Glenmorangie new limited edition inspired by the ice cream parlour
Highland Distillery shares A Tale of Ice Cream as fifth expression in imaginative series of single malts.
Sweet, indulgent and wondrously creamy, Glenmorangie’s latest limited edition encapsulates the ice-cream parlour’s delights. Glenmorangie A Tale of Ice Cream is the fifth release in the Highland Distillery’s award-winning A Tale Of… series, which showcases its whisky creators’ relentless imagination. Inspired by the irresistible flavours of an ice-cream parlour menu, they used high-vanillin casks for the first time to bring Glenmorangie’s sweetest, creamy vanilla notes to their tantalising best. Combining melting notes of peach melba, scoops of vanilla and lemon sorbet, topped with coconut flakes and toffee sauce, A Tale of Ice Cream is a delicious treat.
For more than 180 years, Glenmorangie’s whisky creators have been endlessly imaginative in their quest to create evermore delicious single malts. Led by Director of Whisky Creation Dr Bill Lumsden, they are constantly challenging themselves to take whatever captures their imaginations and turn it into whisky.
Some time ago, Dr Bill began to imagine how he could capture the lavish flavours found in an ice-cream parlour in a single malt, bringing out even more sweet and creamy vanilla-like flavours in Glenmorangie’s spirit. And after a host of experiments, he and Master Blender Gillian Macdonald united single malt aged in bourbon casks with Glenmorangie’s first whisky finished in high-vanillin casks. These new oak casks had been especially toasted to bring out more vanilla qualities; rippling with notes of ripe peaches, vanilla and coconut, A Tale of Ice Cream takes Glenmorangie’s sweet, fruity flavours to a decadent peak. This whisky’s pastel-toned presentation box evokes the mouth-watering hues, swirls of sauce, textures and toppings found in the most luxurious ice-cream parlours.
Dr Bill said: “Ice cream is an irresistible indulgence and inspired by the flavours you might find on an ice-cream parlour menu, we imagined creating a whisky of melting decadence and lavish swirls of flavour. By ageing Glenmorangie in bourbon and high-vanillin casks we have deliciously magnified our whisky’s sweetest, creamiest side. With notes of peach melba, lemon sorbet, coconut flakes and rich vanilla, sipping Glenmorangie A Tale of Ice Cream is like sinking your spoon into a carousel of flavour. We invite whisky lovers old and new to indulge their sweet tooth and enjoy this ultimate treat!”
Glenmorangie A Tale of Ice Cream is now available to purchase online at glenmorangie.com, at the Distillery Visitor Centre in Tain, and at select retailers for an RRP of £76.00. A limited number of A Tale of Ice Cream-themed lambswool sweaters, designed by Scottish knitwear designer Donna Wilson, will also be available to purchase at the Distillery Visitor Centre in Tain.
The limited edition has also inspired a menu of tempting cocktails exploring its delectable flavours, which can be found at glenmorangie.com.
TASTING NOTES
Glenmorangie A Tale of Ice Cream is bottled at 46% ABV and non chill-filtered.
RRP: £76
Colour: Bronze
Aroma: A burst of manuka honey, with lemon-flavoured butter candy, baking raisin bread, candied
orange peel, peaches, toffee and a hint of spice. With a splash of water, there is vanilla crème anglaise,
a hint of coconut and a suggestion of almond marzipan.
Taste: The texture is thick, rich and creamy. It is followed by a huge burst of sweet and spicy flavours
– brioche, almond marzipan, honeycomb, fudge, lemon sherbet and desiccated coconut. Spices warm
the palate, with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove.
Finish: A long, lingering aftertaste combines hints of toffee apple, sweet popcorn and a note of aniseed.
About Glenmorangie:
Glenmorangie’s whisky makers use endless imagination and five key ingredients – wood, water, barley, yeast and time – to dream up delicious single malt whiskies. They’ve been honing their craft for more than 180 years. They create a delicate and fruity spirit in stills as tall as a giraffe to allow for more taste and aroma. Led by Director of Whisky Creation Dr Bill Lumsden, this crackerjack crew are on a mission to bring new flavours and possibilities to the world of single malt.
