Glenmorangie Extremely Rare 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch: Winter Tranquility

I greatly enjoy the various Scotches produced by the Glenmorangie Distillery, which is located north of Inverness, about half a mile from Tain, in the Highlands of Scotland. In Gaelic, Glenmorangie means "Valley of Tranquility." It's the smallest distillery in the Highlands and was founded in 1843 by a farmer, William Matheson, who bought a couple of ex-gin stills in England to start producing scotch. These stills were over 16 feet tall, the tallest in Scotland, and the distillery now possess 24 stills. The height provides a higher distillate, which ends up being lighter and smoother than some smaller stills. Glenmorangie is currently owned by Moët Hennessy-Louis Vuitton (LVMH).

Glenmorangie possesses their own water source, the Tarlogie Springs, including approximately 100 acres around it, to ensure the purity and quality of their water. Their barley is sourced only from Scotland. As I've mentioned before, the oak barrel is one of the most significant aspects of whiskey production, providing 60%-70% of the flavor and all of the color. Glenmorangie contracts with loggers in the Ozark Mountains for American white oak and then have the barrels constructed from the finest wood. They then lend the barrels to two American bourbon and whiskey distilleries for aging. After the barrels are used, they are then disassembled and sent to Scotland, to be reassembled and used to age Glenmorangie. They only use their barrels twice, as opposed to some other distilleries which may use them five or six times.

Dr. Bill Lumsden, the Director of Distilling, Whisky Creation, and Whisky Stocks, is a pioneer in the use of double maturation and the distillery is also well known for its experimentation. Their tagline is "unnecessarily well made," Their Scotch tends to be a lighter, ethereal, and layered style, which can be more consumer friendly than some other scotches. Yet it's far from simple, indicating the complexity and flavors possible within single malts. In addition, it's very food friendly, although not enough people consider pairing Scotch with dinner. 

The signet found on every bottle of Glenmorangie has its roots in the ancient past. At the end of the 8th century, the native Picts carved a huge stone, the Cadboll Stone, which eventually became the oldest recorded archaelogical find in Scotland. Though the Stone was eventually relocated to the National Museum in Scotland, Glenmorangie commissioned a stone replica which was eventually placed on its original location. The signet on their bottles is one of the carvings on this Stone.

The Glenmorangie Extremely Rare 18 Year Old Single Malt ($120-$150), with a 43% ABV, was matured for 15 years in American white oak, ex-bourbon casks, with 30% finished in Spanish Oloroso Sherry casks for three years. On the nose, there were more subtle and complex aromas of caramel, honey, and floral accents. On the palate, the Scotch was complex and compelling, smooth and ethereal,  with an intriguing melange of flavors, including dried fruits, caramel, figs, salted nuts, and a touch of citrus. It possessed a lengthy and satisfying finish, emphasizing the Oloroso elements. An excellent sipping whiskey, especially on a chilly winter night, providing a sense of tranquility and pleasure. It's also something best shared, with good friends or family, which would enhance the experience. Highly recommended.

Tasting Recommendations & Wine Classes For The Boston Wine Expo

The Boston Wine Expo will be here at the start of March, held once again at the Park Plaza Hotel. The large-scale tasting event will be held on Saturday, March 7 and Sunday, March 8, and Tickets are still available. The 2-day event will feature over 100 participating wineries from all over the U.S. and select international ones as well. 

In December, I provided Advice on Attending the Expo and now I'm here to provide some Tasting Recommendations, the exhibitors at the Expo where you should stop and sample their wines. At the Grand Tasting, there will be hundreds of wines which you can taste, which is an overwhelming amount of wine. As you can only practically sample a tiny fraction of those wines, which should you choose to taste?

The list of the exhibitors for the Expo are listed HERE. When choosing which winery tables to visit, I recommend that you don't drink wines you already know and like. You can do that anytime and anywhere else. Instead, take this opportunity to expand your palate and try different wines, hoping to find new wines to enjoy. With all the diversity of wines available, it makes little sense to spend your time drinking the same wines you drink at home all the time. Be willing to experiment and taste something different. Make the Expo an opportunity to explore the wide world of wine. 

To assist in your choices, I'm going to provide you with my own recommendations for some wine tables you should check out. This list will include some exhibitors which I visited at prior Expos and thoroughly enjoyed. Others on the list will include wines which I know well and believe worthy of your attention. Of these recommendations, they are also the wine tables which I will probably be visiting again this year, seeing what new wines they are presenting. 

