We're back with the fifth installation of Glenmorangie's A Tale of... series - one that we've really liked in terms of making Scotch whiskies much more fresh, youthful and truthfully more relevant to younger fans.

We're followed the series rather closely and it's nice to see the Glenmorangie team zone in on experiences like being in Tokyo or the forests, or enjoying desserts like cakes or ice cream, and then tying it back to whisky flavours - and for what it's worth, the whiskies themselves each feature a unique aspect as to how they're made, so this ain't no bait and switch where marketing packaging aside, the whisky is fundamentally the same. So again, kudos to the Glenmorangie team for doing a good work on that - although of course, we must, and will, get to tasting it to find out if the proof is in the pudding, or shall we say ice cream. 

Dr Bill Lumsden with Gillian MacDonald.

And so this new edition of Glenmorangie's A Tale of Ice Cream was inspried by Glenmorangie's famedd Director of Whisky Creation Dr. Bill Lumsden's love of ice cream. And so to recreate that experience, Dr. Lumsden had specially selected casks with high concentrations of vanillin, the compound responsible for vanilla's characteristic flavor. These casks were then specially toasted to maximize vanillin release from the wood's lignin - a process Glenmorangie had never used before - before aging Glenmorangie's whisky in them. The distillery had elaborated that they'd experimented with various wood types before settling on virgin oak casks toasted in this unique manner.

And so let's have at it!

PS. This was tasted at the Whisky Journey festival in Singapore, which is a foremost festival for whisky lovers where you'll get to try a wide array of whiskies from Scotch, to Japanese and American. It usually happens into the later end of the year, so something to look forward to if you're a whisky lover in Singapore!

Glenmorangie A Tale Of Ice Cream Single Malt, 46% ABV - Review

Tasting Notes

Nose: Immediately sweet and confectionary-like, bordering on candied. I'm immediately reminded of spun sugar, the kind you find nestled atop a crème caramel pudding, alongside freshly baked banana bread. This sweetness is brightened by a distinct lemon note, reminiscent of fizzy lemon sherbet, mingling with fresh mint and the zesty aroma of lemon-lime leaves. The whisky opens up to some delicate woodsy nuances, some pine notes emerging, followed by some almond frangipane pastry.

Palate: It’s got the familiar texture and body of the Glenmorangie 10 initially, though there’s a wave of creamy sweetness with tons of vanilla washing over the palate, evoking vanilla soft serve under a light drizzle of caramel. It’s a really smooth and approachable entry with this creamy sweetness, but it's not long before the oak influence begins to grow and assert itself. There’s the initial toasted coconut flakes that gradually evolve into richer notes of baking spices, cinnamon and nutmeg along with light oakiness.

Finish: Warm and lingering, with the baking spices becoming more prominent. I detect anise, a subtle licorice note, alongside a more pronounced slightly resinous oak presence.

My Thoughts:

Straight up, this whisky is absolutely bursting with vanilla cream!

It does seem a little unassuming and straightforward at first though the nuances start to really shine through as you savour it. It’s soft, light, and approachable with a creamy, sweet core and generous vanilla cream note. Very much a bourbon bomb marketed as an “ice cream” whisky and I’m absolutely down for that.

Try putting the dram in the freezer for a few minutes before tasting and you’ll really get something quite close to a full-on ice cream.

*Suspiciously racoon-like noises*

Contributed by @Definitelynotthreeracoons