Glenmorangie has undergone a quiet expansion in branding over recent years. Eschewing the dark wood tones and lofty Highland landscape photos plastered over the marketing boxes, websites and social media of other distilleries, Glenmorangie infused newer releases with bold color palates and creative stories. This is an unashamed move to appeal to segments of the population who might not have considered single malt scotch beforehand or who considered the drink too stuffy, infusing it with a sense of fun and whimsy. The Tale of Cake is the brainchild of Dr. Bill Lumsden, Director of Distilling for Glenmorangie and Ardbeg, and is meant to evoke a “cake moment”, or rather the sense of joy and savoriness he associated with cake at various point in his life. The ex-Tokaji casks this limited edition is finished in are a Hungarian dessert wine.
Distillery: Glenmorangie
Region: Highland
Age: NAS
Strength: 46%
Price: $97.99
Maturation: ex-Tokaji wine casks
Location: Tain, Ross-shire
Nose: Pine, oak, vanilla, apple, pineapple, maple, cinnamon, butter frosting, orange marmalade
Palate: Must, vanilla, pine
Finish: Oak, tannic, stone fruit, pineapple
Comments: While it is not needed, adding a few drops of water changes balance of this scotch and allows different elements to come to prominence.
Adam – If you don’t pay attention, you’re going to miss the layers in the nose. Push past some of the familiar vanilla and you’ll notice the emerging pineapple and citrus. There’s a sweet element rolling through I can’t quite put my finger on too, along with an undeniable note of pine. The first sip on the palate doesn’t quite land right because of the tannins and pine, but the finish rolls nicely back into the sweetness from the nose before the wood has the last word. Once you get into the mindset of what this is, I found it really pleasant to sip on a warm summer day in a way I don’t think I would in cooler times what with the dominant fruit and quickly fading finish. Would definitely recommend some water to bring out bigger fruit on the nose and palate. I don’t know if Dr. Bill and I had the same experience with cake growing up, but I’m willing to plug into the good memories this dram taps into.
Ben – Most scotches that I like are old friends or memories of places and relatives. But the Tale of Cake isn’t that. It’s a new friend, and we’re celebrating together. When you go to that party because it’s a friend’s birthday and you didn’t know anybody else but you happen to connect with someone really well and who knew this would happen? I equate it also to when you have hors d’ouevres and you happen to put a fruit spread on your cheese because this one person suggested it. This feels like an old thing to do but it’s new. This is the party I wouldn’t have gone to but I was glad I went to. They nailed it. Oddly enough, when you smell the empty glass, there’s a definite used-gym-socks smell to it.
Smells like a Japanese whisky, seaweed and vegetal.
Kate – At first the Tale of Cake smells like a Japanese whisky, seaweed and vegetal. Like a cake pop, with the fake strawberry icing smell. It’s initially very woody on the palate before going to the toffee caramel flavor. I feel like I should be listening to some Britney Spears bubblegum pop song while sipping this drink, and I’m not sure why.
Kristin – I get this heat after the initial taste, a delayed burning of my tongue after the fruit and woody sense.
Henry – Sweet vanilla with a hint of tangerine and pineapple on the nose, with just a hint of grape must and fir tree. Tannin on the palate. Surprisingly dry, with a short and abrupt finish. Water brings out even more pineapple sweetness on the nose – delicious – and tamps down the evergreen notes. Palate remains tannic, and the finish becomes a little more interesting, but still brief, with a pleasant dryness.