There are obviously other wine tables which may interest you, and which I will check out too. Although the Expo website presents a list of all of the Exhibitors, it doesn't present a list of the wines which each exhibitor will offer at the Expo. So, consider my recommendations as a starting point, and after checking out those exhibitors, explore the rest of the Expo.  

Croatian Wines

I love Croatian wines, and have twice visited the country, visiting dozens of wineries and tasting hundreds of wines. Their wines are diverse, delicious and interesting, a significant number using indigenous grapes you won't find elsewhere. Croatian Premium Wines, owned and led by Mirena Bagur and Win Burke, will once again be at the Expo, showcasing a number of excellent Croatian wines. They are the importer of these wines, and their wines are readily available locally, as well as through online sales. So, if you find Croatian wines you enjoy, you will be able to later purchase them. 

Georgian Wines
The country not the state. Once part of the Soviet Union, Georgia might be the historical birthplace of wine production. It now produces some intriguing and delicious wines, including some made in a very traditional manner in qvevri, earthenware vessels. I've enjoyed many Georgian wines and continue to seek out new ones too. The Wines of Georgia will be represented at the Expo, so I expect they will showcase a diverse selection of wines. 

South Africa

From Chenin Blanc to Pinotage, South Africa offers an interesting and tasty selection of wines, and they will be represented at the Expo by Wines of South Africa. Again, there's no list yet of the specific wines they will showcase but it will likely also be a diverse selection of wines. You can even find some excellent Pinot Noir in South Africa. 

Italian Wines 

Fantasy Fine Wines, based in Boston, has an excellent Italian wine portfolio, and a number of those wines are available for purchase at Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet in Melrose. I've personally tasted a number of their wines and can attest to their quality and taste. 

Israeli Wines

Have you ever tasted an Israeli wine? Golan Heights Winery will be showcasing some of their wines at the Expo, and you have the opportunity to experience such wines. This is your chance to try wines from a country which doesn't get much exposure in the U.S. 

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Wine Tasting Classes: Although initially, the Expo had mentioned there would be twelve tasting classes, only five are listed on their website HERE. There will be three on Saturday and two on Sunday, including: South African Chenin Blanc, Sicily: A Winegrowing Continent, a Tasting Tour of Cotes du Rhone, Saint-Emilion – Pomerol – Fronsac / Right Bank, and Old Vines Classic Wines – Australian heritage in a Glass. Each class costs $68.39, and does not include admission to the Grand Tasting Sessions. 

My personal recommendation for those classes would be the Sicily one, as Sicily has an exciting wine industry, with some fascinating native grapes, volcanic soils, and an interesting history. 

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I hope you find my recommendations helpful in making your plans for the Boston Wine Expo. Expand your palate and seek out wines new to you!

Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I'm back again with a new edition of Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food and drink events. I hope everyone dines out safely, tips well and are nice to their servers.
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1) Nǐ hǎo! Celebrated Chinatown icon Doris Huang (China King, King Fung Garden fame) returns for an ultimate Peking Duck Pop-Up, a one-night event hosted at Wusong Road in Harvard Square. The evening will celebrate the Year of the Horse with a special menu honoring tradition, craftsmanship, and legacy. This exclusive pop-up dinner experience is reservations-only and expected to sell out quickly. 

Peking Duck Popup Dinner Menu 
Appetizers:
--Scallion Pancakes - Homemade, multi-layered, and pan-fried crisp. Served with ginger soy. 
--Shumai - Steamed, homemade Dim Sum, stuffed with fresh ground shrimp, served with chili sambal.
--Peking Raviolis - Classic Chinese pan-fried dumpling, hearty pork and cabbage filing. Served with ginger soy. 
Peking Duck in Three Courses:
--First Course - Sliced, crispy duck skin, served with homemade pancakes, julienned cucumbers, scallion brushes, and hoisin sauce
--Second Course - Shredded duck meat, wok-fried with Chinese rice noodles, julienned carrots, pea pods, scallions, beansprouts, and duck jus.  
--Third Course - Duck bone soup with young tofu, napa cabbage, and vermicelli.

