First Impressions
Companta — Gaelic for 'friendship' — pours an unusually deep coppery rose, a visual clue to the heavy French wine cask influence that defines this 2014 release.
Distillery & Heritage
The fifth entry in Glenmorangie's Private Edition series, Companta was Dr Bill Lumsden's tribute to his time and friendships in France. It is extra-matured in a vatting of two very different French wine casks: Grand Cru Clos de Tart red Burgundy pipes and sweet fortified Rasteau Côtes du Rhône casks.
Tasting Notes in Detail
The nose is immediately fruit-led — morello cherry, raspberry, a dusting of cocoa, rose petal and clove. The palate leans further into red fruit: cranberry, candied cherry, bitter dark chocolate, orange peel and cinnamon. The Rasteau component adds a syrupy sweetness that balances the tannic Burgundy drying.
Verdict
Companta divides opinion — the wine influence is assertive — but for drinkers who want a single malt that reads like a Burgundy bar in glass form, it is fascinating and increasingly collectable.
