Perth is nearly closing its doors on winter, but nature isn’t letting go bringing with it clouds, showers and cold winds. The nights are giving up, with the sun inching slowly, gaining more ground be it during sunrise or sunset. Now, I love the cold- it serves as a catalyst enabling me to fall into deep slumber, giving me all the reason to sip on hot coffee and the perfect excuse when I gain a few cms across the waist.

But that fine line is way over crossed when i’m left with claw like fingers, wet clothes or goosebumps every time I get caught in the winter rains. The silver lining however is that the weather has kept me indoors and with that I’ve taken solace this week in this port loving Glenmorangie. The Quinta Ruban is a 12 YO whisky with a rich ruby (Ruban in Gaelic) shade, heavily attributed to its time spent maturing in port pipes from the wine estates of Portugal, also referred to as Quintas. The bulk of its maturation, a decade, does however come from american oak forming the heart of the whisky.

Having considerably tall stills, perhaps some of the tallest in Scotland, the distillery is known to have a crisp, floral and lighter signature. This to me is quite interesting as I would like to see how the port pipes influence this balance.

ABV : 46%

Eye : Tawny | NCF, No artificial colouring

Nose : Brown sugar, cream and port, with savoury nuances culminating from sun-dried tomatoes. A sweet and sour melancholy of red apples, dark chocolate and raisins with a woody essence hovering towards the tail end. Spice from green pepper and mild sprinkles of nutmeg are interrupted with a slight char.

Taste : Port, caramel and a temperamental sweetness from the vanilla, followed by the earthiness of oak wood and the freshness of mint infused with pineapples and citrus zest. Dry and spicy, with a pinch of white pepper and crushed star anise which continues to linger on the palate.

Finish : Medium | Mildly dry, peppery with the sweetness from the port maturation.

The Quinta is crisp and port rich with a sweetness that is restrictive at first and then blossoms out exposing some of the american cask influence. Dry on the palate with peppery nuances, this expression is above average, fitting in neatly as an aperitif. I wouldn’t necessarily slot this as an everyday dram, unless you wanted to enjoy a sip prior to wiping that dinner plate clean! Having said that, it does lack some depth, missing on some of that excitement.

At around $90 AUD, this port matured highland whisky does align itself closely with the Glenmorangie DNA, though a bit heavier.

Preference : Neat or mixed with a few drops of water to bring down the high abv.

PS: Appreciate the dram Robin and hoping you visit soon!