Glenmorangie Spìos

S 6.5 Horizontal Glenmorangie tasting. Glenmorangie Spios - WB106988 - 83 Glenmorangie A Tale of Winter - WB186566 - 83 Glenmorangie Signet - WB4067 - 85 81-85 - Another dram welcomed

Fruity, grainy, peppery. When it first came onto the market, I couldn't get into the whisky. I think it was September 2018. Lesson learned from the evening: the whisky is perfect for warmer temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius.

Glenmorangie Spios is much more subtle than I was expecting, bringing the spices that you’d expect to find in a well-made rye whisky, but marrying them highly effectively with the distillery’s spirit character. At times you’d think you were sipping a slightly spicier version of the 10 year old - the underlying distillery character comes through incredibly strongly here. All this makes for a solid and tasty whisky, but perhaps one I was expecting a little more from – whilst balance and subtlety are to be commended, to my palate this new Private Edition seem like a somewhat restrained spin on Glenmorangie Original 10 year old. If that’s what you’re after, by all means seek out a bottle, it’s tasty. But, if you’re looking for something a touch more radical, previous Private Editions have delivered more drastic and sweeping results https://www.thedramble.com/tastings/glenmorangie/glenmorangie-spios/

a dram that surprises with a lack of sweetness usually present in the Glen, an experience that will not leave me much memory!

I bought the Bacalta and was duly disappointed. This is better, but why not buy a bottle of good genuine rye whisky and save £40-50?

Nose is oak, banana, and white fruit. Palate is rye spice, oak, honey, and mint. Finish is long and spicy. Decent, but not the best Glenmorangie around.

It is a very non-standard model. Malty, clean character with a distinctly spicy profile, even a bit stone-like.

Nice and sweet, nice rye influence, pleasent dram.

The rye cask is definitely noticeable. You have to respect that, a plus compared e.g. to the Allta. However, this will not be my favorite profile. It is special ... too special for me. By the way, the name means “spice” in Gaelic. That fits quite well, I think. Full review (german): https://keinehalbendrinks.de/2021/01/27/glenmorangie-mit-prof-dr-tasting/

Nose: winter melon, pattypan, yellow beetroot, spearmint Palate: currants, glace cherry, fruit cocktail, Finish: cinnamon, anise and studded clementines, dried pears With water Nose: glace orange, bisongrass Palate: cinchona, and brandy snaps Finish: fortune cookies and cassia bark Tasted as part of Wings and Whisky: High Rollers

[February, 2018]  Another year, another experiment by Dr. Bill.  Some were really good (like the Sonnalta or Artein) while others did not impress me at all (Companta, Bacalta).  I bought this bottle for 80 Euro today. This is a very interesting dram with some aromas and flavours that are hard to find in other whiskies.  Nevertheless, it is not a dram I could drink everyday or more than one per evening.  But it is a nice experience, for sure...

Like wine, I find that this really opens up with time in the glass. The nose is much improved as does the palate. I was sceptical at first but found it to be rather enjoyable bottling.

Apples, spices, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, glacé cherries, floral, grass clipping, rye-bread notes on nose. Spices, more pepper, vanilla, honey, vanilla ice cream, sweet fruits, grass, oak cask notes on taste. Long finish with spices, pepper, oak cask, vanilla, grass and rye-bread notes. It’s a little bit strange, but very interesting whisky. It combines Glenmorangie style with maturation in ex rye whisky barrels. Spios is a most spicy whisky in Glenmorangie product line.

Sweet, not alcoholic, a good option for drinking, somehow not particularly affected, but also has no disadvantages ..

- a special bottling by Glenmorangie, which is also in the Do something "special". - quite atypical character for a Glenmorangie - very intense, spicy and "edgy" - but apart from the peculiarity, he is very one-dimensional and little complex - ok for about 70 € if the focus is on the "special" and you want to have it in a Glenmorangie selection at home, otherwise definitely much too expensive in terms of taste

Spìos itself means spice in Scottish Gaelic, and the entire spirit lives up to its name; from the aroma to the taste, the first impression is a complex spice flavor. It's slightly spicy on the palate, but the body is quite light, making it a bit of an unusual choice.

difficult ... plv not ok ... but a good whisky

An unusual Glenmorangie character. Surprisingly  the finish is probably the best part.