This event will take place on Monday, February 9th and there will be four seatings: 5:00 PM, 6:00 PM, 7:30 PM & 9:30 PM. The price per person, including tax and gratuity is $108.79. Reservations are available via OpenTable: Wusong Road Chinese New Year Dinner

I've been to a prior Peking Duck dinner, held by Doris Huang, and it was superb, one of the best in the Boston area. She is a true professional, a highly skilled chef, and genuinely nice. I cannot recommend this event enough, and if you love duck, then you must make a reservation to enjoy this delectable dinner.  

2) February 22 is National Margarita Day, so start making plans now how you want to celebrate this drink holiday. Grab a bottle of tequila and the fixings and prepare it at home, or check out some of the restaurants offering specials that day. 

Howling Wolf Taqueria, in Salem, will feature margaritas at wallet-friendly prices. On February 22, all original and classic-flavored margaritas – strawberry, coconut, peach, mango, passionfruit, cherry, raspberry and blood orange – are available for only $6 (regularly priced at $9.95 each). You can also upgrade your Margarita to Patrón for only $9.99. 

On February 22, Margaritas Mexican Restaurant will showcase a collection of wallet-friendly sips: original and classic flavor margaritas ($6), including strawberry, raspberry, mango, black cherry, peach, passionfruit, pineapple and watermelon; Patrón margaritas ($9.99) served in a souvenir cup*; and, because sharing is caring, Patrón Trees ($39) with your pick of four classic flavor margaritas served in individually-sized Patrón bottles.
*Souvenir cups available while supplies last.
Available at participating Margaritas Mexican Restaurant locations in MA, ME, NH, NJ and CT

3) This Super Bowl, make it an indoor tailgate to remember with platters from XOXO Sushi Bar, located in Chestnut Hill. Chef Kegan Stritchko has created a lineup of offerings to make hosts the MVP of at-home entertaining:

Veggie Combo: 80-piece vegetarian maki, four veggie bao buns, two orders each of eggplant, shishito peppers and Brussels sprouts ($125; serves 4)
Patriots Special: 10 chicken wings, 50-piece crunchy maki combo, two orders of Korean-fried cauliflower ($150; serves 4)
Super Bowl Host: 80-piece maki combo, 10 wagyu sliders, two orders of rock shrimp, 20 pieces of nigiri, two orders of chicken karaage ($350; serves 4-6)
Custom Package: In true “omakase” ("I'll leave it up to you"), Chef Kegan designs your Super Bowl fantasy (food) team ($500 minimum)

WHEN: Ordering available now through February 7, 2026.
To place an order, please visit XOXO Sushi Bar’s online ordering platform. Pickup windows are available between 3-6pm on February 8. 

Delicious Dishes of January 2026

With the onset of the New Year, I've already enjoyed plenty of delicious dishes in January 2026. I wanted to highlight some of those dishes, as, for various reasons, they wouldn't otherwise be showcased in their own articles. However, they are still worthy of being showcased, and the restaurants deserve the recognition. 

Il Ponte, one of my Top Five Favorite Restaurants, offered maybe my favorite dish of 2026 so far, which was a Special one evening. Home-made pasta, in a creamy black truffle sauce, and then topped by white truffles (which were shaved table-side). Decadent and delicious, earthy and creamy, with perfectly cooked pasta. Chef Beni Kurti and his culinary team never disappoint, and if you haven't dined there yet, then do so. All of their food is made in-house, from their pasta to their desserts, from their pizza to their breads.   

   

Thai Chili Basil, in Melrose, is a tiny take-out (or delivery) Thai restaurant with tasty food. I regularly order from here, dishes such as Kao Mun Gai Tod, Chiangmai Noodle, and Pad Thai Gai Grob. One of my favorite new dishes is their Soy Garlic Korean Wings (fried chicken wings grazed with soy garlic sauce Korean style), which can be ordered in 6 or 12 pieces. Honestly, these are some of the best chicken wings I've had in quite some time. They are large and meaty pieces, with an excellent crispy coating, and that crunch remains for quite some time. Some chicken wings don't transport well, losing some of their crunch, but these don't. The sauce is sweet and tangy, and the added sesame seeds add a mild nuttiness and enhanced crunch. The meat is tender and plentiful, and these would be a great choice for a Super Bowl snack. 

