Glenmorangie Signet Review


“Sweet Like Chocolate”

Whisky Review # 731

Country: Scotland
Region: Northern Highlands 
Brand: Glenmorangie Signet 
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS 
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Refill Bourbon, Virgin Oak, Oloroso Wood and Red Wine Barrels   
Chill Filtration: No     
Price Range: US$ 150-170 (May 2018).
Buying Advice: 😐 Very Nice Malt if you like the specific Aroma/Flavour profile. A bit too one-sided for my personal taste.

Colour

Mahogany (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

The Signet is a NAS Whisky but on the Nose you immediately get the feeling that some mature Spirit and good casks were used. It's quite Sweet and Fruity and the influence of Virgin casks, Sherry Wood and Red Wine is noticeable. 

Main Aromas:

Toasted Malt, Butter Kekse (German Butter Biscuits), Vanilla, Demerara Sugar, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas, Figs, Blackcurrants and Plums, Red Grapes, Orange Peel, Banana, Toasted Nuts, Milk Chocolate, Roasted Coffee Beans and Cinnamon.        

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Caramel, Golden Syrup, Tinned Pineapple, Bourbon, Tobacco, Floral Perfume, Ginger, Fresh Mint and Oak.       


Palate:

Quite Sweet but with a few Bitter and Sour notes as well. The Oak is noticeable by now. Quite Dry, Nutty and Tannic.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Malt, Vanilla, Caramel, Demerara Sugar, Dried Fruit like Blackcurrants, Rum Soaked Raisins & Sultanas, Blackcurrant Preserve, Citrus Peel, Grapefruit, Roasted Nuts, Roasted Coffee Beans, Dark Chocolate and Cinnamon.             

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Golden Syrup, Toffee, Pepper, Nutmeg, Ginger, Menthol/Aniseed, Charred Oak, Tobacco and Licorice.   



Finish:

Middle-Long and mainly Bitter Sweet. A few Sour notes as well. Quite Dry and Tannic in the final stages. The Wood is more present as well. I find Malt, Dried Fruit like Plums, Sultanas and Blackcurrants, Toffee, Vanilla, Hazelnuts, Dark Chocolate, Citrus Peel, Grapefruit, Herbs, Menthol, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, Aniseed, Licorice, Strong Espresso, Ripe Banana, Red Wine and Tobacco.

Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water and Milk Chocolate, Caffe Latte and Peach Jam develop. A hint of Bounty Candy Bars as well. On the Palate and in the Finish Wood and Wood Spice start to dominate. A little Rubber and/or PVC Pipes as well. I think the Nose improves with a little Water but the same does not apply for Palate and Finish. Still, you can certainly experiment with a few drops here and there. 

Rating: 86 

Nose: 22 - Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21.5


Drinking Experience:

Good.

Conclusion:

The Signet was launched in 2008. It is made with two different types of Barley i.e. around 20% of Malted "Chocolate" Barley that is normally used for Stout Beer production and 80% of Roasted Single Estate Cadboll Barley that has been dried at a higher temperature and deeply roasted. A mixture of Refill Bourbon casks, Virgin Oak, Sherry casks and Red Wine Barrels are used to mature the Signet. And although it's a NAS Whisky it is said to contain some 35-40 Years old Glenmorangie Spirit as well. The name Signet originates from the Hilton of Cadboll Stone, a work of Art dating back to around 800 AD that can be found around 15 km southeast of Tain, close to the Glenmorangie distillery.

The Signet is a designed Whisky made by Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie's Master of Whisky Creation. The roasted Barley, the special casks and the use of some very old Glenmorangie Spirit give the Signet a very specific Aroma and Flavour profile, dominated by Dried Fruits, Nuts, Chocolate, Wood and Wood Spices. As such it will surely be appreciated by Sherry, Port And other Fortified Wine fans. A great Christmas after dinner Whisky to be enjoyed with good Dark Chocolate, Coffee and perhaps a cigar. Would I buy a full bottle? No. I think it's a very nice and well-made Single Malt but it's a bit of a one trick pony without too much complexity, depth and balance.   


The Pictures were taken during our visit to Glenmorangie in May 2017

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