The sixth release in the Private Editions line was the Glenmorangie Tusail (2015). It was created using a unique barley strain and an old method of malting: Maris Otter barley and traditional floor-malting. Like the Finealta, this release was a nod to the past.
Glenmorangie became a distillery in 1843. Before that, it was a farm brewery; Maris Otter barley was created as a brewing malt. Before the introduction of the mechanical Saladin Box in the late 1800s, and wide-spread adoption in the early 1900s, malt had to be turned by hand to prevent matting.
This “old-school” style of barley being malted on the floor and turned by hand has been romanticized by many distilleries over the years. This romancing of the past results in limited edition, floor-malted, releases like the Laphroaig Cairdeas 2015… which actually was amazing.
Does the act of floor malting truly change the flavor? Or is our additional adoration merely psychosomatic? There’s no way to tell for sure without a true A:B blind tasting, but I’ll give it my best shot. So let’s get to drinkin’ and see what’s what.
Glenmorangie Tusail – Details and Tasting Notes
Whiskey Details
Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color
Style: Single Malt (Scotch)
Region: Highlands, Scotland
Distiller: Glenmorangie
Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley
Cask: ex-Bourbon
Age: NAS (supposedly 10+ years)
ABV: 46%
Released: 2015 (6th)
Glenmorangie Tusail Price: NA – Auction, Specialty Store or Private Seller (originally $100)
Related Whiskey
Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX
Glenmorangie Finealta
Glenmorangie Artein
Glenmorangie Ealanta
Glenmorangie Companta
Glenmorangie Tusail Tasting Notes
EYE
Coppery gold
NOSE
Juicy sultanas, vanilla fondant, banana pudding, dried orchard fruit, Necco, cocoa, touches of butterscotch and spice.
Waves of natural and manufactured (crafted) sweetness move back and forth over a banana pudding base. Sounds weird, smells awesome.
PALATE
Banana pudding, juicy sultanas, baking spice, malt and vanilla fondant with bits of cocoa and spice.
Palate pulls back a tad from the aroma in depth and complexity, but only a tad.
FINISH
Medium -> Banana pudding, caramel, oak and spice.
BALANCE, BODY and FEEL
Well balanced, medium-full body and a lightly oily feel.
Glenmorangie Tusail – Overall Thoughts and Score
Banana pudding sponge cake drizzled in dark sugary candy sweetness. Tusail has something going on that isn’t quite like most Glenmorangies. It’s amplified the banana and sultana notes and reduced or removed the earthier, graham/malty or nutty notes. But is that shift in profile due to the different strain of barley or due to the floor malting?
Is it possible that the more laborious and less precisely timed act of hand-turning malt produced an enzyme and sugar ratio that acted differently during fermentation? Sure. But given that this is an entirely different strain of barley than Glenmo usually uses I’m going to lay the bulk of the profile change in the barley corner.
But with a result this good in a one-off who really cares? The end result is a whisky that gives us a look through a different window but fundamentally remains the house of Glenmo. They crated something fun and tasty with the Glenmorangie Tusail and I kinda wish I had a bottle to keep my exploration going.
SCORE: 4/5 (good, definitely recommend ~ B+ | 87-89) – Thanks to Travis for the sample
Glenmorangie Tusail Review $100
Overall
4- Nose (4)
- Palate (4)
- Finish (4)
- BBF (4)
