Whisky Bible names Glenmorangie Ealanta world's best whisky

Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2014 has named the virgin-oak-matured Glenmorangie Ealanta as the best whisky in the world.

Murray described the limited edition single malt Scotch as “borderline perfection” with “one of the longest finishes of any Scotch this year”.  

The latest of the Moët Hennessy brand’s Private Edition range scored 97.5 out of 100 points and was one of 4,500 whiskies tasted by Murray in his tenth year producing the Whisky Bible.

Ealanta, which is priced at £74.99 and available at specialist retailers, was aged for 19 years in virgin American white oak casks.

Murray described the single malt in the Whisky Bible 2014 as having: “pipped others to the post because it went out and did something different; not only did it blow one away with its deftness, beauty and elegance, but it gave an aroma and taste profile completely new to me in over 30 years of tasting whisky”.

Bill Lumsden, The Glenmorangie Company’s director of distilling and whisky creation, said: “It’s no secret in our industry that it’s the ‘wood that makes the whisky’ and for many years my team and I have been carrying out detailed research in this area.”