NEW IS ALWAYS BETTER...ALWAYS...
OR IS IT?
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| The old Glenmorangie 10yo (left) and new "Original" 10yo Glenmorangie (right) |
Or is it after all? This is what we're finding out today!
Hello everyone and welcome to yet another tasting. I was really happy to have this opportunity to sample one whisky that has changed over the years but is still the same 10yo product! I present you the Glenmorangie 10yo sampling!
The story so far; I received a bottle of Glenmorangie 10yo and by the looks of the label was considered quite "old" (not that the whisky was any older than 10yo). The cork broke and I sent the distillers a picture of the bottle and all the information I could find from the label. I quickly received an answer and quote
"The bottle you have very kindly sent pictures of was produced in 2002 and as cork is a natural substance damage can take place at such an age. Unfortunately we redesigned the whole Glenmorangie range in 2006 and no longer have any replacement corks, however I do have a different product cork which will fit your bottle and I will send you a couple over."
To make a long story short, a colleague and friend of mine later bought a bottle of the redesigned range and thus figured we could sample these both and make an empiric study to find out if Barney Stinson was right after all; is new always better?
A few notes must be told though.
- The old bottle is 43% ABV where as the new 10yo only 40%
- The old bottle contained 75cl (quite peculiar IMO) and the new 70cl (taste-wise not relevant)
- The old bottle was first opened on the 10th of February 2015 and the new bottle's first open on the 30th of August
Both were easily enjoyed; Glenmorangie, for me at least, represents a nice and easy way to start enjoying single malts. Not too sweet, pure, even hints of dark chocolate and fudge. With the 3% ABV change, it is funny how one can taste the difference.
But to answer the question, is new always better? In my opinion, I liked the older version more where as my colleague/friend her new 10yo. For me, the aroma in the old was stronger (for obvious reasons) but also added slightly more depth to the whisky.
Earlier this year we had a brief chat about that older bottle on one image board and I still think it's pretty cool. Nice to see a side-by-side tasting with a newer one.
VastaaPoistaDo you happen or know where the old bottling was bought from? Usually the bottles made for European market are 70cl and US bottlings are 75 cl. I've heard the reason for that somewhere, but unfortunately can't remember what it was.
"Do you happen or know where the old bottling was bought from?" Unfortunately I have no idea. I bought it from a acquaintance a long time ago who apparently received it as a gift (an even longer time ago). Since he doesn't drink spirits he sold the bottle to me. It seems that he had it for quite some time now; the old bottling/broken cork problem.
VastaaPoistaNow that I think of it, I probably could've kept the bottle unopened for its (increasing) value. Then again, whiskies are made to be drunk so I don't regret anything!!