WC Test Drive: Glenmorangie 18-Year Extremely Rare

WC recently had the opportunity to take the Glenmorangie 18-Year-Old single malt Scotch whisky for a test drive and we were not disappointed. As one might expect from a whisky declaring itself to be extremely rare, the whisky is orbited by several dozen superlatives and platitudes and one of the typical responses WC has to showboatery of this nature is an almost immediate and visceral skepticism. One school of thought says that if you got it, you flaunt it – but that school is generally attended by the more superficial beings and entities of the world.

So with all that foreshadowing, you are probably expecting WC to begin skewering this pretty boy whisky from the Highland region of Scotland – and you would rightfully expect that to happen except that it will not. We were fully expecting to lance this whisky boil’s butt after reading all the flowery words preceding its arrival but instead were pleasantly surprised at its distribution in the WC mouth of wonder.

Glenmorangie 18-Year Extremely Rare spent its formative teenage years maturing in the standard garden variety ex-Bourbon American oak casks before 30% of it was transferred to Spanish Oloroso sherry casks for an additional three years of aging and this has made all the difference. The result is pure orangy goodness of the whisky variety, smooth, yet strong – a velvet sledgehammer, if you will. The notes are fruity [we detected orange, but your mouth, nose and brain might say otherwise] and the whisky starts out feisty but settles down for a smooth Barry White-style ride after the first couple of tipples. In fact, this is the perfect whisky to have if you happen to be out with your lady friend and want to do a little dance, make a little love, get down tonight, if you know what we mean [and we think we are being pretty clear here].

WC anoints Glenmorangie 18-Year Extremely Rare with a 93 out of 100 score.

Glenmorangie 18-Year Extremely Rare is typically found for $120 per bottle.