The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Glen Moray Tasting Notes

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society 35.247 2008 (11 year old) ‘In A tabanco jerez 65%

Second Fill Oloroso Sherry Butt/ Dist: Mar 2008 Btl: 2019/ Tasted: Oct 2019

Bovril.! Meaty and sherried with cumin, treacle, juicy raisinated fruit, green nuts, tamarind juice and tobacco smoke on the nose. Water makes no change.

The palate is a mouthful of juicy raisinated fruit, green nuts and alcohol. Water tames the alcohol but it’s still all sherry. The finish is hot and bitter with lime, raisin and cardamom. Water softens. In conclusion: A very clean sherry cask but in truth it could have come from anywhere in Scotland.

Highland Laird Glen Moray Tasting Notes

Highland Laird Glen Moray 1995 (19 year old) 49.9%

Bartles Rawlings International

Bourbon Hogshead/ Dist: 1995 Btl: 2014/ Tasted: Oct 2014

Pungent aromas of kerosene and burnt toffee. Quite industrial and marc-like. Some sweet barley can be detected beneath along with a touch of creamy oak, but this is really hard going.

The palate is pretty much the same as the nose with a bitter acerbic finish.

Claxton’s Glen Moray Tasting Notes

Claxton’s ‘The Single Cask’ Glen Moray 2007 (10 year old) 54.5%

First Fill Bourbon Barrel/ Dist: Nov 2007 Btl: 2018/ Tasted: Apr 2018

An aromatic and succulent nose with juicy apricot, peach and tangerine. Very evolved for such a young whisky with huge amount of apple blossom honey and barley. Late hints of lime, grist and vanilla. A lovely nose.

The palate is heavily barley’d but still as juicy and succulent as the nose suggests. Gently spiced middle with a touch of grippy, coffee’d oak and barley husks. A piercing, lime accented finish with offsetting honey, white peach, pear, tangerine and a touch of banana.

Edition Spirits Glen Moray Tasting Notes

Edition Spirits Glen Moray 1995 (21 year old) 51.9%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: EDI0189/ HL12831

Dist: Mar 1995 Btl: 2017/ Tasted: Nov 2017

A lovely nose of dusty American oak, orange blossom honey, apricot, barley. Wonderfully fragrant and balanced with late hints of greengage, gooseberry and lime.

The palate is soft and barley’d with subtle dusty oak and hints of fleshy apricot, apple, orange and honey. The oak begins to bitter on the middle as well as adding some darker wood spices. Long and continuing a little bitter with citrus, camphor and marzipan.

Edition Spirits ‘The First Edition’ Glen Moray 1996 (23 year old) 55.9%

Bourbon/ Code: EDI0643/ Dist: Feb 1996 Btl: 2021/Tasted: Feb 2021

A tight, earthy and herbal nose with sweet barley and minerals. The alcohol is making the nose feel a little edgy and spirity, but there’s a little toasty oak, suppressed manuka honey and coffee.

The palate is tight and herbal (mint/ camphor). Hints of barley, honey, citrus and wood spice follow.Subtle white fruit and silky, creamy oak on the middle. Masked finish with coffee’d spice, barley and honey.

A drop od water makes the nose gorgeously honyed and juicy with shimmering barley and mature, sawdusty oak. Hints of pear, apple and lemon have appeared. The palate is juicy, citric and mature with plenty of white fruit and hints of honey and creamy oak. Wonderfully balanced and long with a citrus and white fruit finish.

North Star Spirits Glen Moray Tasting Notes

North Star Spirits Glen Moray 2007 (9 year old) 57.7%

Bourbon Hogshead/ Dist: Nov 2007 Btl: Sept 2017/ Tasted: Oct 2017

Wonderfully fragrant with oodles of exotic fruit – pineapple, banana, peach and pear, along with sweet barley and buttery oak. This is a real fruit fest in a glass! Late hints of charred oak and honey.

