Glenmorangie came out with a new expression from their private edition called Finealta. It is supposed to be a re-creation from their early days.
Glenmorangie is one of my favorite brands and there is not really an expression I do not like. This one is a little different than most other expression by Glenmorangie, most which have a fruitier finish.
Think of Finealta as the original, only on steroids. The malt I am told is lightly peated, which is a good thing, as the peat and smoke is noticeable throughout, but not a shining star, say for example Ardbeg or Bowmore. No, this is just enough peat to say “here I am.”
The nose is mostly vanilla, honey and subtle smoke. The palate starts sweet, again vanilla and spice, then finishes with a little smoke and peat…then drying with a bit of acid, say limes or some other citric fruit.
I like this expression and I hope it stays around awhile. A great dram to have on a cold winters night.
Mark