Glenmorangie celebrates the joy of delicious single malt in every part of its universe, from its boutique hotel Glenmorangie House to its colourful brand campaign, shot by famed photographer Miles Aldridge. With its tagline “It’s kind of delicious and wonderful”, Glenmorangie invites whisky lovers old and new to venture into its world.
About Glenmorangie’s whisky creators:
Glenmorangie’s Whisky Creation Team’s favourite phrase is “What if?”. And they are constantlychallenging themselves to take whatever captures their imaginations and turn it into whisky – be that their memories of a favourite place (A Tale of Tokyo), the beguiling flavours of freshly brewed coffee (Glenmorangie Signet) and more.
At the helm of the team is Dr Bill Lumsden, Director of Whisky Creation. With a PhD in biochemistry and decades of experience, Dr Bill has all the skills needed to bring these ideas to life. Already, he has earned the admiration of his peers many times over. For instance, he has taken his place in the Icons of Whisky Hall of Fame. He has won the International Whisky Competition’s award for Master Distiller of the Year more times than anyone else. And he has been named Master Blender/Distiller of the Year by the International Spirits Challenge twice.
Working hand-in-hand with Dr Bill is Gillian Macdonald, Glenmorangie’s Master Blender. Gillian combines art and science in her role, with her main responsibilities including the daily sensory analysis of the new-make spirit, core range recipes and the co-ordination of the Company's sensory panel. Gillian manages the New Product Development pipeline for Glenmorangie which involves nosing hundreds of casks a year for final recipe selection.
About the making of Glenmorangie A Tale of Ice Cream:
To evoke the flavours of an ice-cream menu in a whisky, Glenmorangie’s whisky creators married whisky aged in bourbon casks with a parcel of whisky finished in high-vanillin casks. These new oak casks were toasted differently, to create higher concentrations of vanillin (an aromatic compound which brings vanilla flavours to whisky). Glenmorangie’s Whisky Creation Team experimented with woods toasted in various different ways, before selecting the casks which would best accentuate Glenmorangie’s sweet, creamy style – and result in optimum deliciousness.
About Glenmorangie’s A Tale Of… series:
This award-winning series of experimental limited editions showcases the relentless imagination of Glenmorangie’s talented whisky creators. Crafted to bring joy to whisky lovers old and new, its single malts have inspired playful collaborations with fellow creatives, as well as a host of delicious cocktails.
• The series began with Glenmorangie A Tale of Cake, released in 2020. Capturing the magic of a cake moment, this sweet, multi-layered whisky finished in Tokaji dessert wine casks, is lusciously reminiscent of cake. Renowned pastry chef Dominique Ansel created a series of cocktail and cake pairings, known as CakeTails, to accompany the whisky.
• Second in the series, Glenmorangie A Tale of Winter encapsulates the magical feeling of sitting in front of the fireplace as snow blankets the world outside. Finished in Marsala wine casks, it swirls with a flurry of wintry aromas and flavours. The whisky’s knitted-style packaging inspired designer Donna Wilson to create knitted clothing and accessories.
• Glenmorangie A Tale of the Forest is the series’ third whisky. Inspired by Dr Bill’s walks in the woods near his home, it is Glenmorangie’s first single malt crafted from barley kilned with woodland botanicals. With flavours as lush and leafy as a forest, the whisky’s artwork featured a fantastical, technicolour forest illustration created by Thai illustrator Pomme Chan.
• The series’ fourth whisky is Glenmorangie A Tale of Tokyo. Marrying Glenmorangie’s first whisky aged in sought-after Japanese Mizunara oak casks with bourbon and sherry casks, it is as full of delicious contradictions as Tokyo – a favourite city of Dr Bill. Inspired by the whisky, artist Yamaguchi Akira created a stunning cityscape of Tokyo, which is depicted on the whisky’s packaging. It won a double gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
About Donna Wilson:
Donna Wilson, who also collaborated with Glenmorangie for A Tale of Winter, is a Scottish knitwear designer, who has been designing, manufacturing and distributing her luxurious lambswool cushions, knitwear and home accessories since 2003. Her designs are made with the finest fabrics in vibrant colours. Named Elle Decoration’s Designer of the Year in 2010, over the course of her career, Donna Wilson has collaborated with brands including Hermès, Merci, Penguin Random House and LeSportsac, leading cultural institutions including V&A, and The Whitney Museum of American Art, and has exhibited her work around the world.
