Glenmorangie

Infobox Scottish Distillery
Name = Glenmorangie
Type = highland

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Image size = 250
Caption = Glenmorangie Distillery
Location = Ross-shire
Owner = Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (66%)
Diageo (34%)
Founded = 1843
Status = Operational
Source = Tarlogie Springs in the Tarlogie Hills
Stills = 4 wash stills
4 spirit stills
Capacity = 4,000,000 litres/per annum
Brand 1 = Glenmorangie
Type 1 = Single malt
Age 1 = 10 Years
"Extra Matured" Range
18 Years
25 Years
Special bottlings
Cask 1 = American White Oak, Ex-Bourbon Casks (Main)
Oloroso Sherry Casks
Ruby Port Casks
Sauterne Wine Casks
"Artisan" Air dried White Oak Casks
ABV 1 = 40% - 46%
Brand 2 = Bailie Nicol Jarvie
Type 2 = Blended
Age 2 = Min. 8 Years
ABV 2 = ~ 40%
Brand 3 = Highland Queen
Type 3 = Blended
Age 3 = Min. 6 Years

Glenmorangie (the toponym is from Gaelic "gleann mór innse" "vale of big meadows" [the translation of "Glen of Tranquillity" implied by Glenmorangie commercials is derived from the similarly sounding "gleann mor na sith" "great valley of peace"; at least this was the explanation given in reaction to a 2003 complaint to the Scottish Advertising Standards Authority about the alleged mistranslation [http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/adjudications/non_broadcast/Adjudication+Details.htm?Adjudication_id=35689] ] )is a distillery in Tain, Ross-shire, Scotland that produces single malt scotch whisky. The distillery is owned by Glenmorangie plc. Their main product is the range of Glenmorangie single malt whisky, however the malt whisky is also used in two of the company's other products, Bailie Nicol Jarvie and Highland Queen brands of blended scotch whisky. The Glenmorangie single malt also forms part of several independent vatted malt whisky bottlings, and as such, it is often mixed with a small amount of whisky from the Glen Moray distillery, which is also owned by Glenmorangie plc. Glenmorangie plc is also one of the largest producers of blended whisky for supermarkets and spirit from the Glenmorangie distillery features in many supermarkets own brand products.cite news | first=Douglas | last=Friedli | coauthors= | title=Not so tranquil now | date=2004-08-29 | publisher= | url =http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/business.cfm?id=1011602004 | work =The Scotsman | pages = | accessdate = 2007-09-29 | language = ]

Glenmorangie is categorised as a highland distillery and boasts the tallest stills in Scotland. cite web|url=http://www.whisky.com/brands/glenmorangie_brand.html |title=Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch Whisky |accessdate=2007-09-29 |work=Glenmorangie ] Glenmorangie is available in 10, 15 and 18 year old bottlings, special cask bottlings and a range of special edition bottlings. Bailie Nicol Jarvie and Highland Queen are typically aged 6 years.

History

Legend tells that alcoholic beverages of one kind or another were produced at the site of the Glenmorangie distillery since the Middle Ages. [Daniel Lerner, "Single Malt and Scotch Whisky: Select and Savor over 200 Brands and Varieties", Black Dog and Leventhal Publishers, Inc., 1997. ISBN 1884822762.]

According to official accounts, the production of alcohol started at the site of the distillery in 1738, when a brewery was built at Morangie Farm. The water source for the brewery was shared with the farm. William Matheson purchased a licence to produce whisky in 1843, to turn the brewery into a distillery, he purchased two second hand gin stills. The distillery took the Morangie name from the farm and the name Glenmorangie was created as a brand.

The distillery was purchased from William Matheson by his main customer, Macdonald and Muir during 1918. cite web|url=http://www.scotchwhisky.net/distilleries/glenmorangie.htm |title=Glenmorange Distillery |accessdate=2007-09-29 |work=The Distilleries of Scotland ] The Macdonald family would retain control of the company for almost 90 years.

Glenmorangie, like all distilleries and breweries in Britain suffered terribly between 1920 and 1950, with prohibition and then the Great Depression in the United States having a large impact on sales. The distillery was effectively mothballed between 1931 and 1936. The depression ended with World War Two, but the war effort left fuel and barley in short supply and the distillery was again mothballed between 1941 and 1944. Exports of whisky were important during the war, but enemy action disrupted and destroyed deliveries to the United States and Canada.

Towards the end of the war and in the immediate post war period, the distillery increased production and was running at full capacity by 1948. The distillery increased the number of stills, from 2 to 4, during 1979. Water supply became a concern during the 1980s with development of the land around the Tarlogie Springs becoming more likely. This development could have impacted on the quality and quantity of water available to the distillery, so the decision was made by the distillery to purchase around convert|600|acre|km2 of land around and including the Tarlogie Springs to guarantee the quality and quantity of water necessary. The distillery once again engaged in expansion during 1993 when it added a further 4 stills, and 2 additional fermentation vessels (or washbacks) were added during 2002.

