Glenmorangie Sherry Wood 12 Years Review

The port wood was replaced by the Quinta Ruban and this Glenmorangie Sherry Wood 12 Years was replaced by the Lasanta. Back in ye-olden days, the Glenmo core line had four distinct finishes, but only the port and sherry survived.

The other two “oldies” were the Burgundy and the Madeira finish. Burgundy wine casks show up in some of their other releases as do Madeira, so in some way their legacies do live on, but not as core releases like they used to be.

But who knows, maybe we’ll see something special show up soon. Next year is the distillery’s 180th anniversary and we might see some increasingly interesting and special releases as we creep closer to the big 200. Only time will tell on what’s to come, but at least we can get to know this one right now.

Let’s get to drinkin’.

Glenmorangie Sherry 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, ex-Sherry
Age: 12 Years
ABV: 43%

Glenmorangie Sherry Wood 12 Years Price: NA – Auction, Specialty Store or Private Seller (originally $43)

Related Whiskey

Glenmorangie Lasanta 12 Years
Glenmorangie 10 Years (Old)
Glenmorangie Port Wood
Glenmorangie Burgundy Wood
Glenmorangie Madeira Wood

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

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

Glenmorangie Sherry Wood 12 Years Tasting Notes

EYE
Ruby amber

NOSE
Sherry sweetness, earthy malt, leather, dried dark fruit, Pixie Stix, oak, OBE, copper, cinnamon and touches of cocoa.

Musty/earthy/oaky and fruity/sherry sweet combo that works so perfectly together.

PALATE
Sherry sweetness, earthy malt, roasted nuts, leather, dried dark fruit, honied graham, Smarties, oak, OBE, copper, cinnamon and touches of cocoa.

Comes through a bit tannic and drying here but, oddly, it helps balance the sweetness out.

FINISH
Med-long -> Sherry sweetness, malty graham, brown sugar, oak and copper fade out to a musty earthiness.

BALANCE, BODY and FEEL
Great, med-full, warm and lightly dry.

Glenmorangie Sherry Wood 12 Years – Overall Thoughts and Score

This embodies that old school, sherry-finished, Scotch. It’s not just a pummeling of sweet notes, there’s balance and beauty in the combo of old earthy notes and sticky sweetness. I know “dank” has another meaning, but going back a few years in our cultural lexicon and this is would be a dank whisky.

I keep waiting for the Glenmorangie Sherry Wood 12 Years to get cloying or overpowering, because it has that potential, but it never does. Even adding a bit of water expands both the earthier and sweeter notes equally. This is a well crafted whisky.

SCORE: 4/5 (good, definitely recommend ~ B+ | 87-89)