“Tribute (Not Quite) Right On”
Whisky Review # 1020
Region: Northern Highlands
Brand: Glenmorangie The Tribute - Heritage Spirit Batch
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 16 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon Casks
Chill Filtration: Yes
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon Casks
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price range: US$ 80-110 (May 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Okay when you can find it at around US$ 80
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Okay when you can find it at around US$ 80
Buying Advice: 😜 It's okay when you're having a party. It's too simple to really enjoy as a sipping Malt though.
Color:
Golden Amber (Artificially Colored)
Nose:
Nose:
Young and slightly underwhelming. I would never have stated the correct age of this Single Malt in a Blind Tasting. I find clear Bourbon vibes with a little Smoke and the traditional Oranges. Mainly Sweet and Sour notes but I also get a bit of Salt. Nose carefully to avoid the Alcohol.
Main Aromas:
Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Orange, Nectarine, Grass and Straw, Light Smoke, Dusty Earth, Wax, Flower Stall, Charred Oak, Cinnamon and Ginger.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Honey, Buttered Toast, Toffee, Lemon, Pear, Apple, Mixed Nuts, Bounty Candy Bars, Drinking Yogurt with Tropical Fruit Flavor, Nougat, Wet Paper, Nutmeg and a distant hint of Plastic.
Honey, Buttered Toast, Toffee, Lemon, Pear, Apple, Mixed Nuts, Bounty Candy Bars, Drinking Yogurt with Tropical Fruit Flavor, Nougat, Wet Paper, Nutmeg and a distant hint of Plastic.
Palate:
The arrival is a bit on the Thin side. An ABV of around 46% would have been more appropriate for this 16 Year old Single Malt. As was the case on the Nose you don't actually feel the age of this Glenmorangie. It's more than likely that a mix of 2nd and 3rd Re-fill casks were used for maturation. I find mostly Sweet and Sour notes as well as a bit of Salt and a very light Bitterness.
Main Flavours:
The arrival is a bit on the Thin side. An ABV of around 46% would have been more appropriate for this 16 Year old Single Malt. As was the case on the Nose you don't actually feel the age of this Glenmorangie. It's more than likely that a mix of 2nd and 3rd Re-fill casks were used for maturation. I find mostly Sweet and Sour notes as well as a bit of Salt and a very light Bitterness.
Main Flavours:
Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Wax, Grass and Straw, Light Smoke, Dusty Track, Apple, Pear, Orange, Floral Perfume, Charred Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Aniseed and Mint.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Honey, Lemon, Grapefruit, Nectarine, Nougat, Herbs, Milk Chocolate, Cloves, Ashes and a distant hint of Plastic.
Finish:
Not bad but a bit on the Short side and a little Hot. A mix of Sweet, Sour and Salty notes with a very light Bitterness towards the Medium-Dry end. It's more a drinking Whisky than a sipping one. Not too much going on but very drinkable! I find Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Toffee, Wax, Light Smoke, Dusty Earth, Mandarin, Orange, Pear, Tangerine, Nougat, Charred Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, Cloves and Mint.
Not bad but a bit on the Short side and a little Hot. A mix of Sweet, Sour and Salty notes with a very light Bitterness towards the Medium-Dry end. It's more a drinking Whisky than a sipping one. Not too much going on but very drinkable! I find Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Toffee, Wax, Light Smoke, Dusty Earth, Mandarin, Orange, Pear, Tangerine, Nougat, Charred Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, Cloves and Mint.
Drinking Advice:
No need to add Water to this Glenmorangie.
No need to add Water to this Glenmorangie.
Rating: 7 (*******)
Nose: 7 - Taste: 7.5 - Finish: 7
*** Important Note with respect to Rating.
If the Final score is 8 or higher you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.
Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good
Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Okay/Good
Conclusion:
The production at this Tain based Distillery started in November 1849. By the end of the 1930's, the McDonald family took control of Glenmorangie. They only sold the distillery to Vuitton/Moët Hennessy in 2004. Since 1994, Glenmorangie has been very actively experimenting with different Wood Finishes. The current core range includes the Original 10 Years, the 18 years, the Signet and three Wood Finishes i.e. the Quinta Ruban (Port), the Lasanta (Sherry) and the Nectar d' Or (Sauternes). In the last years however, Glenmorangie launched a large number of Special editions and Travel Retail specials such as the 16 years The Tribute I'm reviewing today. The Tribute is lightly peated like in the past. Currently, around 7.1 million litres of Spirit are produced. We visited the distillery in May 2017. The whole place looks impeccable and the Still House (Cathedral), VC and Shop are really beautiful.
The production at this Tain based Distillery started in November 1849. By the end of the 1930's, the McDonald family took control of Glenmorangie. They only sold the distillery to Vuitton/Moët Hennessy in 2004. Since 1994, Glenmorangie has been very actively experimenting with different Wood Finishes. The current core range includes the Original 10 Years, the 18 years, the Signet and three Wood Finishes i.e. the Quinta Ruban (Port), the Lasanta (Sherry) and the Nectar d' Or (Sauternes). In the last years however, Glenmorangie launched a large number of Special editions and Travel Retail specials such as the 16 years The Tribute I'm reviewing today. The Tribute is lightly peated like in the past. Currently, around 7.1 million litres of Spirit are produced. We visited the distillery in May 2017. The whole place looks impeccable and the Still House (Cathedral), VC and Shop are really beautiful.
If you're going to throw a party & your guests like Whisky this Glenmorangie might just be the Malt to go for. It's Light and very drinkable. But be careful! It's easy to drink more than you should or so I've heard 😎. But this Tribute has some flaws that make it less interesting as a sipping whisky. First of all it doesn't feel like a 16 Year old Single Malt and I feel that the rather inactive casks are to blame for that. I also believe that an ABV of say 46% would have done this Glenmorangie a lot of good. As presented it makes a rather Thin impression. So if you happen to own a few bottles of this Tribute I would urge you to send the invitations for the party right away!
Cheers 🥃
