Last night we had the pleasure of being guests at a dinner hosted by Glenmorangie and their parent company, LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey). The tasting was arranged to showcase the versatility of Glenmorangie when paired with various meals along with a selection of wines from their portfolio and included Dr. Bill Lumsden, Master Distiller of Glenmorangie and Ardbeg. The host restaurant, Mastro's Ocean Club was superb in their design and handling of the event. We were seated on the back patio facing the canal on a private part of the patio that can be enclosed or opened depending on the needs. The cocktail reception highlighted the beauty that is Florida sunsets and encouraged guests to mingle on the dock, albeit carefully so as not to end up in the water. The staff were ever attentive and monitored all guests closely to make sure that no one veered too close to the edge and moved quickly to shoo guests away from the edge when a boat came through too fast causing a bit of a wave that would have created a soggy mess.
Before I talk about the food and the whisky I want to talk about the staff at Mastro's. They handled themselves with the utmost professionalism, moving seamlessly in and out of the guests without a single disruption and were extremely attentive to the smallest details ensuring that the guests had the best experience possible. They were courteous, discreet, efficient and graceful. It is a place that I will definitely return to again.
Now on to the food and the whisky. The meal was paired with two wines, a white with the seafood and a red for the meat. We started with a ceviche of citrus braised octopus and pineapple paired with a white wine from New Zealand, Cloudy Bay Te Koko, a sauvignon blanc that was very well balanced. It was tart on the front with a crispness that denotes granny smith apples on the palate. Once sampled with the ceviche the wine turned creamy with a hint of lavender providing a soft, aromatic dance on my palate. From here we moved into our whisky flight which consisted of the Original 10 year, the Quinta Ruban 14 year and the "Extremely Rare" 18 year.
The 10 year was an opaque color, very similar to a prosecco and shimmered when held up to the light. It nosed fruit-forward, apricots and peaches, juicy with a finish of a lightly brewed black tea. It was a very easy dram that welcomed us into the evening. I could have easily been content to continue on with this whisky for the rest of the evening.
The Quinta Ruban 14 year was something I did not expect. It shines like a rose in the light yet, this is where the similarities end. It was pure cream that moves into a complexity ranging from a hint of roses to a full-bodied cigar. I was completely unprepared for the versatility of aromas and flavors that this one brought forth. The aromas matched that of Dr. Bill's description of the highland heather waving in the sun, beckoning you to explore the mountains. It invokes visions of magical mist rolling through the mountains, the sounds of animals calling out hauntingly as the sun transcends into night. It was such a soft note of smoke and invites you to seek out a campfire for sharing. This is definitely one to take on hikes and camping trips.
The "Extremely Rare" 18 year was the shades of freshly harvested honey in the morning sun. The nosing wafted up an elusive mint mingled with tobacco chew, soft sherry, and freshly brewed tea. If you closed your eyes you felt as if you were transported to a market in the warmth of the sun. The maturity of this whisky reaches you and brings forth the image of a well-matured young man who is humble about his craft. The same could be said for the master distiller who is obviously in love with the whisky, to the point that if you did not know his topic you may think he is speaking as that of a young man who has is caught in the throws of his very first love affair.
He speaks of the beauty of his home, the wildness, an untamed place that crafts magic in the cask as they weave a spell that dances between the wood and the whisky.
From the flight we transitioned to a Pinot Noir, Cloudy Bay Te Wahi, that was paired with a cherry braised bone-in short rib with seasoned vegetables and a spiced goat cheese. Now I am not one for eating red meat but, tonight I gave myself leave to do so as I wanted to experience the fullness of the pairings. What I will say is that the sauce and the goat cheese quickly stole the show! The sauce was heavy and ladened with spices, nutmeg being the most forward and mixing well with the goat cheese creating a richness that took over all other items on the plate. This was not as well paired as the first course as the wine and the sauce seemed at odds and did not make for a palatable experience. Thankfully, I still had some of my whisky from my flight which was much more pleasing. The whisky and the sauce brought balance to each other, toning down the nutmeg, bringing a creamy warmth to the goat cheese and bringing forth the oak and honey flavors of the whisky that were not pronounced earlier. With this pairing the whisky becomes spicier, rolling back the tobacco and replacing it with a more floral, almost lavender note.
At this point, we have reached the reason we are all here, the Glenmorangie 1991 release. Here is where your expectations and the whisky truly align. It is older, gives the feeling of reclining into a well-worn leather chair that knows the curves of your body and hugs you in. It is rich, oh so rich and warm. It sings to you like a temptress, warming you down to your belly. The color is deep, the notes are strong and you are sucked in with a desire to continue rekindling the flame-like that of old lover found again.
It would be impossible to pick a favorite amongst these whiskeys as they are each vastly complex in their simplicity, deeply immersive and thoughtful, lending themselves to the mood of the place. What I will recommend is that should you find yourself within the company of one or all, choose wisely for the path of each could well lead you on an adventurous journey.
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