Glenmorangie Unveils Artein: a Monumental Whisky - Born of Stone

NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Glenmorangie is proud to announce the launch of Glenmorangie Artein, the third release in its award winning Private Edition range. 'Artein,' Scots Gaelic for stone, is an intriguing marriage of 15 and 21 Years Old Glenmorangie, extra matured in 'Super Tuscan' wine casks.

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Stone has always been at the heart of the making of Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch Whisky.  Glenmorangie has its own unique hard water source - the Tarlogie Spring - which slowly filters through layers of limestone, adding rich minerals that eventually give Glenmorangie its complex fruity aromas. Stone also plays a more symbolic role for Glenmorangie. Located on grounds near the Glenmorangie distillery is the Hilton of Cadbol Stone, an 8^th century Pictish artifact, rich in ancient intricate carvings. This treasure became the inspiration for Glenmorangie's iconic emblem, The Signet.

Dr. Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie's Head of Distilling & Whisky Creation, is renowned for pioneering the innovative approach of extra maturing whisky in ex-wine casks. He has long felt a strong affinity with the innovative 'Super Tuscan' wine producers who are justly celebrated for breaking with established Italian wine making traditions. The rugged Tuscan coastal hills, located on stony ground, seem an improbable area for establishing vineyards, yet the stone plays an important role in the taste of these special wines. The vines are forced to take root deep into the soil for nourishment and as a result the grapes ripen with the intense flavor of this unique terrain.

Dr. Lumsden comments, "Wine is one of my huge passions and I was fascinated by the role the stony ground played in the flavor profile of the famous 'Super-Tuscan' wines. I was inspired to experiment with extra maturing Glenmorangie in these wine casks and was thrilled with the result:  a rich, outstandingly fragrant whisky — quite literally born of stone."

Glenmorangie Artein's recipe has two thirds hand selected 15 year old whisky with a special additional one third of 21 year old whisky. The spirit started its maturation in American white oak ex-bourbon casks before individually spending a period of extra maturation in Super Tuscan wine casks. On the nose, Glenmorangie Artein recalls a sweet and heady bouquet of ripe red berries, honeysuckle and fresh mint. On the palate, one can taste sun-soaked baked fruits such as ripe apricots, peaches and plums which harmonize fluidly with hints of spearmint and cherries in milk chocolate. A whisky of great length, bottled at a strength of 46% alcohol by volume, Glenmorangie Artein finishes with high notes of zesty, lemon sherbet and a flourish of creamy cappuccino. 

The official launch of Artein will be held at Colicchio & Sons in New York City on February 15th, 2012. Celebrity Chef and James Beard Award winner Tom Colicchio will be in attendance. He will create a Glenmorangie inspired menu for this special evening.

Glenmorangie Artein is the latest addition to the ongoing Private Edition range, which consists of rare and interesting limited edition whiskies selected from "the cabinet of curiosities" of Dr. Bill Lumsden. Released on an annual basis, this range comprises the highly esteemed Sonnalta PX and Finealta. Brian Cox, Vice President Glenmorangie in the U.S., commented, "These Private Editions are fast becoming valued collector's items. We have completely sold out of the last two Editions and anticipate that Glenmorangie Artein 15 Years Old will sell out even faster since the Super Tuscan casks make this a very rare Private Edition indeed." Artein is available in the U.S. from February 1st, 2012.

About Glenmorangie:

Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch Whisky originates in the Scottish Highlands where, at the Glenmorangie Distillery, it is distilled in the tallest malt whisky stills in Scotland, expertly matured in the finest oak casks, and perfected by the Men of Tain. The Distillery was founded in 1843 and is renowned as a pioneer in its field uniting tradition with innovation to create 'unnecessarily well made whiskies.'

About The Glenmorangie Company

The Company is one of the most renowned and innovative distillers of Scotch whisky brands worldwide and is part of Moet Hennessy, the wine and spirits division of Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH). Headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland, the company produces two main single malt brands – Glenmorangie Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky and Ardbeg Single Islay Malt Whisky.

The Glenmorangie Private Edition Range

Glenmorangie's Private Edition is an award winning special range that provides the occasional opportunity for the Glenmorangie Whisky Creation Team to share rare, limited samples of its rich and innovative experimentations to whisky connoisseurs and aficionados. Glenmorangie Artein marks the third release in this range; previous releases were Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX - a full bodied whisky, extra matured in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks and Glenmorangie Finealta - an exquisite recreation of a 1900s recipe from the Glenmorangie archives with subtle notes of peat.

Responsible Drinking

The Glenmorangie Company advocates responsible drinking and suggests that drinkers savor Glenmorangie whiskies in moderation and in line with recommended daily guidelines for alcohol consumption.

SOURCE Moet Hennessy USA