When I just started my whisky journey, and when Speyside was still the magic word when browsing the shelves at my local – long before I learned about the (un)importance of Scotch whisky regions – Glen Moray offered some of the most affordable age-stated single malts. Actually, they still do. However, the quality was (even for its modest price) not always great.
Glen Moray has made a lot of strides since though. I often pop in when I’m in Scotland to pick up their distillery exclusive, which has always been worthwhile – or at least the ones I’ve had. Their Cider Cask Finish was daring, fun and different. I feel like they’ve really carved out an identity for themselves.
But a strong core range is key to built a larger following, and I’m not convinced that is the case yet. Let’s put the Glen Moray 15 Years Old to the test.
Glen Moray 15 Years Old (40%, OB, +/- 2019)
Nose: Juicy and sweet oranges and a whiff of banana peel, with a touch of vanilla, butterscotch and hazelnuts. A whisper of wood smoke, as well as oak shavings.
Taste: Vanilla custard, banana, and breakfast cereals, with a bit of fudge thrown in. Touches of oak, tannins and cloves, as well as a whiff of pepper.
Finish: The spiciness lingers, but only for a short time.
Score: 79
Rather a tad too spicy on the palate for my liking, but certainly not a bad whisky. Decent stuff if you can find it for less than 40 euro, but I also see it offered for south of 50 euro, which is a tad much I feel.
Photo: The Whisky Exchange
