A little background

Glenmorangie is a distillery based in the Highland region of Scotland. It was founded in 1843, and has been producing single malt scotch whisky ever since. The Nectar d’Or (which means “golden nectar”- I knew I’d be able to use my language degrees in these reviews somehow) is a 12 year old whisky that was aged first in ex-bourbon barrels, then finished in Sauternes casks. These casks are from the south of France, in the Graves section of Bordeaux. They were originally used to make sweet white wine, so they give a beautiful sweetness and desert-like profile to the whisky. Glenmorangie Nectar D’Or sits at 92 proof and can be found at an MSRP of around $60.

(Tasted neat from a Halo Glass)

Color

Spring Honey

Nose

Honey and vanilla come together perfectly to give the nose a nice, beautiful aroma right off the bat. Raisins and lime balance each other out very nicely. I can tell this is going to be a sweet, yet very well balanced palate. Cinnamon notes appear at the end as a pleasant surprise.

Palate

The mouthfeel is silky and fairly thick. This definitely feels hotter than its proof, in a good way. Immediately I can tell how sweet this whisky is, it is definitely a dessert scotch. Big, bold flavors of honey burst on the front and middle of the palate. Caramel, gingerbread, raisins and creme all come together on the middle of the palate beautifully, while orange zest plays on the roof of the mouth. The back of the palate receives heavy notes of something like toasted, cinnamon sugar covered almonds. I could drink this all day, it is beautiful.

Finish

The finish is medium-long and infilled with notes of honey, apple blossom, lemon, and caramel. It is an extremely tasty finish, likely prolonged due to the finishing in the Sauternes casks.

In closing

Wow. This is definitely my favorite offering from Glenmorangie yet. It is sumptuous and a perfect whisky to drink as a dessert, or just for any time you’re feeling like something delicious. I’m glad that this is fairly readily available, I need to pick up another bottle soon. If you like scotch and haven’t tried this yet, get a bottle!