Glenmorangie Palo Cortado Cask 12 Year Scotch Whisky

The Glenmorangie Palo Cortado Cask 12‑Year Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky is a luxuriously smooth, richly layered Highland malt finished in rare Palo Cortado sherry casks—offering a harmonious blend of sweet stone fruits, toasted nuts, dark chocolate, and warm spices with elegant structure.

🥃 Quick Highlights

• Age & Finish: 12 years total—8 years in ex-bourbon American oak, followed by an expressive 4-year finish in rare Palo Cortado sherry casks 

• ABV and Style: Bottled at 46% ABV. Reflects Glenmorangie’s signature refined Highland character, softened and sweetened by the complex sherry finish 

• Color: Deep burnished amber — visually inviting 

👃 Nose

• Luscious aromas of toffee, vanilla fudge, honeyed ginger, and milk-chocolate, balanced by hints of mulled wine and moss 

• With a splash of water, emerge orange sherbet, Brazil nuts, and delicate floral notes like carnation 

👄 Palate

• Silky texture with a pleasant oiliness, showing off treacle-toffee, caramel, nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon 

• Hints of dark plum, raisins, bitter orange, and baking ryebread—savory depth underlies the sweetness 

🔚 Finish

• Long, nutty, and warm, featuring salted almonds, leather, aromatic tobacco, and a distant trace of licorice and pepper 

🧭 Context & Insights

• Palo Cortado sherry offers a rare balance: rich and nutty like Oloroso, yet with bright, zestful character akin to Amontillado

• This marks Glenmorangie’s inaugural use of Palo Cortado casks—a testament to Dr. Bill Lumsden’s pursuit of elegant complexity 

• Positioned as a luxurious, limited “Barrel Select Release” with a suggested price range of US $90–100 

👍 Enthusiast Feedback

• Master of Malt: “Silky layers… sticky treacle, earthy nuts, woody spice… plum jam… salted almonds and fragrant tobacco.” 

• Reddit’s r/Scotch: Mixed reviews—some found it balanced but not groundbreaking, with clove, cardamom, nutmeg, brown sugar, and medium body 

✅ Final Take

This is a refined, nuanced expression—characteristically Highland but elevated by the intelligent Palo Cortado finish. It's perfect for those who enjoy a whisky that:

• Feels luxurious on the palate,

• Offers spiced sweetness, toasted nuts, and dried fruit complexity,

• Carries a long, satisfying finish that lingers with warmth,

• And is best savored neat or with a few drops of water to unlock deeper subtleties.

"Intriguing aromas of apple butter. spiced cider, and golden maple overlay luscious notes of caramelized pineapple and chocolate. Elegant and savory on the palate, with notes of roasted pepper, warm walnut, and baked barley. Sip, savor, repeat." 94 Points 2023 Ultimate Spirits Challenge