Fumi Hibachi, also in Melrose, is another tiny take-out restaurant, offering delicious Hibachi, Sushi, and Chinese food. I regularly order from here, especially if I'm craving Sushi. They offer Lunch specials, seven days a week, which include Sushi Specials and Bento Boxes. They offer 9 different Bento Boxes ($12.99-$17.99), such as General Tso, Hibachi Steak and Hibachi Seared Scallops. They come with salad, clear soup, fried rice, 2 Pork Gyoza, and 4 pieces of California roll.

The Sushi Specials include items such as a Sushi Lunch, Sashimi Lunch, or Sushi & Sashimi Lunch. I like their Maki specials, either two ($11.95) or three ($15.95) rolls of your choice (with 25 different choices available). These are excellent values, and you can save $5 or more off the price than if you had ordered the rolls separately. In addition, you receive a small salad and a bowl of miso soup, making it even a better value. Above, I ordered three Maki rolls, including Shrimp Tempura, Chicken Tempura and Sweet Potato Tempura. Certainly a hearty and delicious dish, especially with the addition of the hot and tasty miso soup. 

Anthony's Italian Specialties, in Stoneham, has some of the best, and largest, sandwiches in the area, and I've been patronizing this spot since I was a teenager. They have remained consistent over the years, never skimping on the size or quality of their sandwiches. They are most famous for their Italian sandwiches, which are stuffed with various meats and cheeses, and toppings. However, all of their sandwiches are worthy, from their Pastrami to their Lobster Rolls (available only on Fridays).

Above is their "Cadillac," the nickname for their fried chicken cutlet, Prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, oil and balsamic glaze sandwich. You can also have it with roasted peppers. It's available on a bulky roll, sub roll or a braided roll (which I ordered). At $19.80, this sandwich is large enough to feed two people, or you can eat half and save the other half for another meal. It's an excellent blend of textures and flavors, the warm and meaty cutlet with its crispy coating, the salty prosciutto, the creamy mozzarella, and the sweet glaze. 

Donuts With A Difference, in Medford, is an old-school doughnut shop, which makes a variety of more traditional donuts in their kitchen. They are delicious and inexpensive, and sometimes they are even warm when you receive them. You can get a dozen donuts for $19, less than half (if not more) than you'll find at many other donut shops. They only sell donuts, and not breakfast sandwiches, bagels, or other such items. They also have coffee and tea, and their fresh-brewed iced tea is my beverage or choice. Their customer service is also excellent, and if you don't see a donut available on the shelves, you can ask them when it might be available. And if it's only a short time, you can sit and wait at the counter for it to arrive. And that wait is more than worth it for a fresh, warm donut. Last week, I waited for their Coffee Rolls (only $2.79 each) to be available, and it was superb, warm, soft and sweet. They are quite large and I often order at least one when I stop here. 

What were some of your favorite dishes in January? 

Rant: Xenia Greek Restaurants & the Michelin Guide

"Krasi is the modern word for wine in Greek, and it derives from the ancient, meaning a mixture of wine and water, which was indeed the way wine was drunk in antiquity."
The Food and Wine of Greece by Diane Kochilas 

Krasi: Meze and Wine, a superb Greek restaurant, opened in February 2020, and since 2020, it has continued to remain on my annual list of Favorite Restaurants. In 2022, I instituted my annual Top Three Favorite Restaurants (which has since expanded, in 2025, to my Top Five), and Krasi has been on that list since 2022. Its food, wine and hospitality has remained consistently top notch and each of my dining experiences there has been stellar. It's a place I frequently recommend to others, and those who follow my suggestion also rave about their experience. 

Krasi is part of the Xenia Greek Hospitality, a restaurant group which includes Kaia, Bar Vlaha, and Greco truly Greek, and Hecate. They have established a small Greek restaurant empire, providing quality and delicious cuisine, at various price points, from the high-end Kaia to the fast casual Greco. And excellent hospitality is essential to all of their restaurants. 

In my prior Rant: Without Proper Hospitality, A Restaurant Will Fail, I discussed their practice of hospitality. I stated, "Some restaurants only give lip service to the concept of hospitality, but the Xenia group truly embraces its spirit and practice. I have met many of the people behind the Xenia group, such as Stefanos Ougrinis, Demetri Tsolakis, Natasha Breshinsky, Brendan Pelley, Evan Turner, and Chris Marcin. And each and every one of them has been an exemplar of hospitality. In addition, they are truly sincere in their hospitality. It's not merely a front, but a concept they embrace heart and soul. They pass on their belief in hospitality to their employees, and it's evident as well at all of their restaurants. The level of hospitality at the Xenia restaurants is a significant reason for their success."

