After several hours on the road, the outlines of the Glenmorangie distillery appeared in the distance, right on the edge of the Dornoch Firth, like a liquid promise. It wasn't just a stone building: it was a temple. And yet, the first thing that greeted me was neither the peat (there isn't any at Glemorangie) nor the wood of the barrels, but... a giraffe!

Not a real one, of course (the earth is getting warmer, but still!). But a stylised, slender, almost surreal giraffe stood proudly on the site. Then another. And another. Everywhere, these fantastic, colourful creatures seemed to be watching over the place. It was here that I learned that they were a poetic nod to the house stills - the tallest in Scotland - so tall that they rivalled the neck of a giraffe. 

The visit began in a hushed atmosphere, a blend of tradition and modernity.

The whisky has been distilled here since 1843, when William Matheson, an experienced distiller, bought the Morangie farm and installed second-hand stills from a former gin distillery. From the outset, William Matheson's aim was to produce a whisky that was both delicate and complex - an ambition that is still evident today in the floral and fruity style of the house.

Glenmorangie is a story of craftsmen, know-how handed down from generation to generation, and mastered innovation. Since LVMH took over, the distillery has lost none of its soul. On the contrary, it has added a contemporary vision without abandoning its roots.

Before even discovering the still room, I was taken to the fermentation room, a vibrant, living space where the yeast undergoes its metamorphosis. A huge brewing vat and 12 washbacks, overflowing with fermentation, filled the air with sweet, fruity aromas.

It is here, in this controlled bubbling, that the whisky takes on its first colours, texture and already a few aromatic notes. Fermentation at Glenmorangie lasts longer than the average: around 52 hours - a time that allows the fruity esters to develop with finesse. You can already taste the Glenmorangie signature: freshness, notes of banana, pineapple and pear, and a certain elegance.

Then it's on to the still room - a cathedral of copper and heat. The famous slender giants make for remarkably light distillation.

Their long giraffe necks, measuring 5m 15, filter out the heaviest elements, retaining only the finest aromas.

Mais Glenmorangie ne s’arrête pas là. Tout près de là, une fois sorti de la torpeur de la salle des géants, presque comme une tour d’ivoire dans ce monde de tradition, s’élève The Lighthouse — une structure moderne dédiée à la recherche et au développement.

Imaginée comme un phare du whisky de demain, cette tour n’est pas qu’un bâtiment : c’est un manifeste. C’est là que Dr. Bill Lumsden et son équipe explorent les frontières du goût, testent de nouvelles levures, de nouveaux types de bois, de nouvelles fermentations, et même des distillations expérimentales avec ses deux alambics dédiés. Un laboratoire de créativité où l’on façonne les whiskies de demain, en respectant l’esprit Glenmorangie.

Before moving on to the tasting, one last stop was essential: ageing cellar no. 7.

As soon as I entered, a deep smell of wood, alcohol and damp air enveloped me. Silence reigned here as in a cathedral designed to let time work its magic.

Glenmorangie uses a wide variety of casks to refine its expressions: old American white oak bourbon casks, carefully selected and often ‘first fill’, but also casks that have contained oloroso sherry, port or even sauternes for some particularly elegant finishes. 

What is striking is the disciplined way in which the whisky is arranged: here, there are never more than three casks on top of each other. This is a deliberate, almost artisanal constraint, which allows for better aeration and more even maturation, by allowing the wood and whisky to interact without excessive constraint.

This detail, almost invisible at first glance, reveals a philosophy: patience, respect for materials and a taste for work well done.

Glenmorangie 18 Year Old The Infinita is aged in two types of carefully selected casks: ex-bourbon American oak casks, which impart the classic notes of vanilla, custard and ripe fruit, and oloroso sherry casks, used here with subtlety to bring roundness, depth and a touch of dried fruit and spice.

The blend of these two ageings, aiming for a balance between floral sweetness and woody opulence, gives it a deep, almost honeyed gold colour with amber highlights. 

👃 The first impression reveals delicate floral notes, with hints of orange blossom and heather honey (the colour of which is reminiscent of highland flowers), as well as a hint of freshness.

The second passage then brings out richer, denser aromas of dried apricot and mandarin zest, leading to sweet citrus notes with a hint of nutmeg and toasty oak.

The third passage continues the distillate's rise in heat with a buttery, almost brioche-like warmth.

👅 Smooth and silky on the palate.

The attack is soft but expressive with ripe yellow fruit (peach, mango), followed by a lovely creamy texture, slightly taut with wood.