A special bottling from Glenmorangie, which is indeed something "special". Not necessarily a particularly good taste but definitely a very special, untypical character for a Glenmorangie. Not fruity and soft, but angular and strong. [Color] gold (NKG) [Nose] fresh, very floral, lavender, has a very special scent [Taste] strong, very spicy appearance, very powerful in character, the distinctive rye note can be tasted clearly [Finish] medium-long, strong, spicy finish; long dry aftertaste [Price / performance] for 70 € ok if you put the emphasis on the "special", taste too expensive, there are better GM for 20 -30 € less (eg Quinta Ruban)

Unfortunately, the Spìos fits into the list of Private Edition bottlings. These are getting worse and worse (let's get out last year's Baccalta). Especially in the taste and finish much too meaningless and arbitrary. Sorry, but 85 € is not worth it.

Orange, caramel, melon, peach, cinnamon, vanilla, butter, rye, little currants and notes of mash (beer).

Jim Murray has awarded 95.5 points to the Spìos. "Breathtakingly beautiful."

Very unusual barrel maturation - well done, but you don't have to have more than one sample! The price is more of a cheek.

Nose: Calvados, aromas of overripe, fermented apples, wild strawberries, cinnamon and spices. The whole thing is reminiscent of a warm apple peppered with cloves. Key: Very soft. Sweetness of white rock candy, granny smith, cinnamon and a slight ginger spiciness and white pepper, the mouthfeel is dry to astringent. Finish: short. Light seasoning.

Very slim and elegant! Damp bun, dough, mash, kvass, pickle, green plant stem, raspberry leaf, nettle, green tea, tarragon, chewing gum, marmalade, lollipop, kiwi, oroblanco citrus, lime, sea buckthorn, pear, honey, white wine (pinot grigio), milk chocolate.

The 9th bottling from the Private Edition by Glenmorangie is characterized by American rye whisky. Inspired by the golden whisky era, when herbs and spices pervaded the saloons, ex-rye barrels from the heart of Kentucky were first used to mature the malt.

Not bad, but quite straightforward and uncomplicated whisky, the aroma still set the mood for something more interesting, but the taste/finish demonstrates only simplification, quite boring, although there are no particular drawbacks, even dust and cardboard are quite acceptable.

How I love Glenmorangie! But they are not cheap. This is nice, enjoyable, but not great which is what you expect from the price.

The nose and palate on this were kind of withdrawn and unimpressive, but the finish... wow. Long and full of beautifully integrated notes. As a whole though I'm glad I didn't get a bottle. I think the muted nose and palate could be remedied by bottling at a higher ABV, but that might accentuate the bitter grainy notes which might be unpleasant.

I expected far more from this kind of bottle because of the price. The concept of cask is nice, but the outcome is too simple.

Solid, clearly palatable experiment, little to complain about, no clear mistakes in it, just a little too harmless to really arouse a lot of emotions.

the nose was intense, sweet, and kind of vanilla, but at the same time something new. Taste added spices, some oak and a malty note. Finish was all right, long lasting, warm, spicy. Intersting malt with a nice finish which is rather unusual.

Awesome whisky with unique aroma

Another bottle I bought because I wanted to explore the influence of rye whisky casks on Scotch. Unfortunately, like the last reviewed Fettercairn, I didn’t like it very much, and I’ll give it away to someone who appreciates it more than I do, even though I could easily use it as a palate cleanser (as everything tastes sweeter and mellower after it). In this case, it is a Glenmorangie matured entirely in American ex-rye whisky casks for an unspecified period of time and released in 2017. On the nose: woody, fresh, fruity, and spicy. Piercing citrus, plenty of white pepper, spicy young oak (lots of ginger and clove but not much vanilla), sour pineapple, and gentle herbal notes (mint). Perhaps a hint of paint, nectarine, grain, and flowers. Soft mineral notes. Very simple and immature and, despite that, very spicy and woody, so not very inviting. On the palate it begins very spicy and hot, with plenty of white pepper. Then come peach, young oak (bourbon-like, with a hint of glue), raw spiciness (ginger), citrus (powerful lemon peel), generic and faintly tropical notes, before finally sliding toward a bitter oak that dominates everything. Soft herbal notes (grass, pine tree, oregano), floral touches, and cereal notes (rye?). Slightly better than the aroma, but still quite aggressive and unfriendly. The finish is dry, bitter, and spicy. Drying tannins (matcha tea), grainy notes, acidic citrus, ginger, cilantro, dusty wood, grapefruit, chili. Very young in a bad way. I can’t help drinking water after every sip. That is never a good sign. Like the previous Fettercairn, this is another spicy, woody, bitter, very simple malt. The kind of whisky that simply does not appeal to me. The lack of sweetness, fruitiness, honey, or vanilla notes makes it feel very unbalanced, in my opinion. It is not terribly offensive, and I can tolerate it if I try, but this whisky offers very little, and what little it does offer does not attract me very much. I do not know how they managed to extract so many tannins from the oak without the corresponding fruity and vanilla notes, but in my view they are keeping the worst and discarding the best, just like the Fettercairn I reviewed yesterday. Not everything is negative, however. The grainy, herbal and floral notes are interesting; the distillery style does not clash with the notes imparted by the casks; the spicy oak notes are prominent but not completely excessive, so it is not a totally unbalanced whisky; and, on a good day, one can sense that the ideal it is trying to reach might actually be worthwhile, if only more attention had been devoted to it and/or if better casks had been used. Even so, for now this bottling is the most disappointing and unbalanced Glenmorangie I have ever tried. Another whisky that will probably be better off in someone else’s cabinet, someone who can truly enjoy it, because I find it rather difficult.

