able to track down a NAS seems like a good sign, if it was loathed there should be a lot of it available, but with none available, I’m guessing others liked it as much as I remember liking it too. Seems like the Glenmorangie Port Wood has enjoyed a long run of being a quality whisky, no matter what label and form it took.

Let’s put the cap on our QR look-back and get to drinkin’!

Glenmorangie Port Wood 12 Years – 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: 12 Years
ABV: 43%

Glenmorangie Port Wood 12 Years Price: NA – Auction, Specialty Store or Private Seller (originally $46)

Related Whiskey

Glenmorangie 10 Years (Old)
Glenmorangie Traditional 100 Proof
Glenmorangie Lasanta 12 Years
Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 12 Years
Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 14 Years

White background tasting shot with the Glenmorangie 12 Years Port Wood bottle and a glass of whiskey next to it.

“Glenmorangie’s acclaimed Port Wood Finish Malt Whisky has been initially matured in American oak casks then racked into selected Port ‘pipes’ for extra aging in the final period of its maturation. The results of this ‘finishing’ are truly exceptional.” – Glenmorangie

Glenmorangie Port Wood 12 Years Tasting Notes

EYE
Drying blood

NOSE
Coppery complex dark fruit, melon rind, malt, cocoa, vanilla, citrus, dried orchard fruit, touches of oak, cocoa and cinnamon. LOVELY

The jump from this to the Quinta Ruban 12 is not far. More like a skip.

PALATE
Complex dark fruit, malt, leather, cinnamon, vanilla frosting, touches of sulfur, copper and cocoa.

Warm and velvety, this is a lovely dram to sip on.

FINISH
Long -> Raisiny dark fruit, nuts, vanilla taffy, and a touch of oak slowly dissipate with a touch of sulfur.

BALANCE, BODY and FEEL
Good balance, medium-full, velvety oily

Glenmorangie Port Wood 12 Years – Overall Thoughts and Score

Ok, I get why they kept this and morphed it into the Quinta Ruban. This stands head-and-shoulders above the Burgundy and the Madeira. It shows some depth and nuance and carries a warm maturity. I would buy this dusty Glenmo if I saw it on the shelf, so long as the price wasn’t insane.

It’s not as rich, deep or complex as the QR 14, but it denotes a great genesis, it has most of the frame and darkly fruity meat of what will become my favorite of the core Glenmo. Heck, one of my favorite Glenmos period. For Glenmo fans, the Glenmorangie Port Wood 12 Years is worth at least a taste if you can seek it out.

SCORE: 3.5/5 (tasty, worth checking out ~ B | 83-86) Thanks Travis for the sample