Glenmorangie has launched it latest limited edition which owes its flavour to a rare quality grain resurrected by two seed merchants.

Maris Otter winter barley was first commercially harvested 50 years ago. Its depth of flavour made it a cornerstone of England’s craft-brewing industry.

But the demand for the barley variety began to fall as producers switched to varieties with greater efficiencies – and its characteristic taste was left in peril. Realising the danger, two British seed merchants formed a partnership which would re-establish the grain’s purity and save Maris Otter from being wiped out.

Their efforts attracted the attention of Glenmorangie’s director of distilling and whisky Creation, Dr Bill Lumsden who ordered a batch of the winter barley and arranged for it to be traditionally floor-malted for use in Glenmorangie Tùsail (Scots Gaelic for ‘originary’).

The whisky was launched at a tasting in the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh and will be available across specialist whisky shops from this week.

Dr Lumsden explained: “When we heard the story of those determined to preserve such a flavoursome grain, their ethos – and the barley itself – seemed the perfect match for a Glenmorangie single malt. I knew its deep flavour profile would provide an intriguing contrast to Glenmorangie’s more delicate house style, creating a whisky to enchant connoisseurs.”

Glenmorangie has released a rare single malt crafted and designed to inspire and intrigue whisky connoisseurs and collectors in each of the past four years. Glenmorangie Tùsail, invites aficionados to explore a distinctive variety of barley’s influence on Glenmorangie single malt.