Glenmorangie Tayne, released in 2019 as the tenth Private Edition, takes its name from an old spelling of the Firth of Tain — the tidal inlet on which the distillery sits, and from which it has drawn its identity since 1843. The choice was fitting for a release that nodded more than usual towards the house's own history. The finish was in Amontillado sherry casks, a sherry style prized for its dryness, its nutty complexity, and its long oxidative ageing in Jerez's solera system.
Amontillado is in some ways an ideal partner for Glenmorangie's light Highland spirit. Where Oloroso finishes can tend to smother, Amontillado offers structure without weight — walnut, almond, dried fruit, a faint salinity drawn from the sea air of Andalusia. Dr Bill Lumsden, ever alert to the pairing of cask to character, let the whisky spend several years in these casks after its initial bourbon maturation.
The nose offers walnut, dry sherry, orange oil and toasted almond, with a hint of coastal brine. The palate follows with nutty Amontillado, dried apricot, milk chocolate and cinnamon, a savoury edge running beneath. The finish is long and dry, the nuts and warm spice holding for some time.
Bottled at 43% ABV without age statement, Tayne is a quieter Private Edition than Spìos or Milsean, and rewards the patient drinker. It is a Glenmorangie that looks outward to Jerez and then back home to the firth it was named for.
