The Tale of the Forest is the third in an annual series by Glenmorangie that centers around an idea, whether that is concepts as divergent as Cake or Winter. This single malt takes another creative approach by Dr. Bill Lumsden, where instead of finishing the scotch like the previous two, the barley used was dried – or kilned, to use an industry term – with juniper, birch bark and heather flowers. This mix of woodland botanicals was apparently an ancient way of kilning barley for beer, and is used to infuse elements of the botanicals with the barley, much like how drying barley with peat smoke imparts other characteristics. The art on the box and bottle was illustrated by famed artist Pomme Chan.
Distillery: Glenmorangie
Region: Highland
Age: NAS
Strength: 46%
Price: $109.99
Maturation: ex-bourbon barrels
Location: Tain
Nose: Juniper, coriander, vanilla, wintergreen, anise, smoke, molasses, brine, heather, birch
Palate: Barley, juniper, vanilla, saline, heather, antiseptic, toasted hazelnut
Finish: Juniper, wintergreen, orange zest, brine
Comments: Don’t be afraid to let this bottle sit on your shelf for a few months after the first couple of drams. A little oxygen and time do wonders.
Adam – This was a messy whisky for me at first. The flavor elements seemed all over the place, tumultuous. It took a while for the Tale of the Forest to coalesce in my mind, like a dance floor hall packed full of people when the music starts. It takes a little time before everyone finds their partners but when they do, it’s a really great time. The nose especially is a bouquet of evolving layers, a different factor coming to the fore each time. It’s a little dizzying, almost, as a number of delightful fragrances elbow each other in line with a touch of light smoke that you might miss if you’re not looking. Fresh, overall. The experience continues into a crisp palate that can be borderline acidic from some antiseptic elements but the juniper, grain and nut flavors keep it on track into a zesty finish of citrus, mint and brine that I found very pleasing, especially in warmer weather.
Henry – A complex nose of smoke and florals, with a hint of dried herbs, fresh herbs, smoked herbs, and the sovereign glory of Jesus H. Christ himself. The elements open on the palate, with roasted barley, toasted hazelnut and heather dancing with a restrained sweetness of toffee and candied fruit. Crisp and mouthwatering finish with wisps of smoke and brine. There’s a lot going on here, and can be daunting at first. Let it open; be patient, drink slowly, and you will be well rewarded. It’s herbaceous, like Islays are maritime.
Ben – The Tale of the Forest smells like hot dogs from the grill. I feel like I get more of a gin feeling from the nose. But I’m not missing the whisky flavor. Juniper is part of camping for me. There’s a kind of umami that shows up on the finish and it’s kind of astringent. There’s more citrus and wintergreen in an empty glass.
It’s herbaceous, like Islays are maritime.
Bill – There’s an astringency to the Tale of the Forest that’s very interesting. It hits hot on the first sip but it backs off really quick.
Mike – I definitely got an herbal note on the nose immediately. A little bit of wintergreen. I don’t taste the botanicals like I thought I would. I get a lot of the malt but then I get other complexity that isn’t the botanicals but it has definitely other layers.
Evelyn – This reminds me of going to NEXT as a kid, a fancy restaurant in Chicago that designs seasons of menu, and they put burning juniper underneath and the smoke colored the food. It caught some courses at the wrong time.
Sam – It’s like getting a mouthful of seawater when you’re far from shore.
Kim – Definitely get the juniper smoke but not heavy on the smoke side. Some hints of vanilla and orange zest.
