Review 2017-081 «Specifics» Single malt • 40.0% Alcohol • Matured undisclosed number of years with the last 8 months in Tawny port casks • Chill filtered • Natural coloured • Glen Moray Distillery (owned by La Martiniquaise) • Elgin • Moray • Scotland • Widely available • Price ±€22 • Whiskybase #59046
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«What others say»
- @whiskybase: mean score of 79.68 (151 votes)
- @whiskyforeveryone: “It may not be the most complex single malt but offers plenty in terms of aroma, flavour and depth”
- @tomswhiskyreviews: “This dram is right up my street, port influenced and full of flavour, this is the way whisky should be”
- @somersetwhisky: “A lovely dram to start the night off with”
"Could have been bang-for-your-back, but only for lovers of a light sense of the port"
(Photo from Whiskybase)
This bottling is now part of the standard range of Glen Moray, one of the less known Speyside distilleries. They offer a range of affordable whiskies with various finishes. Could be a candidate for a BFYB dram, perhaps? I find it a tiny bit of a plain (=boring) bottle. In contrast to LVMH (admire Glenmorangie or Ardbeg), these French owners have clearly not intervened in the bottle design. But that does not mean the contents are the same! Colour is rosé (and according to the label: natural). Resembling a port-finish indeed.
Nose
Soft, whispering, hint of so far, vaguely fruitish. Probably black berries, plums and cherries, too short to keep my attention. Also some honey. Water increases the integration. Now barley, bread and sour dough come into play. More honey. Port is still not very obvious, and needs a little more breathing time to come to the front. The cask has not clearly put its stamp on the spirit, which appears a very young one.
Taste
Yeah, the port is much clearer here. The usual suspects, black berries, cherries and plums play their part. Water makes it easier, rounder. More barley, grains, breads. I read the previous contents of the cask was a Tawny port, but to me it appears more as a light flavoured Ruby in this spirit. Bit of a bitter finish.
Overall
Well integrated, round, easy, but also simple, lacking depth. Fair price though. So probably a starter if you want to find your way into port-finished whiskies. But be aware, there are much better examples to be found.
- Review 2017-081
- Single malt
- Glen Moray Distillery
- Glen Moray (La Martiniquaise)
- NAS
- Unknown bottling date
- Last 8 months in Tawny port casks
- Natural colour
- Chill-filtered
- 40
- Standard range
- ±22
- Still available
- Whiskybase #59046
What others say
A sample of this was purchased drom !
Scores
• these are my personal views, so do not take them too seriously… nothing beats tasting these for yourself •
- Black berries
- Barley
- Port