Harrison Ford toasts to the craft behind Glenmorangie’s elegant new 25-year-old whisky

The Altus lifts Glenmorangie’s signature house style to new heights

Glenmorangie Highland single malt Scotch whisky today releases a decadent 25-year-old whisky which elevates the Distillery’s signature spirit character to new heights of elegance. Highly praised by Harrison Ford – one of the first to taste the whisky in Glenmorangie’s witty brand campaign – Glenmorangie The Altus 25 Years Old (Latin for “high”) embodies its creators’ tireless approach to excellence. Bottled from a marriage of whisky matured in classic bourbon casks and whisky finished in Madeira wine casks, this permanent addition to Glenmorangie’s core range abounds with sweet, fruity flavours, and butter-candy undertones.

For more than 180 years, Glenmorangie’s whisky creators have been endlessly imaginative on their quest to create exceptional single malts. None more so than Director of Whisky Creation and Master Distiller, Dr Bill Lumsden, whose favourite phrase is “What if…?”. Since he began his tenure at Glenmorangie in 1995, Dr Bill has constantly challenged his team to elevate their favourites and bring more flavours and possibilities to single malt – making Glenmorangie the world’s most highly awarded Highland single malt. The Altus’s ascent through the years encapsulates his vision and commitment.

Ford salutes the heritage and craft behind The Altus when given a sneak preview before its official release, in Glenmorangie’s playful brand campaign Once Upon a Time in Scotland. In episode 10 Teamwork, the actor is handed a mystery dram by Glenmorangie Senior Tour Guide, Emily Ross. Told only by Distillery Manager Ed Thom that this is “something very special”, Ford is clearly awe-struck by The Altus’s flavour. Nodding his approval, he says to the assembled team of Distillery workers: “You guys do good work.” With an air of reverence, he holds his glass aloft, adding: “Here’s to your creation. To the good people of Glenmorang-y. Cheers.” The dramatic tension is then humorously broken as Distillery worker Alan Duff Junior gently corrects Ford’s pronunciation: “It's Glenmorangie.”

Just as Ford acknowledges, The Altus is a testament to Glenmorangie’s pursuit of excellence. It begins with the fruity spirit of Glenmorangie’s unusually tall stills, whose height allows more space for taste and aroma. That distillate’s delicacy is the result of meticulous changes conceived by Dr Bill, soon after he joined Glenmorangie almost 30 years ago. Then, inspired by the flavours which first drew him to Glenmorangie, he ages this elegant spirit in select bourbon barrels – the backbone of the Distillery’s house style. Among them, are Glenmorangie’s precious “designer” casks; hand-made from carefully chosen American oaks, heavily toasted and lightly charred to Dr Bill’s exact specifications to enhance the whisky’s creamy depths.

Patiently matured over decades, this whisky lusciously magnifies Glenmorangie’s trademark smooth, fruity character. Yet to elevate its flavour profile even further, Dr Bill marries this whisky with a sprinkling of Glenmorangie finished in Malmsey Madeira casks. This homage to Glenmorangie’s pioneering Madeira-finished whisky from 1995 – a world-first and a collector’s favourite to this day – guides a classic into The Altus’s decadent new realms of sweetness and spice. Aromas of carnation wind around orange blossom and honey, while tastes of mandarin, apples, pears and peach collide with gooseberry tartness, marzipan and ripe banana.

Dr Bill said: “The Altus’s 25-year journey is a true celebration of Glenmorangie’s acclaimed house style – presenting it at a new pinnacle of flavour. We were delighted that Harrison Ford became one of the first to taste the whisky in Once Upon A Time in Scotland – and are very glad it met with his approval!  Once our delicate spirit has been distilled in our iconic stills, this whisky has absorbed the creamy, fruity influence of our designer bourbon casks over the decades, before being combined with a sprinkling of Madeira-cask-finished Glenmorangie for more depth and fruitiness. The Altus elevates our Distillery’s signature notes of mandarin, peach and pear to new heights, combined with sweet butter-candy tones.”

Ed, who has been manager of the Distillery since 2019, pours Ford his first taste of The Altus in the campaign’s Teamwork episode. He said: “We were very excited to share The Altus with Harrison. This whisky is a perfect example of how bringing together the work of our distillers, blenders and warehouse teams can create something truly special. Harrison’s reaction to the whisky in the film is very genuine. After filming stopped, he shared his appreciation and praise for the craftmanship of the team who created it. He was very relaxed during breaks. He even told us a few jokes – which we promised to keep a secret if he didn’t tell anyone about The Altus before it was released!”

Emily Ross, Senior Tour Guide at Glenmorangie Distillery who hands Harrison the dram itself, reflected on her experience during the filming of the campaign: “The whole experience was unreal. I’ve always been a Harrison Ford fan, so I was excited to meet him. He was incredibly down-to-earth, humble, and genuine. It was a day I’ll never forget; a real moment in Glenmorangie’s history.”

Glenmorangie The Altus 25 Years Old completes a trio of flagship expressions in the Distillery’s core range, alongside Glenmorangie Original 12 Years Old and Glenmorangie Infinita 18 Years Old. It will be initially available in specialist retailers as well as from the Distillery Visitor Centre in Tain, and at glenmorangie.com RRP: £550.

Click to watch the full Teamwork episode, featuring Harrison Ford’s first taste of The Altus