🥃Review #16 Glenmorangie Lasanta 12YR Single Malt Scotch

A bottle of Glenmorangie Lasanta sits on a table waiting to be reviewed.

One of my Dad's favorites, the Lasanta 12 Year Old is a single malt Scotch whisky produced by Glenmorangie, a Highland distillery in Scotland. The word "Lasanta" translates from Gaelic to "warmth and passion," as evoked by the bright red packaging. Glenmorangie's flagship is constantly in the top five single malts by popularity and this cask finished option seeks to add to that renown. I am a huge fan of sherry cask finishing for all styles and hold a favorable opinion of Glenmorangie's standard offerings, so I am quite excited to dig into this bottle!

📚Background: Glenmorangie's the Lasanta 12 begins its life in the distiller's signature tall stills, some of the tallest in Scotland. The marketing alleges that the height helps to create a more delicate and elegant spirit. The whisky is then matured in ex-bourbon casks for ten years just like the flagship. For the final two years of maturation, the whisky is transferred to Oloroso sherry casks from Jerez, Spain. Oloroso sherry is a dark, rich style of sherry that imparts flavors of raisins, figs, and nuts to the whisky if everything goes well.

🛒Sourced: Gifted - Typically around $60

🧪Proof: 86, 43% ABV

🥔Mash Bill: Single Malt - 100% malted barley

👃Nose: 1st - Inviting and mild, floral with hay, flowers and a hint of perfume. 2nd - Sweetness, honeysuckle, and raisins along with more of the first. Downright dapper, feel free to stick your whole nose in it.

😜Palate: Bright honey, apricots, and what I imagine the field of flowers that character run through in movies would taste like. Medium thickness, a pleasant and warming mouthfeel, very smooth. You definitely get the sherry character throughout. It reminds me of apples going into the cider press or the smell of an orchard on a hot day.

💦Finish: Relatively short, surprisingly so. Botanicals and then more pome fruit to end.

🏆 Overall: 6.5/10 - Very Good - A Cut Above - I have been thoroughly enjoying this bottle. I do wish it had a smidge more body or proof to help round out the finish and thickness on the tongue, but in having that we might lose the truly lovely and easy drinking nature of this Scotch. It's a tried and true Sherry Bomb, and those are relatively hard to come by these days, especially for the money. I need to do a top to bottom Glenmorangie tasting to be sure, but I have a feeling this is going to be my favorite out of their main lineup.

💵Would buy again? Yes, quite nice

⚖️Rating Scale:

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