Whisky Review: Glenmorangie Lasanta 12 Year Single Malt Scotch

In this episode of the Film & Whiskey Podcast, we revisit one of our early favorites: the Glenmorangie Lasanta 12 Year. This Highland single malt scotch whisky is aged in both ex-bourbon and sherry casks, though the distillery doesn’t specify the exact type of sherry casks used.

Clocking in at 43% ABV (86 proof), the Lasanta is part of Glenmorangie’s core lineup and carries a 12-year age statement (though the company has recently rebranded this as a 15-year release). We first tried this expression in season one, and we were excited to see how it held up with a few more years of experience (and a lot more whiskey) under our belts.

Nose

Brad:
Bob, the nose here is what you want out of a scotch. There’s honey, the barley comes through, and it’s a little bit minty. It gets a little herbaceous for me. And maybe it’s just the time of year, but it reminded me a little of a Cadbury egg—it’s kind of chocolatey and creamy. It’s not a strong note, but one I really enjoyed.
Score: 7.5/10

Bob:
Yeah, I’m with you. It reminds me of clotted cream—not as thick as yogurt, but something in that range. Every now and then I get a honey vanilla Greek yogurt, and this is right there. There’s a ton of vanilla, and it’s almost like covering a Granny Smith apple with that cream and then slathering on some caramel. It’s really beautiful. The vanilla overtook everything at first but has died down a bit. I also get some melon notes, peach, and plum. The thing that really wows me here is how little of the malt you pick up on the nose. It’s well-rounded and refined.
Score: 8.5/10

Taste

Brad:
The palate just continues on with some great flavors. It’s raisins, fig pudding, kind of bready, apricot, honey. It leans into a toffee vibe more than caramel, with a bit of nuttiness. I think this is just so delicious.
Score: 8.5/10

Bob:
I think I’m going to struggle on my balance score because the nose and the palate are on opposite ends of the spectrum. The nose is bright—vanilla, green apple, honey, caramel—but the palate brings out dark plum and prune notes. There’s definitely some wine character here, and it tips into a little char, a little ash. It even hints at peat. It’s a much darker drinking experience than I expected based on the nose. It’s still really good, though.
Score: 7.5/10

Finish

Brad:
The finish just layers things in so nicely. It all coalesces for me with this cinnamon note that brings together all the apricot, fig, and honey. Absolutely delicious.
Score: 8/10

Bob:
I like the finish a lot. I have no complaints here. I’m going to stick at a 7.5 because I find it a little less memorable than the nose or the taste. The cinnamon is a great note and it’s long-lasting, but just a little bit plain for me.
Score: 7.5/10

Balance

Bob:
I’m coming down to a 7/10 on balance. It’s not that it tasted young or off—it’s just that the nose hinted at flavors that didn’t show up on the palate or finish. That was a bit disappointing.

Brad:
I’ll go 7.5/10 on balance. There’s definitely a little variety here, but nothing out of the ordinary. Just a very nice, well-balanced whisky.

Value

Bob:
This whiskey costs $55 here in Ohio, and honestly, that’s a great price. I think it’s a better value than even my enjoyment of it would suggest. Now, if you gave me the option between this and the Quinta Ruban for $20 more, I’d still pick the Quinta Ruban. But among 12-year single malts finished in sherry casks? $55 is a steal.
Score: 9/10

Brad:
I gave it an 8.5/10. It’s a really solid value—not quite a 9, but definitely worth the price.

Final Scores

Bob: 39.5/50
Brad: 40/50
Average: 39.25/50

That brings us to a combined score of 78.5/100, which places the Glenmorangie Lasanta 12 Year firmly in the “you should try this” category. On our scale, 35/50 is usually the threshold for a solid bar pour or a bottle purchase, while 40+ means you're getting into great territory. This one is a clear winner for people looking to explore sherry-finished single malts without breaking the bank.

Glenmorangie continues to impress with its core lineup, consistently landing between 38 and 42 on our scoring scale. And if you’ve tried the 15-year version of Lasanta, we’d love to hear how it compares. For now, the 12-year remains one of the best values in its class.