Jälkimaku hieman lyhyt, mutta hintaan nähden hyvä.

to be described as solid at best What was the goal of the finish? I don't like it either (tried the Bacallta before)

Ninth Private edition, unmarked whisky matured only in rye whisky barrels.

Uninteresting.

I participated in the live online tasting with Dr. Bill Lumsden presenting Spios. Here are a few pieces of information he provided or hinted at: The whisky was matured exclusively in ex-rye casks. Full maturation, this is not a finish. The casks arrived at Glenmorangie at around 2008-2009, so the whisky should be 8-9 years old. The rye matured in the new american oak casks for 6 years, and it is a 95% rye mash bill - so its likely from the MGP plant in Indiana (you know, where all the 'craft' 'distilleries' source their rye from. Good stuff though!). Thes casks were recently refilled at Glenmorangie, lets see what happens with them in the future... there are no other rye casks maturing, and apparently no plans to purchase more. As to the whisky itself, I found it quite similar to the regular 10 (tasted next to it), with a layer of extra spices, both sweet and a little hot, and nice mint notes (which fortify my belief the rye is from MGP). Its a nice whisky, that developes well in the glass. Give it time! Still, its one of the less 'unique' expressions in the series. I guess those who like wine finishes might be underwhelmed, but for those who didn't like all the wine casks of the past it might be a refreshing take on the classic Glenmorangie style.

I quite like this whisky. It's more spicy than expected but well-balanced with sweeter notes. The Spìos benefits from letting it breath a little while before drinking.

Odor OK, finish not unpleasant, but in the mouth he makes me no fun, he would not synonymous for 30 ¬, because I do not need to think about the 90 first.

It has rye whisky character, such as peach, peppermint, leaf, pine tree?.. I feel malty taste as the characteristics mentioned above.

Nose: sweet, bright fruits, honey, Taste: honey, peach, slightly spicy, Finish: relatively short, fast away Summary: pleasant summer whisky, for 30-40 € fine, but not for 90 €

Everything is a matter of taste. I do not understand an opinion saying this is well done, but not my style. Either you like it and you appreciate the taste of a whisky subjectively or you do not. This whisky does not taste well in my humble subjective opinion. As a consequence, I do not like the whisky and rate it accordingly.  Other people may like its taste and rate it higher, fine. If you do not like its taste and rate it high then it is let‘s say strange. Possibly you want to boost your expertise or you lost it. Let's add a remark and leave the rest to the marketeers: There will be no tasting notes from me for this whisky and no comment describing it as "interesting". I would certainly never pay EUR 90 or GB 85 for this whisky, probably not even CAN$20 for comparison. I tried only a 6 cl sample and managed to finish 3 cl, not without pressure. The remaining 3 cl did not find a way into my storage room. Believe me I do not want to drink it without "coke and press". On the other hand, I still have samples of most of the whiskies I tried before including 6 cl samples.  So, not for a rare occasion, never again for me.

a very good nose fruity, grassy, pleasant, then disappointment with a return spicy, bitter (a catch of 4 spices directly to the nostrils!), in fact, the sensation of the nose fades and hides the fruitiness so much hoped (on lemon then raspberries and blackberries!) really denotes, but to taste!

I had low expectations, and they were handily met, though not quite in the way I expected. The rye casks aren’t so bad, and are actually rather subtle and interesting. The real problems with this dram are the very short finish, the odd vegetal notes, the and manic swings between absurd sugary sweetness and the rye herbs. There are hints of a good whisky in here: I like those olive-oil-y notes and the very Glenmorangie-ish pastries and toasted sugar. There just isn’t near enough of that.