BARLEY AND MALT Before legislation dictated otherwise, malt whisky was made on farms. Glenmorangie was no exception: distilling was an integral part of the farming year. The season began after the barley was harvested, and continued until late April - a natural rhythm once followed by all distilleries. In days past, the barley was first steeped in Tarlogie spring water, then spread in a loft. As it began to germinate it generated heat and had to be turned constantly, day and night, by men with large wooden shovels, to keep it cool. The work was hard, and the malt house was where apprentices began to learn their trade. You are in the Malting Room

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Once it had germinated, the malt was transferred to the kiln and dried over peat fires - the kiln gives Glenmorangie and many other distilleries their characteristic pagoda roofs. In keeping with tradition, our barley comes mainly from the rich farmlands of the Black Isle, just south of Tain. The barley is hard and granular, supremely rich in flavour, and is malted to our specific instructions, in a lightly peated kiln, which imparts a subtle smokiness to the whisky itself. The most distinctive aroma related to malting is almond. Essential oil of almond is extracted from the fruit of several members of the Prunus genus (the almond tree itself, along with apricot and peach). Its principal component is known to be present in whisky. Closely related to the almond note was a nutty aroma, distinctly 'non-almond' and generally described as 'hazelnut'. It seems that both almond and hazelnut aromas are contributed by the barley and that each is also produced and concentrated during later stages of manufacture. Go on to the Wort and Wash. Water Wort & Wash Distillers Craft Coopers Craft The Tasting Room Sixteen Men