Review #7: Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 14yr: Scotch

Score: 9.0 / 10

Distillery: Glenmorangie

Type: Barrel-Finished Highland Single Malt

A very respected name in the scotch world and one of the best whisky brands. I can't think of a more perfect entry level scotch brand for a novice, or to have around commonly to sip. If this is your first scotch, I would try a fruitier version like the Glenmorangie 10yr Original scotch before drinking this piece of succulent chocolate, as that is a bit more of a common profile. Currently this has replaced the 12yr Qunita Ruban in which they now age it for 12 years and then finish it for 2 more years in port wine casks. I don't think anyone will complain with more aging for the same previous price. Personally I have had both age statements and I do gravitate towards this on more. Kudos Glenmorangie.

If you need this and other affordable Glenmorangie content real time, check out episode 6 of our whiskey podcast Po It Up here.

Whisky Review:

Nose: chocolate, dark chocolate, mint chocolate, orange, hint of pepper, touch of honey and caramel

Palate: rich mint chocolate chip and chocolate orange. Reminds me of when my mother would give me Terry’s Chocolate Oranges – basically a ball of chocolate mixed with orange oil that can be broken down into 20 slices. Smack, tap or whack it to break it into smaller orange wedges. Back to the whisky – a very oily and velvet mouthfeel showcases delectable flavors.

Finish: Lingering chocolate combined with mild tannins. Once the mouth is dry you can lick the sides of your mouth for potent dark chocolate notes.

Notes: so sweet and delicious – a fantastic pour. Makes the perfect dessert scotch or something to pair with something sweet or salty. I picked up a three pack of Glenmorangie (10 Original, 12 Lasanta, 14 Quinta Rubna) for $99 from Coscto and you can usually find the Quinta Ruban for $50-60. We hosted a podcast paring each Glenmorangie with an ice cream expression and came to the conclusion that the Quinta Ruban does not pair well with Mint Chocolate. Mint is a dominant flavor and lingers too much in the ice cream to even be able to taste the whisky after. It’s a fun experiment, but I think other chocolates or even something salty would pair better with the Quinta Ruban.

Score: 9.0

Scale:

S+ Sensational - The Pinnacle (9.5+)

A - AXEceptional (astounding) (9-9.5)

B - bravo (step aBove average) (8-8.9)

C - competent (7-7.9)

D - disappointing (6-6.9)

F - flush it down the toilet (fail) (5.9 below)

Notes: Availability? Very Common. Occasionally also comes in variety packs that are a fantastic value for the multiple scotches included in them.