Glenmorangie Quinta Ruben 12 Review - The most Glenmorangie Scotch of them all

Not all Glenmorangie scotches are complex, but all are rich and luxurious; they capture that essence of drinking a special pour. Quinta Ruben 12 Year Old, is perhaps, the best fitting of the Glenmorangie name from the regular release expressions.

For those that have had Quinta Ruben previously, no further reading is needed. For those that haven’t, Quinta Ruben is a remarkable scotch. It’s aged for ten years in regular American oak barrels before being finished in port pipes (long barrels used in the maturing of port) from Portugal for an additional two years bringing us to the total of twelve years.  Sounds ordinary in today’s whisky world, where finishings in scotch are common, but it’s all about the attention to detail and the barrels used in the final product.

This is an excellent whisky. Glenmorangie sometimes gets overlooked by whisky enthusiasts because it's too luxurious—it lacks that hipster vibe. Yes, this whisky is attractive and popular. It’s also the favourite among many scotch drinkers. The nose, while being beautifully sweet and rich, is rich in intensity. The palate expresses each of the notes one expects in a fine single malt scotch perfectly. Quinta Ruben is the luxury car with surprising oomph through the corners.

Glenmorangie Quinta Rubin 12 Year Old
Glenmorangie Distillery
Category: Single malt scotch, Finished, Port Barrels, 12 Years
Score: 92

Nose: Thick molasses, cinnamon, soda, ginger, dried fruit, freshly made caramel.

Palate: Rich honey for days. Sharp dark chocolate, cinnamon spice, buttery cake and a touch bitter.

★ ★ ★ ☆  Excellent, a near must-have in its category
It's the ying and yang of the nose and palate. This beautiful richness on the nose is playful and warm, and the palate is that of a complex single malt scotch. These two contradictions play wonderfully off one another, making this both a fun and serious whisky to drink. In every way, though, it's all luxury.