In Conversation with Bill Lumsden

Decoding the Art, Science, and Soul of Glenmorangie with Dr Bill Lumsden, Director of Distilling, Whisky Creation & Whisky Stocks, The Glenmorangie Company

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Glenmorangie is known for its tall stills and signature smoothness.

How do you reinterpret that heritage in every new release?

Our uniquely tall stills allow for an exceptionally light and pure distillation, which creates our spirit's signature elegance. And we seek to celebrate that characteristic delicacy in all our whiskies. But occasionally, I will throw in a curveball, Glenmorangie Signet for example, where I have deliberately tried to create something a bit different, exploring a darker side of Glenmorangie's flavour profile.

You find our classic elegance and true Highland character in Glenmorangie The Original 12 Years Old.

This whisky honours our timeless house style, showcasing that delicate, fruity flavour, now reimagined to turn up the volume on its elegance.

And you can follow our house style through our range. We accentuate it with sherried notes in Glenmorangie The Infinita 18 Years Old (my favourite Glenmorangie whisky), and it reaches a pinnacle in Glenmorangie The Altus, 25 Years Old.

You've experimented with cask finishes long before it became a trend. What drives your curiosity for wood, flavour, and maturation?

Cask management is both a science and an art, and it's something I've been obsessed with for decades, because of the layers of flavour which different woods can bring to our elegant spirit. At Glenmorangie, we're fortunate to have long-term relationships with specific coopers and wood sources especially in the American Ozark Mountains so we can tailor our casks from the very start.