The Macdonald family retained ownership of 52% of the company through a complicated London stock exchange listing which saw the family hold the majority of the voting shares of the company. The Macdonald family sold the company in 2004 for around £300 million to a joint venture comprising of the French drinks company Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton and Guinness France Holdings SA, the French subsidiary of British drinks company Diageo, with Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy holding 66% of the company's shares and Diageo holding the remaining 34% of the shares. cite web|url=http://www.oft.gov.uk/advice_and_resources/resource_base/Mergers_home/decisions/2003/moet |title=Anticipated acquisition by Moët Hennessy S.N.C. of Glenmorangie plc |accessdate=2007-09-29 |date=2004-12-17 |publisher=Office of Fair Trading ]

Glenmorangie has been the best selling single malt in the UK for a number of years, and produces around 10 million bottles per annum, of which 6 to 6.5 million are sold in the UK. cite news | first=Alan | last=Crawford | coauthors= | title=The Great Whisky Myth | date=2004-08-29 | publisher= | url =http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_20040829/ai_n12590799 | work =Sunday Herald | pages = | accessdate = 2007-09-29 | language = ] Globally, Glenmorangie has a 6% share of the single malt market.cite news | first=Valerie | last=Darroch | coauthors= | title=Glenmorangie sale buys new owners a footing in the global whisky | date=2004-10-24 | publisher= | url =http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_20041024/ai_n12592018 | work =The Sunday Herald | pages = | accessdate = 2007-09-29 | language = ]

Production

Glenmorangie's water source is the Tarlogie Springs, situated in the Tarlogie Hills above the distillery. Barley grain is supplied by Highland Grain Ltd, a co-operative of farmers in the area. cite web|url=http://fp.highlandgrain.f9.co.uk/news2.htm |title=Highland Grain Limited - News |accessdate=2007-09-29 |date=2007-03-21 ] The stills used, the tallest in Scotland at convert|26|ft|3|in|m|abbr=on tall, with convert|10|ft|1.25|in|m necks, are claimed by the company to produce an extremely light taste. cite web|url=http://www.smws.co.uk/archives/article.php?id_article=32 |title=Glenmorangie Distillery Profile |accessdate=2007-09-29 |publisher=The Scotch Malt Whisky Society ] The distillation process is undertaken by a staff of 16, known as "The Sixteen Men of Tain", who work year round, with the exceptions of Christmas and periods of maintenance.

Glenmorangie uses a number of different cask types, with all products being matured in white oak casks which are manufactured from trees growing in Glenmorangie's own forest in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri, United States. These new casks are left to air for 2 years before being leased to distillers Jack Daniel's and Heaven Hill for them to mature bourbon in for 4 years. Glenmorangie then uses their barrels to mature their spirit. The "Original" range will mature entirely in ex-bourbon casks, while the "Extra Matured" range of bottlings are transferred into casks that were previously used to mature other products such as wine, port or sherry in a process called finishing. These form part of the regular range of products Glenmorangie produce. Glenmorangie also obtains small batches of other casks for finishing and release limited edition bottlings from these, in the past, the distillery is rumoured to have obtained casks used to mature Château Margaux.cite news | first=Valerie | last=Darroch | coauthors= | title=Raising a glass to new friends; The myth is it's an old man's drink. | date=2002-04-21 | publisher= | url =http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_20020421/ai_n12575483/pg_2 | work =The Sunday Herald | pages = | accessdate = 2007-09-29 | language = ] cite web|url=http://www.royalmilewhiskies.com/viewindex.asp?article_id=dist_morangie |title=Glenmorange Distillery Visit |accessdate=2007-09-29 |work=Royalmilewhiskies.com ]

The warehouses in which the casks are stored are also believed to affect the taste of the whisky. Glenmorangie have released a special edition bottling, titled "Cellar 13" which is from the warehouse closest to the sea, as the whisky is believed to have a distinctive flavour. cite web|url=http://www.whisky-distilleries.info/Glenmorangie_EN.shtml |title=Glenmorangie: Northern Highlands distillery |accessdate=2007-09-29 |work=Scotland: Whisky and Distilleries ]

Bottling of the Glenmorangie, Glen Moray and Ardbeg brands takes place at Glenmorangie plc's combined headquarters and bottling plant at Broxburn, West Lothian, just outside of Edinburgh, Scotland. cite web|url=http://www.thewhiskyguide.com/Speyside/GlenMoray.html |title=Glen Moray |accessdate=2007-09-29 |work=The Whisky Guide ] Glenmorangie also bottles Drambuie at the site in a joint venture with the Drambuie Company. The joint venture company is called Glenaird.cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=Drambuie plant to shut in merger | date=2001-04-02 | publisher=BBC | url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/1256067.stm | work =BBC News Online | pages = | accessdate = 2007-09-29 | language = ]

Current Products

Glenmorangie Single Malt

* "The Original (10 Years Old)"
* "Lasanta (Sherry Cask Extra Matured)"
* "Quinta Ruban (Port Cask Extra Matured)"
* "Nectar D'Or (Sauterne Cask Extra Matured)"
* "Extremely Rare (18 Years Old)"
* "The Quarter Century (25 Years Old)"

Blended Whisky

Glenmorangie plc produce store brands of blended whisky for a number of supermarkets, in addition to their own brands below.

* "Bailie Nicol Jarvie"
* "Highland Queen"

References

ee also

* Ardbeg and Glen Moray - Glenmorangie's sister distilleries
* Whisky
* Scotch whisky
* List of whisky brands
* List of distilleries in Scotland

External links

* [http://www.glenmorangieplc.com/ Glenmorangie official website]
* [http://www.scotlandwhisky.com/distilleries/highlands/Glenmorangie Details of how to visit Glenmorangie distillery]