Glenmorangie 18 år Single Highland Malt Whisky 43%

Distillery: Glenmorangie Age: 18 years Type: Single Highland Malt Whisky Alc. strength: 43% 70 cl. Other:

The tallest, most elegant stills in Scotland At the heart of the Glenmorangie distillery is the still house; the living, beating heart of the distillery where simple raw materials are transformed into exquisite, refined spirits. At 5.14 metres, the Glenmorangie stills are the tallest in Scotland. They are exact replicas of the second-hand gin stills their founder purchased in 1843. Beautiful and elegant, the eight majestic stills tower majestically, filling the vast space from floor to ceiling. The finest wood They are meticulous at Glenmorangie's distillery. To protect the special complexity of their single malts, it's a necessity to use only the very best casks made from the finest wood.Glenmorangie primarily uses American white oak casks that have previously aged bourbon. Most of the casks are 'first fill' casks, which have never been used to age Scotch whisky before. A large proportion are made from air-dried, slow-growing wood to exacting specifications.

There are many advantages to the so-called 'designer casks' made from air-dried, slow-growing wood. The wood is more open and porous and therefore has better storage properties than faster-grown wood. Air-drying the wood reduces the sharpness and bitterness of the wood's tannins and helps to open up the internal structure of the wood, increasing oxygenation. Hush hush about the spring water. The other key ingredient in whisky is water, and Glenmorangie has been sourcing water from Tarlogie Springs since the beginning of time. Every hour, the distillery draws 10,000 litres of water from this spring, which is shaped like a small lake, and it seems incredible that there is always enough water. The water doesn't come splashing down from a rock wall, but constantly bubbles up through the bottom. And from the day the water falls as rain across the landscape to the day it collects in the lake, it takes around 100 years. There's something magical about this bubbling, crystal clear lake. The surroundings are also idyllic and you'd think the place would be full of happy picnic tourists. But no, it's not that easy to find this spring - there are no signs and the road is winding.Glenmorangie makes a point of keeping the location of the spring a secret for fear of it being contaminated. So we won't say anything...