Glenmorangie Ealanta 46% Distilled in 1993 Bottled 2012 Matured in heavily charred virgin American white oak.
A vanilla pod, crushed, powdered and shaken over a toffee apple. Fried bananas in demerara sugar, coated with vanilla custard and cinnamon with lemon creme brulee on the side. The barley is there, underneath the weight of sweet desserts but even this cereal is drenched in liquid fudge, with freesia floral notes appearing later.
Oily, honey unctous, velvet coating on the palate, the pepper ‘n spice is lively on the tongue, the barley emerging, then fading quickly as the long, lingering, charred oak chardonnay finish takes over.94 (Thank you Martine, so much, for the sample and there are not enough superlatives to explain the pairing with the Calissons, incroyable! But I will leave that up to you!!)
Like you Dave, I found exotic notes but the spices were more present on my noise and palate. The matching with the calissons is absolutely scrumptious. Mty favorite confectionary. You seemed to like them too !
Here are my notes:
Glenmorangie – Ealanta – 46%
Colour: Ripe Gold
Nose : Rich, intense. Fruity and spicy. A big oak and vanilla whiff at start. Then luscious spicy notes. Cumin, cardamom, hint of ginger. The fruit slaloms between spice and oak. An enticing mix of poached pears, steamed apples, dried apricot and a teasing touch of passion fruit. All topped with vanilla crème anglaise. And it goes on… milk chocolate, marzipan. A distant floral touch, freesia maybe.
Taste: Satin like. Gently coating the tongue. The same fruity and spicy character. More exotic this time. Mango, passion fruit. Drying on oak and spices. Ground ginger, white pepper.
Finish : Dry, long with a delicious marzipan and orange peel come back.
Comment : A complex and enticing nose, the palate is more in one piece delivery. And oak is more present. The finish is moreish.
With water the nose is creamier but it enhances the spices on the palate and also brings in a slight astringency. Be cautious when adding water. A few drops will suffice.
Pairing suggestion
A lamb buryani or almond trout with a ginger cream sauce
An exotic fruit pavlova or a caramelized orange crème brûlée
Or, even better, those scrumptious calissons (a confiserie from Aix-en-Provence, south of France, a small boat shaped marzipan and candied melon delight covered with icing. Absolutely irresistible, you will agree Dave !)
19 years in virgin oak (toasted) from Mark Twain National Forest Park in Missouri
Name means Skilled and ingenious in Gaelic
A wonderful dram, unfortunately sold out now…