The palate opens with some subtly sweet honey, vanilla and grippy barley. There’s some almost sweet corn-like notes and just enough lime to balance. Subtly estery with hints of pineapple and apricot on the middle. Long, crisp, citric finish with a tongue tingling finish. Stunning!

Water emphasises the creamy oak and natural oils. On the palate it brings out a touch of granulated sugar.

Dewar Rattray Glen Moray Tasting Notes

Dewar Rattray ‘Individual Cask Bottling’ Glen Moray 2007 (8 year old) 60.9%

First Fill Bourbon Barrel 5451/ Dist: Nov 2007 Btl: Jul 2016/ Tasted: Sept 2016

A very fragrant and estery nose with pineapple chunks, melon, banana, apricot, dusty barley and porridge oats. With time a slight botanical character appears along with some rye-like herbs and sweet ‘Bourbony’ oak.

The palate opens with waves of intense, estery fruit found on the nose. The middle is quite mineral and the alcohol masks the finish although some banana and ‘Bourbony’ oak returns once the alcohol has passed.

Water brings forward the oak a touch on the nose but it also brings out some luscious tangerine and orange. The oak is a more forward on the palate too, but not only does it give soft vanilla it also gives some grippy spice notes. it does bitter a little at the end but the weight of the malt certainly balances.

Carn Mor Glen Moray Tasting Notes

Carn Mor Strictly Limited Glen Moray 2012 (7 year old) 46%

Sherry Butt/ Dist: 2012 Btl: Apr 2019/ Tasted: Jun 2019

The nose is a little raw, sherried and leafy with a touch of perfumed rose, barley and white liquorice. The sherry influence is actually quite subtle and balanced.

The palate shows the same sherried rawness as the nose with barley, white fruit and subtle herbal sherry. Sweetens on the middle. Medium length with lingering white fruit, citrus and drying tannins.

Carn Mor Celebration of the Cask Glen Moray 1992 (24 year old) 49.8%

Bourbon Hogshead 2950/Dist: Jun1992 Btl: Sept 2016/Tasted: Sept 2016

Wonderfully dusty and mature aromas with thick acacia honey and hints of tangerine, melon, gooseberry, straw and gentle oak. Deep and generously endowed with late manuka honey and cigar leaf notes.

The palate is lighter with more refreshing citrus and minerals to the fore. The dusty, mature oak and barley follows on the middle along with a touch of honey and white chocolate. Stunning finish! Long and juicy with subtle vanilla, straw and a touch of bitter spice which sets the tongue tingling!

Douglas Laing Glen Moray Tasting Notes

Douglas Laing Old Particular Glen Moray 1999 (14 year old) 48.4%

Bourbon/ Code: OLP0053/ Dist: Jun 1999 Btl: Apr 2015/ Tasted: May 2015

The nose is a little subdued with oily barley and hints of dried fruit. Sweet and herbal with a late creamy vanilla and butterscotch note.

The palate is a little tart and citric with hints of barley and honey. A touch of vanilla and sharp spices come through on the middle. Long, exceedingly herbal finish with some green fruit and lightly bittering oak.

Douglas Laing Old Particular Glen Moray 1999 (15 year old) 48.4%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead

Code: OLD0135/ DL10420

Dist: Jun 1999 Btl: Aug 2014/ Tasted: Jun 2015

Quite gristy aromas with curry spice, Bourbony oak and a little hard barley. Hints of toasted toffee plus almost re-fill sherry like herbal notes, which begin to dominate.

The palate is lightly oiled and very herbal with gritty oak tannins and vanilla. A touch of barley and citrus appears on the middle but like the nose the hrbal notes dominate. Long and very spicy with coffee, milk chocolate and vanilla.

