Glenmorangie, The Thirty
Glenmorangie introduced The Thirty in 2026 as the oldest whisky in its core range. The 30-year-old Highland single malt combines bourbon barrel-matured spirit with whisky finished for more than 15 years in Burgundy red wine casks, which make up two-thirds of the recipe. It's the signature of Dr Bill Lumsden, head of whisky creation at Glenmorangie, who is renowned for his love and use of wine casks in maturation.
Nose
Toasted coconut, mango, jasmine, lavender
Palate
Oak, wild honey, stewed cherry compote, tarte tatin
Finish
Oak spice, pepper, dark chocolate
The nose is rich and resonant, with toasted coconut, overripe mango, delicate floral notes of Jasmine and lavender arriving first. Secondary aromas of polished oak, marzipan, Tart Tatin, and freshly opened passion fruit develop. The palate is oaky and dark on the first sip, with notes of wild honey, stewed cherry compote, a return of the Tarte Tatin, charred oranges and licorice, with wood spice, cinnamon, and clove developing as the palate dries. The finish is lengthy with resonant oak, a touch of pepperiness, and lingering dark chocolate and molasses notes.
Immediately on the nose, I get rich stone fruits like peach, cherry, and nectarine, all cushioned by nostalgic sweet vanilla note, sponge cake, and wafting of spices like cinnamon and clove. The palate is soft and silky, with the spice notes at the forefront before moving towards juicy fruit. Those fruits become redder, like raspberries and stewed strawberries, which also have a slight green note. The finish is beautifully bright for a 30-year-old and not too drying either. It's long and fresh and rounds out nicely with some more jamminess from the fruit, too.