The sherry adds notes of dates and dried figs, and a discreet trace of bitter cocoa, bringing a slight acidity that balances the natural sugar of the malt.

👄The finish is very long, progressive and evolving.

It starts with notes of vanilla, then toasted wood, before slowly slipping into memories of orange peel and acacia honey. The palate remains fresh.

🥃The empty glass remains surrounded by the scent of citrus fruit and hay against a background of chocolate. 

As if approaching a work of alchemy, SIGNET RESERVE offers (like its big brother) a rare and unique composition. It was born of an innovation by Glenmorangie's master distiller, Dr. Bill Lumsden, in 2008, and a revolutionary idea: to incorporate a specially roasted malt into the blend at high temperature, coffee-style.

The result? A whisky with a deep amber color and coppery, almost chocolate highlights. It's even darker than its predecessor.

SIGNET RESERVE is a stay a blend of chocolate malt, distilled once a year in the legendary Giraffe stills, and aged in a complex combination of new American oak, bourbon and Pedro Ximenes sherry casks - some containing very old distillates.

No mention of age on the label, but we do know that some components are over 30 years old. This exceptional ageing, combined with a rare malt style, gives SIGNET RESERVE an aromatic depth unheard of in the world of scotch, and above all makes it a rare product.

👃 The first taste in the glass reveals an opulent, mellow, warm and very expressive nose.

There are notes of roasted coffee, dark cocoa, mocha, but also candied orange zest overflowing from a gingerbread.

On the second pass, the roasted aromas continue to appear, with toasted walnuts and a touch of mahogany wood. The warmth is unmistakable.

On the third pass, the warm journey continues with notes of crème brûlée and salted butter toffee.

A real dessert.

👅The texture on the palate is sumptuous and mellow, velvety, almost liquorish.

The chocolate malt explodes on the palate with notes of ganache, dark chocolate and espresso coffee. 

Then comes a warm, slightly spicy complexity: cinnamon, sweet pepper, liquorice and light tobacco.

The balance is masterful between sweet richness and woody depth.

👄 The finish is exceptionally long, lingering on notes of cold coffee, melted caramel, and a very slight noble bitterness reminiscent of cocoa beans. A finish that never really seems to fade.

The distillate leaves velvety notes on the palate 

🤚🏼Like a peated whisky, I let myself be tempted by the palm test. I discover notes of burnt hay and cold tobacco.

🥃The empty glass is paradoxically discreet, with light chocolate notes. 

Ealanta means ‘skilful’ or ‘ingenious’ in Scottish Gaelic, a nod to Glenmorangie's innovative approach to the art of maturation.

Designed by Glenmorangie's Creative Director, Dr Bill Lumsden, this edition explores the profound influence of uncharred new American oak, a type of cask rarely used for such long ageing in the world of Scotch.

EALANTA whisky was aged for 19 years entirely in virgin American white oak barrels (not previously used for bourbon).

The wood comes from the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri, and the barrels were carefully toasted rather than heavily charred, which maximizes the interaction between the alcohol and the wood's tannins.

This type of maturation, more typical of bourbon, is said to produce a smooth, creamy, almost pastry-like flavor profile, while highlighting the complexity of the new oak and giving it a bright gold color with very light copper highlights.

👃The first nose of this distillate is quite lively and bright. There are sweet aromas of pears and nectarines. All enhanced by the slight acidity of a lemon and the tension of fresh oak, which gives it a certain dynamism.

The second pass reveals mellow notes of warm honey, again enhanced by a touch of grated ginger.

The third passage reveals more floral notes: a blend of jasmine and gorse in full bloom, giving it a radiant, spring-like air, like a walk in the sunshine in the heart of a Highland forest.

👅 Its texture is supple and silky on the palate.

The attack is fruity (apricot, fig, cooked apple), followed quickly by spicier notes (sweet cinnamon, light clove) that tickle the tongue.

Then woody, toasty notes coat the palate: almond, vanilla, oak.

The palate is enveloping without ever becoming heavy.

👄The finish is long and delicately woody. It has lingering notes of pastry in the mouth and more wood and citrus in the throat. 

I left the distillery in the late afternoon, my heart a little warmer than the cool air outside, with a bottle preciously packed and vibrant memories of aromas and copper. I may not have bumped into Harrison Ford (the brand's luxury ambassador), but for a moment I was in touch with the history and richness of Scotch whiskies.

The sun was slowly setting over the Firth, and as I climbed back aboard Bradpeat, a last stylised giraffe greeted me in the rear-view mirror. A nod to this suspended moment, between raw nature, human genius and Scottish poetry.