Glenmorangie Signet 46% NV

Professional reviews

Serge Valentin (87)

We’re trying this H2H with an older Glenmorangie 12yo ‘Côtes de Beaune’ finish, that was quite a success in our book in the ‘plain wine’ finished category (among quite some misses in our opinion.)

Colour: amber/orange.

Nose: well, it does smell a bit like sherry-finished whisky but not only that, as if there was something else in the mix. Maybe new oak? Rather fragrant, with rather obvious notes of old roses and old-style perfume (musk, patchouli), then vanilla, bitter oranges and ginger. A little paraffin as well. Gets finally much toastier, sort of roasted (coffee beans) before returning to fruitier notes (blackcurrants). Always quite some ginger and nutmeg, rather typical of new or first fill oak. Very nice nose altogether, only the rather heavy notes of paraffin are a bit too much for our taste.

Mouth: it’s a little more on the winey/honeyed side again at the attack (very ripe strawberries) but that’s soon to be counterbalanced with the same notes of toasted oak as on the nose. Very sweet and rather nervous. There are clearly these two ‘families’ of aromas, both being easily identifiable, but just as what happened on the nose, it’s the oak that wins at the end, thanks to its very spicy signature (the usual soft curry, dried ginger, white pepper and nutmeg.)

Finish: long, the oak almost speaks solo now, with quite some tannins and even a little mustard.