Glenmorangie Allta aims to demonstrate the importance of yeast to Scotch whisky flavours and with a background in yeast physiology, Glenmorangie’s director of distilling, whisky creation & whisky stocks Dr Bill Lumsden, discovered a wild yeast strain on the distillery’s local Cadboll barley.
Dr Lumsden then arranged for the yeast to be cultivated and, when the barley on which it had grown was ready for use in the distillery, he brought them together in the whisky-making process.
Dr Lumsden said: “Yeast’s influence on taste has been overlooked for years, but it’s an area ripe for exploration. With a nose of biscuit, baking bread and floral notes, and rich tastes of vanilla, orange syrup and sweet chilli, Glenmorangie Allta opens up compelling possibilities for the future of Scotch whisky.”
The whisky has been aged in ex-bourbon barrels, including many second-fill casks, to try and showcase the fruity character of the yeast.
Since 2009, the Private Edition series has allowed the whisky creation team to explore rare cask finishes and experiment with raw ingredients.
Glenmorangie Allta is bottled at 51.2% abv, non-chill filtered and has an RRP £79.
