Walking through nature is good for your health and can lead to creative ideas, according to Glenmorangie’s Director of Whisky, who says A Tale of the Forest has been inspired by the natural, everchanging wonders he encountered as he wandered the woods near his home. The result of this natural experience is an experimental limited edition that tries to “evoke the scents, sounds and sights of the forest itself,” as Glenmorangie tells its customers.

Bill Lumsden, the aforementioned Director of Whisky, has recalled how ancient Highland whisky makers dried their barley with all kinds of forest fuel. He began experimenting by kilning his barley with many different botanicals, finally selecting juniper berries, birch bark and heather flowers, married with a little peat. The result was a batch of spirit with rare aromas of pine needles and juniper laced with wisps of smoke, which was then aged in bourbon casks, including many refill casks, to allow the spirit’s flavours to shine.

Pairing up with Glenmorangie to bring the whisky’s flavours to life on its pack, Thai illustrator Pomme Chan walked into her favourite forest in northern Thailand and began to draw, taking inspiration from her surroundings and her conversations with Lumsden about Scotland. Soon she created her fantastical forest, which inspired the packaging design. Pomme, who lives and works in Bangkok, is known and respected for her skill in hand drawing; to find inspiration for her technicolour artwork, she spent time drawing in Wat Chan Pine Forest, the country’s largest pine forest, located in Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand. Through hand drawing and digital techniques, Pomme’s illustration brings her interpretation of the forest to life, featuring key botanicals and flavour notes from the new whisky.

Glenmorangie’s A Tale of the Forest is available at specialist trade and online.