What am I doing writing a review of a single malt that’s made for mixing? Indeed, the Glenmorangie X isn’t even intended to be drunk neat, but curiosity got the better of me. Also, I’m not against mixing single malt whisky at all, so there’s that.
To some, even the idea of mixing single malt whisky is the stuff of horror films. But I quite like the intention of this product. Scotch single malt isn’t often the whisky of choice for bartenders and mixologists, who tend to lean towards bourbon and rye. Glenmorangie X can help broaden that horizon. (Or X by Glenmorangie, I should say, as that’s the official name.)
By very consciously proclaiming this is a product designed to be mixed, Glenmorangie takes the wind out of whisky snobs’ sails. And it’s cheap too. Bit of a bummer I didn’t have enough Glenmorangie X to write tasting notes AND make myself a proper cocktail. I suppose we’ll save that for later.
Glenmorangie X Made for Mixing (40%, OB, 2022)
Nose: A fresh, malty, citrus-forward first impression. Hints of barley husks alongside a fair amount of orange zest, lemon peels and candy hearts. Also a whisper of golden syrup, yellow cake and marzipan. Very accessible.
Taste: I was expecting a thin whisky, but that’s surprisingly not the case. Arriving on oak spices (cloves, nutmeg and the like), honey and oranges, as well as some of that maltiness from the nose. Vanilla too.
Finish: Medium length. Quite a bit of oak, even slightly bitter. Ending on a touch of nougat.