Douglas Laing Old Particular Glen Moray 2003 (15 year old) 48.4%

Bourbon Finished/ Code: OLD0665/ DL12802

Dist: Sept 2003 Btl: Sept 2018/ Tasted: Dec 2018

A minerally and austere nose with apricot, toasty oak, rye-like herbs and spice. In fact the oak becomes very dominant. I would guess that it’s probably finished in first fill Bourbon

The palate opens with subtle barley and minerals. A touch less oak but it’s still there and pretty toasty and grippy. Hints of honey come through on the middle and the finish is short, sharp and citric with lingering rye-like herbs and vanilla.  Lacking some balance to be honest.

Douglas Laing Old Particular Glen Moray 1995 (20 year old) 51.5%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OLD0226/ DL10871

Dist: Mar 1995 Btl: Aug 2015/ Tasted: Sept 2015

A heavy barley nose with hints of pollen heavy flowers, apricot and honey. The aromas become quite oily with just a smidge of toffee and honeycomb. Deep and juicy with a faint mineral freshness.

The palate is full and barley’d but shot through by a delightful seam of citrus. Dusty oak and toffee notes appear along with honey and thick apricot. Long and slightly grassy with lime powering through. A lovely balance of freshness and maturity.

Douglas Laing Old Particular Glen Moray 1991 (25 year old) 51.5%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OLD455/ DL11831

Dist: Oct 1991 Btl: Jun 2017/ Tasted: July 2017

A light and elegant nose of herbal barley, thyme and mint. It becomes quite mineral and citric with time and the herbal notes develop into a nettley/ grassy character. The American oak sits subtly in the background allowing the mature and vibrant spirit character to shine.

The palate opens with more honey, creamy oak and oily barley, giving it a fuller feeling. It’s still quite herbal and grassy and there is a lovely citric burst on the middle. Lovely vibrant and citric finish with a subtle spice intimation and lingering dark chocolatey wood notes. Oooh! That’s magnificent!

Douglas Laing Provenance Glen Moray 2008 (8 year old) 46%

Very Refilled Bourbon Hogshead.!/ Code: PRV1267/ Dist: Jun 2008 Btl: 2017/ Tasted: May 2017

A slightly feinty nose with hints of digestive biscuit, crisp, white fruit, sweet barley and white liquorice. There is no oak character at all, which is not a surprise given its extremely light colour.

The palate opens with some subtle barley and a touch of bubblegummy white fruit. Like the nose it is a little feinty with biscuity, young, spirit notes. Short and spicy with a suggestion of Tequila-like pepper.

Douglas Laing Provenance Glen Moray 2004 (12 year old) 46%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: PRV1268/DL11622

Dist: May 2004 Btl: Feb 2017/ Tasted: Apr 2017

Subtle (or insubstantial?) and quite grainy aromas with hints of white fruit, sweet peach and faint toffee.

The palate is very subtle and a little sugary with hints of barley and white fruit. Simple and linear with developing heather, grass and slightly bitter spice on the finish. Although the start is a little uninspiring it picks up well towards the end.

Douglas Laing Provenance Glen Moray 2004 (12 year old) 46%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: PRV1268/DL11622

Dist: May 2004 Btl: Feb 2017/ Tasted: Apr 2017

Subtle (or insubstantial?) and quite grainy aromas with hints of white fruit, sweet peach and faint toffee.

The palate is very subtle and a little sugary with hints of barley and white fruit. Simple and linear with developing heather, grass and slightly bitter spice on the finish. Although the start is a little uninspiring it picks up well towards the end.

Douglas Laing Provenance Glen Moray 2007 (12 year old) 46%

Bourbon/ Code: PRV01493/ Dist: Jun 2007 Btl: 2019/ Tasted: Jan 2020

A dense, malty and barley’d nose. Rather chunky, foursquare and lacking the distilleries usual elegance and citric lightness. Late toffee and fragrant barley.

Spritzy and lemony on the palate with chunky malt and barley. The oak comes through powerfully on the middle depositing a good chunk of toffee. Long, lightly grassy, heathery, honeyed and malty finish. Although he palate is more interesting than the nose it still lacks a bit of elegance.

