X by Glemorangie

[RSteve]

Here's a review. It's about $30.00, 750 ml bottle locally. But at my favorite meat market, Italian grocery, liquor store, Morelli's Market in St. Paul for their Monday Madness sale, $15.00. I pick up my order on Friday. (no-age-statement (NAS) single malt at the baseline 80 proof) See also.

 

[Timbo]

I'll have to keep an eye out for it as I love they're standard whisky.

 

[ftrplt]

If I lived anywhere close to Morelli's, I'd back up an 18-wheeler and buy damn near everything listed!! Those liquor prices are out of sight, rebate or not!!! FTRPLT

 

[RSteve]

If I lived anywhere close to Morelli's, I'd back up an 18-wheeler and buy damn near everything listed!! Those liquor prices are out of sight, rebate or not!!! FTRPLT

On last Monday's Madness where you can place an order from 8:00 am, when the ad goes on-line, to 8:00 pm, when the ordering window closes, there were three wines listed at $219.00 per bottle. I think there were 120 bottles of each. There's a running count of those remaining on the order page. By 8:05 am, all 360 bottles were ordered.

The X Glenmorangie took till about noon to sell out. Sale started, I think, with 192 bottles. I log on to the site at 7:58 am and reload until the site comes on-line. You snooze, you lose. I like to check during the day, just for schitz and grinz and to let some friends know what's on sale and what's remaining if they want to place an order.

Morelli's does not take credit cards. Cash or approved check (with multiple I.D.s until you become a regular) About three years ago, the owner, Jim Morelli, was on the selling floor. He's usually in the upstairs offices making deals. I said to him, "You're losing a lot business not taking plastic. I understand your mark-up is too short to pay the credit card companies. Why don't you bring in a private for-profit ATM. I know that if you shop around you'll find one that pays you a couple of bucks per transaction." He admitted that it had never crossed his mind. A few weeks later, I stopped in and saw there was a cash machine near the store entrance. Jim Morelli rushed up to me, "I can't thank you enough. We're doing very well with the private cash machine." My commission was zilch.

In MN, it's illegal for a bar or another liquor store to buy at retail for resale. I don't think it stops many small town bars from dropping in at Morelli's to buy a case or two of their best sellers.

Before New Years, last year, Morelli's had a $10.00 rebate per 750 ml bottle of Pinnacle Vodka, maximum $60 for 6 bottles. Morelli's was selling the vodka for $9.99. Excluding taxes and the fact you had to send in the rebate form, it was free.

 

[Blackhorse]

At that price and with “made for mixing” printed on the label I wouldn’t have much hope for it.

 

[RSteve]

At that price and with “made for mixing” printed on the label I wouldn’t have much hope for it.

The question, of course, is would Glenmorangie market a product that is of poor quality?

 

[Blackhorse]

Quality for one application vs quality for a different application.

 

[RSteve]

Quality for one application vs quality for a different application.

True, of course. The impression that I got from the Glenmorangie website is that they intended to produce and market a single malt with a flavor strong enough to hold up to mixing in cocktails. Tomorrow, I'll sample a bit just with a bit of water and ice.

 

[Blackhorse]

I understand that adding a very very small amount (literally drops) of water to a neat whiskey is a classic method to help it “bloom”.

Interesting re the purpose of having the flavor stand up to being mixed. Good for them.

 

[ftrplt]

I've had the pleasure of visiting/touring the Whiskey/Whisky areas of Ireland and Scotland. Most every distillery will tell you a "wee dram" of cool spring water vastly improves the flavor of their product. All pubs/bars in both countries have water-filled ceramic and/or glass containers for pouring a few drops into your glass!!! FWIW, I never put ice in my single malt or Irish whisky/whiskey (or American for that matter!!). I keep a bottle of spring water in the fridge for such times. I also use spring water in my soda bottle for those occasions when needed!!! Just the way I do it! To each his own!!! FTRPLT

 

[SteelyJ]

I prefer mine neat - or with a splash of water. No ice for me either, I think making it too cold mutes a lot of the flavor, and the melting ice waters it down too much. I usually just add water to the cask strength whiskeys. Now... if I'm making a cocktail then I will use ice, but that's different.

 

[RSteve]

With all whiskey, I generally don't use ice or mixers. I have a spray bottle of spring water in the fridge which I use to "open the nose." Because this scotch is intended to be used in mixed drinks, I'll first sample it with ice.

I really hope it's not swill. About to leave my house to pick up my order.

 

[RSteve]

With friends, I drank about 4 oz. last night. My thought is that Glenmorangie's brain trust were in a board meeting.

"We've distilled too much whiskey for our aging/storage capacity. The "houses" that make blends aren't buying any more from us. We've got to sell off this relatively unaged excess. What do we do?"

"I suggest we call in a marketing company to figure out how to market this surplus, then when it's gone, we slow production to what we can age and sell to the blenders."

---The Birth of X by Glenmorangie---

The taste is classic Glenmorangie, but a bit raw, clearly needing aging to sip neat. With a cube or a splash of water, very drinkable, particularly at $15.00 750 ml.

 

[Blackhorse]

What he said.

 

[RSteve]

At Total Wine, Glenmorangie The Original 750ml $34.00, X is $28.00. At regular price, pay the extra $6.00 for the original. For $15.00, the X is a decent buy.