The Glenmorangie had recently introduced a travel exclusive, a 14 year old that takes a lot of similarities from the Glenfiddich 14. Inspiration or emulation, it did catch my eye and found a comfortable spot on this month’s review. Retaining all the contours that is indisputably Glenmorangie, the bottles comes bathed in a pronounced orange hue. The Elementa is part of a trio of bottles that were introduced towards the end of 2019 – The Accord, Elementa and The Tribute. The name highlights and embodies how the elements, sculpts and builds character and soul into the spirit.

Aged in a combination of ex-bourbon casks and later finished in newly charred American oak for a total of 14 years, the description can be a little misleading. I don’t think it’s necessarily newly charred virgin oak but rather rejuvenated used for the finishing- mostly a 2nd fill or possibly a third fill, it being a rejuvenated cask. The fact that the expression gets some of its colour from caramel colouring also lends weightage that they do not leverage virgin casks during the finishing process.

ABV : 43%

Eye : Burnished | Caramel Colouring

Nose : Vanilla cake and Orange zest; interrupted by a fresh, earthy yet spicy woody nuance mixed with a whiff of golden raisins and granola. Some sun dried tomatoes are interleaved with a blend of spice, ginger peels, nutmeg and cardamom

Taste : Deep vanilla with hints of brown sugar and cocoa. Orange zest again shines with a sliver of pear, a whisper of strawberries, and a mild dryness that is left on the palate. Spices such as cloves and star anise with wood notes.

Finish : Medium | Brown sugar, strawberries and wood with a warm spice

Warm and relaxing, but still sharp and crisp, it does adorn qualities of a younger spirit though not immature in any sense. More in your face and bodied than the younger 10, the Elementa carries a tropical hit that’s sublime, a subdued but ever present spicy undertone that is almost embracing but with a longer than usual finish. On the downside however it’s not complex, but does hoard a generous spectrum of flavours. 

At around AUD $130 for a litre, this travel exclusive is priced decently for a one litre bottle. The Elementa being polarized due to its American influence, brings out a different nuance but is still very much Glenmorangie. All in all, it does not really push boundaries but is interesting and worth another pour.

Slainte!