Hunter Laing Glen Moray Tasting Notes

Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask Glen Moray 2004 (15 year old) 50%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OMC2884/ Dist: Apr 2004 Btl: 2019/ Tasted: Jun 2019

The nose is quite dense and honeyed with a light sulphur (spirit)  note. Plenty of vanilla oak, toasted toffee, coffee and marzipan comes through to sort of blanket it and with time a touch of pear and acacia appears.

The palate is dense and honeyed like the nose with apple blossom and a gain a fair amount of oak. Coffee’d tannins, and toffee on the middle. Long, citrus and honey finish with mouth-watering white fruit and drying spicy tannins. Pleasant palate but I’m note sure about the nose.

Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask Glen Moray 2004 (16 year old) 50%

Bourbon/ Code: OMC2984/ Dist: Aug 2004 Btl: 2021/ Tasted: Apr 2021

A very subtle and grassy/ herbal nose. Initially it’s a little insubstantial but it begins to fill out when the barley aromas arrive. Late under-ripe banana, lemon and vanilla cream.

The palate is a little fuller than the nose due to more toffee/ buttery oak, but it’s not a fresh and citric as the nose. Hints of barley come through on the middle but the oak is becoming rather dominant. Long with lemon, barley and grapefruit breaking through the oak. It certainly ends on a high.

Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask Glen Moray 2005 (16 year old) 50%

OMC3029/ Dist: May 2005 Btl: 2021?/ Tasted: June 2021

A gorgeously rich and honeyed nose. Orange blossom honey, shot through with lime and hints of heather, dusty barley, apple and ginger. It’s a lovely balanced nose.

Light bodied and fresh on the palate. Barley’d and elegant with subtle creamy oak, honey, ginger and apricot on the middle which makes it feel a little weightier. Long, orange, lime and heather finish and a herbal spice after-taste.

Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask Glen Moray 1991 (21 year old) 50%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/Code: OMC2308/ HL9935

Dist: Oct 1991 Btl: Aug 2013/ Tasted: Sept 2013

Quite an earthy, natural nose with barley, black pepper and herbal honey. Quite deep and with time hints of lemon, lightly perfumed orange and granulated sugar appear. In fact it’s now quite sweet!

The palate opens with the creamy, fudgy oak followed by barley, light malt, treacle and toffee. There’s a brief spicy burst on the middle and then its back to the malt, treacle and toffee. Medium length but the m, t and t lingers.

Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask Glen Moray 1995 (21 year old) 50%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/Code: OMC2588/ HL12819

Dist: Mar 1995 Btl: Aug 2016/ Tasted: Oct 2016

An evocative nose of peach, barley, honey and white fruit. Hints of lemon grass, dusty American oak follows. It darkens a little with time as the malt appears.

The palate is crisp, fresh and quite grassy with white fruit, barley and a little wood tannin. The oak is pleasantly mature and the building citrus on the middle is balanced by some sweet barley and honey. Long and juicy with lingering citrus, spice and vanilla.

Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask Glen Moray 1997 (21 year old) 50%

Refill Bourbon Barrel/ Code: OMC2922/ DL17201

Dist: Oct 1997 Btl: Sept 2019/ Tasted: Oct 2019

The nose opens with plenty of sweet and dusty barley along with herbal American oak and both corn and  rye-like notes. Hints of gooseberry, green apple, lemon and lime appear but it’s very oaky. Late white rose, camomile and nettles. I have to say that giving it some time in the glass makes it beautifully fragrant.

The palate displays mily vanilla and hints of apple, pear, gooseberry, dusty barley, a touch of malt and grippy, fresh American oak tannins. A little herbal honey fills out the middle but the citrus notes intensify too. Long and mineral with lingering green apple, gooseberry, but that’s marred by an interrupting, slightly burnt, toffee’d corn note.

Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask Glen Moray 1991 (28 year old) 50%

Refill Bourbon/ Code: OMC2935/ Dist: Oct 1991 Btl: 2019/ Tasted: Dec 2019

The evocative nose opens with a gentle lemon, lime and sawdusty oak note. Lovely depth with fresh, bright barley, apricot, honeysuckle, milky vanilla and toffee. Pleasantly aromatic and floral with time.

