I only first tried a Glenmorangie whisky a year ago, a bottle of the nearly 170-year-old distillery’s 10-year-old Original given to me by a group of colleagues here at the Sun.

Even though I’m someone who generally prefers something a little more full-bodied, the light citrus and vanilla notes that I got on my first taste were a pleasant surprise, and I count the whisky as a great choice after a long day at work. Refreshing and not overpowering, and generally a steal, retailing for around $70 or so. “Complexity at its most complex!” Raved Jim Murray of the Whisky Bible, in giving it a score of 94.

So it’s not surprising that with the bar set so high for its entry level whisky, things go up from there, but not necessarily in price point.

Louis Vuitton Moet-Hennessy, which took over the distillery in 2004, was showing off a selection of Glenmorangie’s finest at its Calgary unveiling of the Pride 1981, a centrepiece whisky that any collector would be happy to get their hands on. Especially because there were only 1,000 bottles of the Pride produced worldwide. (The box/crystal bottle alone is exquisite, and please forgive the BlackBerry photo included above.)

But with extremely limited supply, and a price tag of a few thousand dollars, don’t fret if this doesn’t show up under your Christmas tree. That’s not to say it’s not a fine single malt scotch.
It’s hard to imagine something as tasty as a 28-year-old single malt, aged for 10 of those years in Sauternes casks. The end result is sweet and smooth, even with a 56% alcohol content, with melon and vanilla flavours followed by raisins and almonds on the lingering finish.

That said, based on the range of whiskies offered for sampling at the unveiling, Glenmorangie has plenty to be proud about.

For less than $100, you can get your hands on a trio of great whiskies in the Extra Matured series. There’s the warming spice of the Lasanta, with its sweet and long finish of oranges and chocolate. Or the Quinta Ruban, finished in ruby port pipes, with flavours of mint and citrus. For people who may not be whisky people, a great entry-level single malt scotch would be the Nectar d’Or, with orange and raisins on the nose, and a light, lemon cake flavour on the palate.

In the $150 range is the 18-year-old, which tastes of peaches and cream and other candied fruit, with just a hint of spice. Beyond that is the interesting flavour of the Signet, made in part with roasted chocolate malt, giving it a delicious chocolate-amaretto espresso flavour. That’ll run you about $240 or so. The Quarter-Century brings an understated compliment to the 18-Year and the Signet, but with the same sweet finish that I have found I love about the Glenmorangie range of whiskies.

Tags: 1981, Glenmorangie, Moet Hennessy, Pride, scotch, Signet, whisky