A Scot on Scotch reviews the Glenmorangie Lighthouse, a 12-year-old single malt Scotch whisky, released to celebrate the opening of the distillery’s new experimental still-house.
Glen of Tranquillity?
Glenmorangie has been producing its Highland single malt since 1843 and has long been one of the most popular brands in its home market. As a child, I remember seeing ads on TV that romanticised the “Glen of Tranquillity”. According to the voice on TV, that’s what Glenmorangie meant, and I believed it! According to Jacob King, writer of The A to Z of Whisky Place-Names, however, it means nothing of the sort. Morangie is a Gaelic place name that comes from Moraistidh, meaning big dry place. The Glen was added because it was popular to call your whisky Glensomething.
The distillery lies just beside Tain in the north of Scotland. It was established by William Matheson, who had previously been manager at Balblair Distillery.
When Matheson launched his new project, he wrote to the press…
“THE SUBSCRIBER, in returning thanks for the very liberal support he received during his partnership of 17 years at the BALBLAIR DISTILLERY, begs to announce that he has erected a NEW DISTILLERY at GLEN-MORANGIE, about half-a-mile from the Burgh of Tain; and, from the liberal and encouraging support hitherto bestowed on him as a Distiller, he respectfully requests a continuance. Orders from Innkeepers and Private Families will meet with prompt attention. WILLIAM MATHESON. Glen-Morangie Distillery, by Tain, 7th November 1849.”
The distillery’s advertising has come a long way since then. Now the property of Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy, you’re more likely to see Hollywood legend, Harrison Ford singing the whisky’s praises, rather than finding a hastily penned letter in the local paper.
Glenmorangie is famously equipped with tall, narrow-necked pot stills, affectionately referred to as the giraffes. Their height and an abundance of copper contact help to create a light, delicate, fruity spirit that matures into a crowd-pleasing whisky.
The Glenmorangie Lighthouse
Recent years have seen some development at the distillery. A new still-house, dubbed The Lighthouse, has been erected in the distillery’s courtyard. It contains a single pair of stills, which perfectly match the size and style of the originals with a few key differences. The new designs can be altered and adjusted in different ways to change the character of the spirit.
Master Blender and Production Director, Dr Bill Lumsden, said: “The technology, particularly in the still house, is not revolutionary, but I can’t think of any other still house in the Scotch whisky industry where you have split condensers, copper and stainless steel, you’ve got a water-cooling jacket on the neck, you’ve got a purifier on the lyne arm; essentially, we can recreate any style of distillation that we want.
“New make spirit in the Scotch whisky industry is usually categorised, so Glenmorangie’s classic flavour profile is floral and fruity, whereas others might be waxy, sulphurous, peated, all these things. So The Lighthouse will allow me to create the full spectrum of spirit styles.
“The necks of Glenmorangie are the tallest in the Scotch malt whisky industry, but by using, for example, the water-cooling jackets on the necks to increase the rate of reflux, it’s almost like metaphorically, I will be able to double or treble the height of the stills.
“I can’t off the top of my head think of any other malt whisky distillery that has a built-in water-cooling jacket on the neck of the stills – probably if you looked, it’ll be somewhere in the world, but this is the first time I’ve seen it.”
The Glenmorangie Lighthouse 12 Year Old Review
The Lighthouse is a 12-year-old single malt Scotch whisky. Despite the name, it was not distilled at the new still house. Instead, the whisky features spirit produced at the original Glenmorangie, which was bottled to celebrate the opening of Dr Bill’s new playground.
Tasting notes: There’s creamy bourbon vanilla on the nose, with some fresh lemon juice. Underneath, orange zest and warm spices. On the palate, there’s chocolate orange creams, baking spices, dried fruits, and milk chocolate.
Thoughts: The spirit is light-bodied, as you’d expect from Glenmorangie. Don’t confuse that with a lack of flavour, though. There’s a lovely balance between bourbon and sherry cask. More bourbon on the nose, more sherry on the palate. A splash of water made the nose fruitier – like a tinned fruit cocktail. For me, this really shows off the value in challenging our own preconceptions. I’ve often told people that I’m not much of a Glenmorangie fan – but this is great.
Price: £85 (original RRP). I paid £50 at auction. It would still be a good dram at its original price, but those 2021 prices just don’t fly in 2026. £50 should be the average for a good quality 12-year-old.
You can visit the Glenmorangie Distillery website here
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