The palate displays fresh lemon and barley with subtle sawdusty oak, honeysuckle and apricot. Hints of vanilla toffee comes through on the middle along with a touch of dried fruit. It continues fresh, citric and mineral through to the finish and the oak balances and stops it becoming too austere. Good tongue tingling spice and citrus after-taste.

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Hunter Laing Hepburns Choice Glen Moray 2007 (8 year old) 46%

Bourbon/ Code: HEP0098/ Dist: Apr 2007 Btl: Apr 2015/ Tasted: May 2015

A lovely, fragrant and estery nose with soft banana, pineapple and sugar coated melon. Hints of barley and creamy oak emerge along with some herbal spice. The aromas become a little oilier with time and hints of almond and butter toffee appear. A seriously delightful nose!

The palate opens with the soft and creamy vanilla-toffee, barley, honey and banana. Hints of exotic fruit and oak come through and give it a lovely fleshy mouth-feel. Long with a cinnamon spiced, piquant but chewy and malty finish.

Hunter Laing Hepburns Choice Glen Moray 2007 (9 year old) 46%

Refill Bourbon Barrel/ Code: HEP0236/ Dist: Nov 2007 Btl: 2017/ Tasted: May 2017

A nose of marzipan and oily barley with hints of citrus. Quite robust by Moray standards with subtle, floral honey with a touch of gooseberry, herbs and earth.

The palate is fresher and more citric with sweet barley, vanilla and a touch of spice. Good depth of stone fruit and malt on the middle. Long and spicy with gentle vanilla and sweet barley finish.

Hunter Laing Hepburns Choice Glen Moray 2007 (10 year old) 46%

Bourbon/ Code: HEP0319/ Dist: Nov 2007 Btl: ?/ Tasted: Mar 2018

Aromas of fragrant barley, banana, apricot and silky American oak. It has a slight Irish feel to it with plenty of estery notes and late citrus and gooseberry.

The palate opens with dusty barley, apricot, apple, banana and sweet, almond infused vanilla. Lovely balance and intensity, with the oak becoming very nutty and ‘Boubony’ on the middle, but it doesn’t dominate as the lovely spiced apple and pear notes balance. Long and vanilla’d with a lovely, silky finish.

Hunter Laing Hepburns Choice Glen Moray 2001 (12 year old) 46%

Bourbon/ Code: HEP0048/ Dist: Nov 2001 Btl: July 2014/ Tasted: Aug 2014

A lovely, full and fragrant nose. Very estery with apricot, banana and lightly tropical fruit. With time the creamy oak emerges along with a slight grassiness.

The palate mirrors the nose. Full and fleshy with apricot, banana and sweet barley. A very summery dram with hints of white fruit and grass. Good length with a light white pepper note in the finish and a lightly mentholated after-taste.

Berry Brothers Tasting Notes

Berry Bros & Rudd ‘Berrys’ Glen Moray 1991 (20 year old) 57.3%

Bourbon Cask 5654/ Dist: 1991 Btl: 2011/ Tasted: Mar 2013

Appealing aromas of rich honey with a herbal nuance. Hints of barley and a sort of sherbert shaving soap note follow. Quite alcoholic with some emerging dark toffee, baked malty fruit and tobacco notes.

The palate is chewy and herbal to start with hints of honey, baked apple and malt. Quite full for a Moray but the alcohol is rather intrusive. Quite long with a continuation of the baked fruit theme, finishing with a touch of coffee, hickory and spice.

A drop of water makes the nose feel fresher. Less dark now and more herbal with a touch of white chocolate and sweet barley. The palate is a tad on the watery side, still showing that baked fruit character along with a lot more caramel/ toffee. Simpler now but showing a touch of green citrus on the middle and finish. All in all it’s quite pleasant.