Brand ambassadors can be difficult to pin down. Besides the constant traveling, seminars, meetings and release parties, I imagine they probably receive an unreasonable amount of requests like mine. As a small-time blogger, it’s hard to not drown in the ocean of voices assaulting them when mine is, like all the others, the voice of an impersonal email asking for free stuff with the promise of a completely unpredictable result.
Glenmorangie’s global master brand ambassador, David Blackmore, is an especially busy man. Promoting for the industry’s fastest growing brand is no small job, and doing it on a global scale must be exhausting. In a message I never thought I would see a reply to, I jokingly told him I would rename my dog David-Blackmore-kicks-ass if he would send me a few ounces of whisky so I could write about them. Four days later, a box showed up on my doorstep…
David-Blackmore-kicks-ass
Well, it’s been a bewildering few days for my dog, who suddenly has no clue what I’m shouting at him when I catch him whizzing on things or chasing squirrels. As an entity which has a difficult time understanding polysyllabic commands, having a new name that’s five parts longer is very hard on him. My neighbors are equally confused; several have asked me who David Blackmore is. I just point to the growing pile of liquor bottles on my back porch and let them slip quietly back into their homes to gossip about me to their already concerned spouses.
Please don’t give your dog alcohol. Don’t be one of those assholes. Still, things happen from time to time when you have low tables, full glasses and the equivalent of a free-roaming, thumbless toddler with cognitive disabilities running around your house. Incidentally, I can tell you that David-Blackmore-kicks-ass LOVES whisky, and more importantly, now all of my glassware has lids.
Nose: Apricot and mildly nutty almonds are classic Glenmorangie. Deliciously minerally for the first few seconds, transitioning quickly to sweet white grapes and squeezed orange peel garnish. At the base it’s an extremely fruity, buttery malt with honeyed monkey bread and crusty pastry.
Palate: Light and extremely easy-drinking single malt. Hot croissants with a thin honey glaze. A surprising hint of cardamom. It’s creamy with a smooth with a vibrant finish that lets some more of the grapes loose. Again, classic apricots and mild nuttiness define the classic Glenmorangie style.
For right around $40 this should be a staple in your cabinet. It’s a sleek spirit, matured in delicious first and second fill American white oak. While I prefer it neat, it does mix exceptionally well, too. Try it in one of my favorite mixed drinks, the deliciously easy Whisky Dip: Mix 2 oz. Scotch and 1 Tbs pineapple syrup. Garnish with orange peel and serve.
Thank you to Gretha Smart and David Blackmore over at Glenmorangie for the generous samples!