I also stated, "People dine out not just for good food and drink, but also for the experience. They want to be treated well, as a beloved guest, so if the hospitality is lacking, their experience suffers. And they won't want to repeat such a failed experience. Have your chef make the best food possible, have your sommelier compile a killer wine list, have your bartender concoct an awesome cocktail program, but without the element of hospitality, the experience becomes a failure." 

This all came together once again in my mind as a read a recent article in Estiator: The Restaurateur, by Theodora Tsevas, titled, The Michelin Guide Came to Boston. Why Didn’t Greek Cuisine Make the Cut? Restaurateur Demetri Tsolakis provided some insight into the recent Michelin Guide results in Boston, as well as the place of Greek cuisine in the country. 

The Michelin Guide came to Boston in 2025, announcing their results in November, and 26 restaurants received recognition. One restaurant, 311 Omakase, received a Single Star, while six received Bib Gourmand designations, and 16 others received Michelin Recommendations. Not a single Greek restaurant was included, which was surprising to me as I truly believe, as do many others, that at least one of Krasi, Kaia, or Bar Vlaha should have received at least a Michelin Recommendation.

The Estiator article, mentioned, "Demetri Tsolakis wasn’t surprised." He "has spent years watching Greek food struggle for recognition in American fine dining." He also stated, "Greek cuisine, as old and sophisticated as Italian or Spanish cooking, struggles for the same recognition in American fine dining....Greek restaurants remain largely unseen by the guide, facing persistent assumptions about what Greek food should be." 

The Michelin Guide has recognized only 43 Greek restaurants across the world, with a single Two Star spot in Greece and four One Star spots, all overseas. In comparison, the Michelin Guide has recognized 840 Japanese restaurants, 740 Italian, 613 French, 101 Barbecue, and even 50 Peruvian restaurants. So, for whatever reason, we can see that Greek restaurants don't fare that well under the Michelin Guide.  

16 Greek restaurants in the U.S. have received Michelin recognition, all Recommendations except for a single Bib Gourmand. The restaurants are in California, District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, New York, and North Carolina. New York has 5 Michelin Recommended Greek restaurants, including: Pylos, Kyma, Eléa, MP Taverna, and Taverna Kyclades. California has 4 Greek restaurants, Florida has 2, and the District of Columbia, Illinois, and North Carolina each have 1. 

The Michelin Guide provides their criteria for assessing restaurants. "Five criteria guide the Inspectors during their assessments: the quality of ingredients; the mastery of culinary techniques; the harmony of flavours; the personality and emotion that the chef conveys in the dishes; and consistency, both throughout the entire menu and across different visits." What's missing from their list? Hospitality. That aspect is ignored.  

In Estiator, Demetri stated, “I wish Michelin was also service-oriented, because a lot of our mission is philoxenia. The experience of eating out is not just taste but also feeling, connected and cared for.” On the Xenia website, it explains, "At Xenia Greek Hospitality, everything begins with philoxenia—the ancient Greek art of making a stranger feel like family. It’s more than a word to us; it’s the heartbeat that connects every table, every guest, and every one of our restaurants." And all of that connects back to the prior Rant I discussed above, especially as I stated, "The level of hospitality at the Xenia restaurants is a significant reason for their success." 

In addition, even with their strong dedication to hospitality, they do not sacrifice the quality of their cuisine. Hospitality is but one element of the entirety of the dining experience. Their different restaurants allow them to showcase different aspects of Greek cuisine, from more traditional regional dishes to more creative Greek dishes. As Demetri also mentioned in the Estiator article, the public needs more education about Greek cuisine, beyond the staple dishes found at many places. The public needs to be more adventurous with their palates, to be willing to experience something new and different.  

Will one of the Xenia Greek restaurants make the next Michelin Guide? It's certainly possible, and would be well deserved, but the restaurants shouldn't sacrifice their devotion to philoxenia. They should continue to operate their restaurants as they have always done, and hopefully the Michelin Guide will smarten up in the near future. 

Please read the full Estiator: The Restaurateur article, The Michelin Guide Came to Boston. Why Didn’t Greek Cuisine Make the Cut?