• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Baking
  • About Tammy

Scotch & Scones

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Spirits
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • Christmas
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Spirits
    • Subscribe
    • About
    • Christmas
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Single Malt Scotch

    Published Apr 12, 2019 · Updated Apr 16, 2022 · by Tammy Spencer · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Glenmorangie Allta & Ardbeg Drum Tasting

    Jump to Reviews

    From different parts of Scotland, both Glenmorangie Allta and Ardbeg Drum show their pride of place, one by using wild yeast, and one by celebrating community spirit. Get one or both and you'll see for yourself!

    Collage of Glenmorangie Allta, Ardbeg Drum in bottles on a counter.this …
    Jump To: hide
    Getting back to the roots
    Time to party, Islay style
    Special Releases: Glenmorangie Allta & Ardbeg Drum
    Glenmorangie Allta
    Ardbeg Drum
    Final Thoughts
    Related Tasting Notes

    Let’s talk about yeast. You know, those clever little organisms that change a lump of flour and water into sourdough bread, or a sugary solution of grains in water into beer, or better yet, whisky.

    Long before people learned what changed their dough or wort into something worth eating or drinking, they knew how to save a small bit for the next batch. That’s how sourdough starters have been kept going for centuries.

    Brewers, bakers, and distillers eventually learned about the microorganisms on which they so heavily relied, and standardization inevitably took over. The scotch industry has been using essentially the same type of yeast since the 1950s since its flavor is predictable. This let them experiment with other factors like casks and grain blends.

    But the yeast itself adds its own flavor profile to spirits. Indeed, Four Roses Bourbon uses combinations of different yeasts strains to create their lineup.

    Getting back to the roots

    So what if someone went back to using the wild yeast native to their area to ferment their mash? How will that yeast effect the taste?

    The good folks at Speyside's Glenmorangie have done just that with Glenmorangie Allta. Dr. Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie’s distilling director (with a PhD in yeast physiology, no less) discovered and cultivated the yeast growing on the local barley and used it as the basis for this 10th release of their Private Edition series

    The results are amazing. Think Glenmorangie Original made richer, creamier, and fragrant with dried flowers. My immediate thoughts upon tasting were that this is the whisky version of sourdough bread, highly tied to its location and cannot be replicated elsewhere. Yeast as pride of place, and that's quite an interesting notion.

    boxed Glenmorangie Allta  with pot still model on a counter.
    The little pot still that could...uhm...represent. (well, I think it's cute!)

    Time to party, Islay style

    Not hiding in the shadows is Ardbeg Drum, Ardbeg’s latest Committee Release. Finished in rum casks, it’s Islay goes to the Caribbean (think beach bonfires and bananas).

    Just in time for Feis Ile (pronounced "Faje Eel," the annual Islay Festival of Malt and Music held in late May), Ardbeg created Ardbeg Drum to evoke the color, aromas, and noise of the Feis Ile parade.

    It’s “a peaty excuse to celebrate” Islay’s own version of Carnival. An ode to a beloved community celebration, cleverly executed.

    Ardbeg warehouse model on a counter.
    A model warehouse with no mistaking who's it is

    There was more to this lineup that we tasted (Glenmorangie Original, Glenmorangie Lasanta, Ardbeg 10 year, and Ardbeg AnOa), but since I've already reviewed them, I thought we'd just focus on the new stuff. (Sounds reasonable.)

    Let’s parade on over to the tasting notes then!

    Special Releases: Glenmorangie Allta & Ardbeg Drum

    At Gordon’s DTX, March 27, 2019

    Glenmorangie Allta

    51.2%ABV
    Type: Scottish

    Tasting Notes

    • Nose: vanilla custard, soft cinnamon, vanilla wafers, clover honey, faintly floral
    • Taste: thick and chewy, cinnamon rolls, cream, white pepper, floral potpourri
    • Finish: oaky, fades slowly into cinnamon graham crackers and rose petals
    • Comments: like drinking a cream custard donut dusted with cinnamon sugar and white pepper
    Glenmorangie Allta in bottle on a counter.

