Under master distiller turned mad scientist Dr. Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie has earned its position at the avant-garde of scotch. While not every one of his experiments goes as planned, this expression should please traditionalists and adventurous drinkers alike. The familiar sweetness of vanilla and orange is draped with complex aromas created by kilning the barley over woodland botanicals including juniper berries, birch bark, heather, and peat. This process lends a distinctively earthy and nutty nose, with smoke that evokes mesquite and peppery beef sticks and then balances the fruity palate with savory elements of jalapeño, spearmint, and eucalyptus. —Jeffery Lindenmuth