Glenmorangie Pride 1978 debuts at Reserve 101 where the ultra rare single malt whiskey goes for $750 a shot.
On Monday afternoon, Reserve 101 became the first on-premise facility in the United States with a bottle of the Glenmorangie Pride 1978, the rarest Glenmorangie whiskey ever released. Glenmorangie Global Master Brand Ambassador David Blackmore was at the bar for the debut of the bottle, which was the official launch of the Pride 1978 in Texas. One of only 700 bottles in the world, it is now available for $750/shot at Reserve, which offers more than 330 whiskeys from 12 different countries.
The Pride 1978 is a 34-year-old release that was aged for 19 years before being extra-matured for another 15 years — the longest ever extra-maturation for a Glenmorangie whiskey — in an extremely small batch of only five casks that had contained a legendary Bordeaux Premier Grand Cru Classé wine. Crafted by Dr. Bill Lumsden, this exceptional Glenmorangie is a rich and opulent whisky of outstanding pedigree.
Blackmore, a three-time Ambassador of the Year by Whisky magazine, unveiled the bottle on Monday afternoon with Reserve 101 owners Mike Raymond and Steve Long, who have made it a point to bring whiskey to their bar that customer’s can’t find anywhere else in Houston, in Texas or even in the entire United States.
Reserve 101 is located at 1201 Caroilne St. in downtown Houston, across the street from the House of Blues. The bar had 1 of 50 bottles in the world of The Glenmorangie 1963 in February, available for $550/shot. It sold out in 66 days. Reserve also carries the Glenfiddich 40-year ($400/shot), Port Ellen 34 Year Old ($300), Dalmore 1981 Amoroso ($200), Dalmore 25 Year Old ($150) and Balvenie 30-year ($125). The bar recently launched a single-barrel private bottling program that featuring hand-selected whiskeys from Buffalo Trace, Wild Turkey (Russell’s Reserve) and Jim Beam (Knob Creek) distilleries in Kentucky and the first-ever private bottling from the critically acclaimed Garrison Brothers Distillery in Hye, Texas.
Glenmorangie Pride 1978 Tasting Notes (via Glenmorangie’s website)
Aroma: Sweet woody and nutty notes, like sweet chestnut or cedar, mingle with hints of toffee, fudge, almond marzipan and cherries.
Taste: The flavour of baked fruits (apples, plums cherries and apricots) lead into a solid oaky ‘backbone’, with flavours of clove, cinnamon, lots of aniseed, cardamom, cumin, toasted oak and eucalyptus.
Finish: Once these powerful, primary flavours die down, soft creamy fudge/vanilla, is encountered along with tangy, caramelised citrus fruits, a hint of cassis, and some milk chocolate and café au lait on the aftertaste.
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