    Ardbeg Drum

    52%ABV
    Type: Scottish

    Tasting Notes

    • Nose: soft and gentle smoke, eucalyptus, light overripe bananas, peppermint
    • Taste: thick and oily body, ash, mint, dried bananas
    • Finish: white pepper lingers with sea water and dried bananasComments: a nice balance between sweet and smoke, like drinking Bananas Foster
    Ardbeg Drum in bottle on a counter.

    Final Thoughts

    Private releases are common in the whisky industry, and both Glenmorangie Allta and Ardbeg Drum special releases this year are exceptional. Both celebrate the sense of place where their whisky is made, albeit in different ways.

    As a sourdough baker, I’m really impressed with the idea of using local strains of yeast instead of a standardized ingredient, the way whisky had been made for centuries.

    And to have such pride of place, whether through a community festival or just through a microorganism, well, that's worth celebrating.

    Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!

    Tammy

    Related Tasting Notes

    Scotland's whisky regions have such a rich and diverse array of flavor profiles and distinct characteristics from which to choose. Here's where you can find a scotch I've reviewed based on its region. Slainté!

    • Campbeltown Scotch
    • Highland Scotch
    • Islands Scotch
    • Islay Scotch
    • Speyside Scotch
    Tammy dressed in her culinary school chef's coat.

    I hope you like this review! If you tried the expressions or have a question, I'd love for you to leave a comment below. Thanks!

    Comments

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    Let's Talk Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Profile picture - Tammy, July 2019 square

    Hi, I'm Tammy! My fascination with baking comes from my love of science and the magic of bringing together ingredients to produce something yummy. Coupling that with my appreciation of scotches and bourbons, I love to bake stuff, jot down my whisky tasting notes, and share my experiences with you!

    More about Tammy →

    Holiday treats for sharing and gifting

    • Double Chocolate Mint Brownies on a cutting board.
      Double Chocolate Peppermint Brownies
    • Pecan snowballs on a glass cake stand over pine cones & branches.
      Pecan Snowballs (Mexican Wedding Cookies)
    • Nanaimo bars stacked on a white plate in front of a blue draped scarf.
      Almost Authentic Nanaimo Bars (No Coconut)
    • English Toffee laid out on a white plate over a brown scarf.
      Buttery English Toffee Candy (Gluten-Free)
    • Kahlua Fudge stacked on a pink cake stand.
      Easy Kahlua Chocolate Fudge
    • Rum balls with different topping on a white plate.
      No-Bake Chocolate Rum Balls
    • Stack of Double Chocolate Mint Cookies with the top one bitten on a white plate with mint and chocolate wafers.
      Double Chocolate Mint Cookies
    • Tiramisu truffles stacked on a glass stand.
      No-Bake Tiramisu Truffles

    See more Fall and Thanksgiving recipes ➡️

    What's Popular with Readers

    Here's what my readers are viewing...

    • Three Sourdough English Muffins stacked with more in wooden bowl behind.
      Sourdough Discard English Muffins
    • Chocolate mug cake with inserted spoon.
      Chocolate Microwave Mug Cake (Eggless & Dairy-Free)
    • Boiled apple cider dripping from a spoon into a glass jar surrounded by apples.
      Easy Homemade Boiled Apple Cider Syrup
    • Bannocks stacked on a white plate with raspberries.
      How to Make Scottish Bannocks from Outlander
    • English Toffee laid out on a white plate over a brown scarf.
      Buttery English Toffee Candy (Gluten-Free)
    • Biscuits stacked on a red & white striped towel nestled in a bowl.
      Buttery Sourdough Biscuits
    • Sourdough gingerbread plated with whipped cream
      Old Fashioned Sourdough Gingerbread
    • Three crumpets stacked on a white cake stand surrounded by strawberries.
      Easy Sourdough Discard Crumpets

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Disclosures

    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Accessibility Statement
    • Ingredient Measurement Unit Policy

    Subscribe

    Sign up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Let's Talk
    • About Tammy
    • Shop Scotch & Scones

    Copyright © 2023 Scotch & Scones