Glen Moray

[whisky_rob]

Pretty standard tour, but my favourite bit was a visit to one of the warehouses. Unlike for example Glenfiddich where they have obviously prepared it for visitors. Here it appeared they literally opened the doors to a random dark warehouse.

This is not a criticism, in fact quite the opposite! I loved seeing the insides of a real dark warehouse where you could nose pretty much any cask you fancied!

Post tour, back for a tasting and here after a 10 minute chat our group of 4 were left with a glass each and various bottles to sample. Basic brief was, don't take the *** but help yourselves and try what ever you like. This included their 30 year old! So had a nip of everything!

Cost was £4 each but excellent value when you consider one measure of their 30 year old costs a bit more than £4! A few visitor centres exclusives in the shop as well. Not as flashy and well rounded as Glenfiddich or Dalmore but i'd say all the better for it!

9/10

[albo]

Wow that sounds like quite the experience. It's pretty rare these days for there to be quite so much Trust.

How was the 30yo?

[whisky_rob]

The Glen Moray 30 was excellent. I haven't had the opportunity to try too many whiskies in this age/price range other than a Glenfarclas 30, Tomintoul 1981 and Glenfarclas 1983 family cask.

It was very subtle with quite a light almost floral nose, quite sweet in taste and again quite a subtle finish. I tried it after the 16 and it was obviously in a different league! I think its priced at about £180, and at that price I don't think I'll buy a bottle but if you get the chance its a nice dram.

[albo]

To be fair though £130 for a 30yo isn't all that bad when you compare that to others in that age bracket.

[whisky_rob]

Totally agree that it is well priced for what you get, but other an special occasions I tend not to pay more than £50 for a drinking whisky. I also prefer the Glenfarclas 30 to the Glen Moray 30 and they are similar in price, I'm a sucker for a sherry cask!

I think Glen Moray seems quite unloved and I'm not sure why? Although having Glenmorangie as a brother must be difficult. It's well worth a visit though!

[Craven]

Cheers rob, i have never visited Glen Moray but i will certainly keep it in mind for the next time i am up that way.

[bifter]

Glen Moray was obviously considered the ginger stepchild when LVMH took over Glenmo as they quickly punted it to an outfit called La Martiniquaise. A lot of it now goes into their Label 5 blend, one of the best selling whiskies in France. I really like the signature orange peel notes and full mouthfeel of Glen Moray, if I have one criticism it would be that it is often a 'hot' whisky but not tamed with water. I could be wrong but I suspect they have historically filled their casks at high strength.

Up until the LVMH sale Glen Moray had been used as a test bed for different cask finishes, I understand they have a lot of interesting casks - certainly SMWS has seen a few including white wine cask finishes, toasted cask lids, etc. I seem to remember reading about a possible port cask release in the offing.

Sounds like a great tour, I'd love to get up there one day and check it out. It has a really interesting history too, having been the site of a gallows and also a brewery at one point.
_________________
"Whisky is liquid sunshine."
[George Bernard Shaw]

[albo]