Glenmorangie A Tale of Tokyo Review: 'Surprisingly accessible'

Dr. Bill Lumsden has his hands full. One by one, he’s turning his fondest memories into whiskies. His latest memory takes us, in liquid form, to one of his favorite corners of his mind. This time it’s a real place: Japan’s capital city. In this Glenmorangie A Tale of Tokyo Review, you’ll discover what this city does to the whiskymaker’s palate, and yours.

Dr. Bill Lumsden, head of distilling at The Glenmorangie Company, has traveled far and wide. Along the way, he’s visited extraordinary places and gathered unforgettable memories. He has a knack for bottling those memories as liquid gold. Think of Glenmorangie A Tale of Cake, inspired by his grandmother’s cake, or A Tale of the Forest, a nod to the whiskymaker’s many woodland walks.

Now it’s time to celebrate one of Lumsden’s favorite places on earth with A Tale of Tokyo. The fourth release in this limited edition series is, as the packaging promises, “a whisky as full of delicious contrasts as Tokyo itself.” That contrast already shows in the maturation: a combination of ex-bourbon casks, sherry casks, and Japanese Mizunara oak. After maturation, it’s bottled at 46 percent alcohol by volume (ABV).

Glenmorangie has commissioned fantastic packaging designs for all the A Tale of expressions. A Tale of Winter looked like a delightfully tacky sweater, and A Tale of the Forest features artwork by Thai illustrator Pomme Chan that draws you straight into the woods. This expression also arrives in a box adorned with standout artwork.

The front shows a silhouette of the bottle, while the sides display the brand name and the expression’s title. As with its predecessors, A Tale of Tokyo includes the story behind the whisky’s inspiration on the box. But there’s more. At the end of the story you’ll find this line: “The Japanese artist Yamaguchi Akira (who designed this cheerful packaging, ed.) has hidden a few Dr. Bills in his colorful illustration. How many can you spot?”

It’s practically an invitation to wander the illustrated streets of Tokyo in search of Glenmorangie’s creative mastermind, think Where’s Waldo? Look closely and you’ll also spot a giraffe, the brand’s mascot, a long-necked still, and a bottle of Glenmorangie.

You could spend hours poring over the box and almost forget there’s a beautiful bottle inside it. The bottle carries a label that echoes the box design and a bright orange cap. The shape is the classic Glenmorangie bottle we know from earlier A Tale of releases. On to the dram!

This light amber dram makes a completely different entrance than A Tale of the Forest. The previous release surprised with a whisper of peat on the nose, but A Tale of Tokyo is more refined. A sweet, sandalwood-like incense aroma teases the nostrils with hints of vanilla and caramel. These give way to orange, a playful nip of pepper, and a few floral notes.

On the palate, a fruity-spicy duet takes the lead. It’s not as spicy as Dr. Bill’s woodland wander. Instead of just a prickle of pepper, the dram starts off a touch sweeter. Think almonds, orange, white pepper, and ripe dark-red cherries. In between, you’ll catch flashes of oak and cinnamon, joined by dried fruits and some notes that tug at memory. These last ones evoke hard marzipan candies and soft sweet nougat.

It’s exactly what Glenmorangie’s head of distilling promised on the box: a symphony of contrasts. In this case, sweet and spicy. Either way, it’s wonderfully approachable yet persistently intriguing on the palate, right through to the finish, where it bows out with a medium-length, silky farewell that leaves the sweetness gently lingering.

With A Tale of Tokyo, Glenmorangie delivers a compelling dram. The box alone will keep you entertained for ages (where are all those Dr. Bills?), and the predominantly sweet whisky will too, whether you’re a newcomer or a seasoned enthusiast. It plays with contrasts on one hand, while on the other, it guards a few secrets.

+ A stunningly designed box

+ Contrasting flavors that still find balance

+ Inviting on the nose, surprising on the palate

- Not for smoke lovers