Private Air New York Magazine
Issue link: https://privateair.uberflip.com/i/346598
www.privateairny.com Private Air New York | Summer 2014 64 TIPPLE pioneer in the world of Scotch Whisky, Dr. Lumsden has taken bold and confident steps throughout his career especially in the realm of cask management and wood finish. His early expressions bore much unfair resistance from both his peers and the general public but today, he leads the way in his ground breaking techniques to produce some of the Single Malt Scotch category's most unique and complex flavor profiles, and the Pride 1978 is a true example of this. is is the longest extra maturation or finish that both Dr. Lumsden and the Glenmorangie Company have ever produced and a spirit that required meticulous study and overseeing as it matured. He explains that in his quest for superior casks, he was fortunate to acquire 5 oak barrels, which previously held a legendary French claret wine from one of the only 3 premier Grand Cru classé wines from the Pauillac Appellation in Bordeaux. He cheekily suggests that this is as specific as he can be without giving too much away. At 18 years old, the then vintage Glenmorangie classic whisky, which had been distilled in 1978 and had quietly matured in used bourbon casks, was now transferred, under the guidance of Dr. Lumsden, to the French oak casks and remained there until it's bottling in 2014. Typically, the French oak influence on a spirit is heavy in tannins resulting in sometimes-sharper, spicier mouth puckering elements. In this instance however, the casks had previously been used for two vintages of the very famous wine that it aged. is resulted in a subtle toned down influence of the oak wood tannins and the desirable flavors were delicately integrated to provide a more approachable and anticipated pallet. With a natural cask strength of 46.4% A.B.V., and non-chill filtered, the whisky promised to hold an array of flavor. e bold, golden hue of the whisky alone invites further exploration. On the initial nose, a rich, sweet woody aroma of chestnut and perhaps slightly more restrained cedar wood establishes the heavy seductive bouquet. Laced with light fruit aromas such as baked apple and apricot, and rounded out with the sweet spices of cinnamon and aniseed, the fragrance is a delightful anticipation of the flavor.