Glenmorangie Dr Bill Lumsden X Azuma Makoto 23 Year Single Malt (750 ml)

This rich, elemental, and extraordinarily rare limited edition is born from a partnership between our Director of Whisky Creation, Dr Bill Lumsden, and Japanese botanical artist, Azuma Makoto.

Dr Bill’s bespoke whisky creation is an ode to all natural elements, from the depths of the ground through the complex flora and fauna. It is truly a remarkable tribute to the wonder of the living world and emanates from Dr Bill’s inspiration as a result of Azuma’s own masterpiece. The release showcases how nature, in all its forms, can be personified in an exquisite whisky.

In order to express the complexity of our natural world, Dr Bill first took a classic Glenmorangie, long aged in ex-bourbon casks, heady with aromas of lemon balsam and orchids. He then united that single malt with the first whisky from Glenmorangie to be finished in casks which once held Chardonnay white wine from the Meursault appellation in Burgundy. Inspired by that whisky’s complex notes of flowers, rain-soaked moss and earthy notes, Azuma Makoto created a botanical masterpiece, which now adorns our whisky.

Tasting Notes: 

• Color: Deep copper
• Nose: Rich, heady, pungent, and fragrant. A burst of syrupy fruits (peach, pineapple, damson and plum), followed by some more savoury notes like burning oak bark, roasting chestnuts, baking sour dough and some hints of damp forest floor. Water releases some herbal and floral notes, with a touch of scented incense, aromatic orchids and even some grapey, vinous notes.
• Palate: Rich, sweet and fruity, with an almost waxy mouthfeel. There are flavours of lemon balsam, honeycomb, poached pears with a dusting of cocoa powder, followed by some gentle woody/ balsamic notes.
• Finish: The aftertaste is lingering and mellow, with hints of eucalyptus, lemon and toasting oak.