Glenmorangie is back and bigger than ever with the Scotch distillery's collaboration with Japanese floral artist Azuma Makoto.

This time, inspired by the Japanese concept of Shinra Bansho which represents the all of nature - "the ground, the sky and everything in between" - Glenmorangie's new Dr Bill Lumsden x Azuma Makoto 23 Year Old celebrates nature in all its forms!

The whisky is made from the combination of single malts aged in Bourbon and Chardonnay White Wine casks, the latter of which is sourced from Burgundy's Meursault appellation, and will also be the first time the Scotch distillery has featured the use of such casks. The whisky was originally distilled in 1998, and then aged in ex-Bourbon casks, after which it was transferred to Chardonnay casks in 2006 for a second leg of ageing. The expression is bottled at 46% ABV.

“Our collaboration with Azuma Makoto is a delicious celebration of nature’s wonder.

Including our first whisky finished in Chardonnay casks from Burgundy, this 23-year-old single malt encapsulates nature in all its forms, through notes of lemon balsam, poached pears and cocoa powder layered on the oaky, earthy tones of the forest floor.

Azuma-san’s stunning sculpture, featured on the whisky’s packaging, evokes the fragrant scents and elemental depths of this extraordinarily rare whisky – a gift from nature itself.” said Dr Bill Lumsden, Master Distiller for Glenmorangie

Official Tasting Notes

Colour: Deep Copper

Aroma: Wonderfully aromatic and fragrant, with touches of honey, hazelnuts, mandarin oranges and soft, sweet toffee. This is then followed by top notes of sweet, ripening barley, followed by baked peaches. A splash of water releases some flinty minerality, along with honeysuckle and jasmine flowers.

Taste: A gently spicy mouthfeel leads into a burst of sweet and spicy flavours – heather honey, gingerbread, hazelnut praline, fudge, toffee and a touch of clove. The Amontillado cask-derived nuttiness is always present, but always gently integrated with other, sweeter flavours.

Finish: The lingering aftertaste has touches of almond marzipan, coconut and finally a suggestion of baking fruit loaves.

The whisky is accompanied by a piece of botanical art made by Makoto that is featured on the whisky's packaging, including in it the use of orchids, roses, and Scottish wildflowers interwoven with tree bark, roots and moss. Azuma will also be recreating the Shinra Bansho artwork at London’s The Saatchi Gallery on the 24th and 25th June alongside a guided tasting from Dr Lumsden and Makoto.

“I was honoured to partner with Dr Bill for this special celebration of shinra bansho. My sculpture is a response to my view of earth’s blessings – my sense of gratitude for nature – and for the flavour of the Highlands, expressed deliciously in Dr Bill’s whisky.” said Makoto.

The new Glenmorangie Dr Bill Lumsden x Azuma Makoto 23 Year Old will retail for an RRP of £1,050 (US$1,332) in select retailers across UK, China, Japan, Taiwan, India and the US.

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team