Glen Moray is based in Elgin, Scotland, within the legendary Speyside region and the distillery has seen some rapid expansion within the last 5 years or so. Their distinctive brand and bottling shows a focus on traditional distilling and with so much competition within the area, the content of their bottles really has something to prove to be able to stand out from the crowd. This particuar expression is readily available within shops and supermarkets within the U.K. at a really cheap price for a non-home-brand single malt (usually found for roughly £22) and as its name suggests, focuses on a classic sherry cask finish, so without further ado…
ABV: 40%
Nose
M: Parma violet style sweetness upfront. A deeper sniff brings out a nice earthy, oak smell (like smelling the inside of a cask, which makes sense). A bit like smelling a booze-soaked crumble.
Taste
M: It is fruity sweetness all the way with a toffee apple tang at the back and a little citrus too.
Finish
M: Pretty damn smooth, very light and a really quick finish – it is not hanging around and leaves you wanting more.
Verdict
M: This whisky has all of the hallmarks of a good, traditional whisky done well, whisky still flying in the face of traditional whisky drinkers by not having an age statement – the emphasis being on taste and this dram is testament to the fact that good whiskies don’t have to come with an age statement (though I do really want to know how old it is on average!). It seems pretty fresh, straight forward and it is good at what it does. It doesn’t feel richly sherried, as it’s name would suggest, but it’s definitely there and makes for a very easy drinking dram. Definitely a cheap and cheerful whisky, and I’ve tasted many whiskies at a higher price which are nowhere near as good by comparison. As one of the cheapest single malts available in the U.K. Supermarkets, this therefore goes to prove that neither age nor cost actually dictate quality, and makes this a good affordable whisky for amateurs and aficionados alike. But hey, that’s like, just my opinion, man.
whisky unplugged 