Glenmorangie Distillery reveals its oldest-ever single malt whisky at 50 years old

Extremely rare release comprises 149 numbered bottles of liquid history, with each presented in a one-of-a-kind ceramic vessel

Glenmorangie single malt Scotch whisky has unveiled the Glenmorangie 50 Years Old – the oldest-ever whisky to be bottled from the Highland distillery. This incredibly rare release has been nurtured meticulously by the distillery’s whisky makers over time and celebrates the extraordinary feat of maturing whisky for half a century, while preserving Glenmorangie’s signature elegance. Realised through the vision of acclaimed Master Distiller Dr Bill Lumsden MBE, who has stewarded the whisky through its final three decades of maturation in bourbon and sherry casks, it is presented in 149 bespoke porcelain display vessels crafted by celebrated ceramicist, Peter Pincus.

The creation of Glenmorangie 50 Years Old began with some of the last batches of barley malted in the distillery’s own floor maltings which were decommissioned in 1977, rendering The 50 Years Old a rare taste of a bygone era. Distilled in Glenmorangie’s uniquely tall copper stills, the spirit was then laid down to mature in bourbon hogshead casks and first-fill Oloroso sherry butts in the mid-1970s. The whisky had already achieved a considerable age when Dr Bill joined Glenmorangie as Distillery Manager in 1995, and during those early years of his tenure, he identified a handful of casks with the potential for significant ageing.

In 1999, Dr Bill selected a small parcel of whisky from these casks once they had reached a considerable age. This liquid, comprising mostly whisky aged in bourbon casks and a smaller portion from sherry butts, was then married in one refill hogshead barrel. This particular cask was identified as the perfect maturation partner, tightly coopered for a slow extended maturation that would impart the gentlest wood influence on the whisky, whilst maintaining Glenmorangie’s signature elegance.

Over the next 25 years, the whisky mellowed into a Glenmorangie with unparalleled depth and complexity, balancing the distillery’s signature house style with intense sherried notes. And after five decades in total, Dr Bill deemed this whisky ready to share. A remarkably rich mahogany in colour, Glenmorangie 50 Years Old reveals sweet aromas of baked oranges, sultanas and nutmeg, complemented by a herbal top note. To taste, the mouthfeel is gently peppery, followed by bold flavours of toffee, stewed Assam tea leaves, birch tar, and whisps of clove and oak tannin.

In honour of this milestone release, Glenmorangie has partnered with visionary American ceramic artist, Peter Pincus, to create a striking display for each of the 149 bottles. After visiting the distillery and tasting the whisky, Peter, his partner Laurie, and their studio team spent the next 1,000 days handcrafting 149 bespoke ceramic display vessels to honour the exceptional whisky within. Dedicating over three years to the project, Peter and Laurie Pincus pioneered new ceramic techniques and painstakingly cast and sanded each piece to perfection. Inspired by the palette of tasting notes in the whisky, they created 50 bespoke colour pigments to form a completely individual pattern on each vessel, applied by hand. Each ceramic vessel created fits together to display a tessellated wall of art, titled ‘Together in Spirit’ – a tribute to shared craftsmanship and boundless imagination.

Dr Bill Lumsden said: “The release of the Glenmorangie 50 Years Old has to be one of my proudest creations. I often wondered if the day would ever come that we’d be able to bottle a Glenmorangie with such a mighty age statement. The combination of Glenmorangie from classic bourbon barrels, with a touch of sweet yet spicy sherry cask-matured liquid presents a stunning whisky of depth and complexity, harmonised with Glenmorangie’s signature elegance. It’s also particularly special that this whisky was created from some of the last batches of barley to be malted on site at the distillery in the mid-1970s, which has added rare hints of smoke to its flavour profile.

“It has been an honour collaborating with Peter Pincus to present this Glenmorangie in such an extraordinary way. Together we have created an unrepeatable work of art - and I’d say it’s been worth the wait.”

Peter Pincus said: “When we visited Glenmorangie and tasted this incredible 50-year-old whisky we were inspired with so many ideas for how to present it. We have pioneered new techniques that have never been used in ceramics before and created a palette of colour to bring the intense flavour of this whisky to life. Each of the vessels we have created links to its neighbours to create a collective masterpiece, but each also has its own identity. This project has been a formative journey of self-discovery for Pincus, and it’s wonderful to see our shared vision for the project come to life.”

Glenmorangie’s whisky creators have been refining and redefining what is possible in single malt for more than 180 years. They distil their elegant spirit in Scotland’s tallest stills, then age it in the finest casks, in constant pursuit of exceptional flavour.

Glenmorangie 50 Years Old will be available from September through the Moët Hennessy Private Client Team, the Distillery Visitor Centre in Tain and select retailers, with private enquiries also welcome at glenmorangie.com.