Glen Moray 11 Year SMWS 35.247 “In a tabanco in Jerez”
Whisky : Glen Moray 11 Year SMWS 35.247 “In a tabanco in Jerez”
Country/Region : Scotland/Speyside
ABV : 65.0%
Cask : 2nd Fill Ex-Oloroso Butt
Age : 11 Years (Distilled 10 March 2008)
Nose : Rich and fruity. Candied figs and dates up front while herbal-savory notes emerged more slowly: tanned cow hide, velvet smoking robes, a faint white pepper funk, and marmalade smeared whole wheat toast. Blood orange and grapefruit soda gave the nose a lovely sweet citrus kick.
Palate : Thick and heavy with an oily and viscous mouthfeel, this dram just laid down across the palate. Right away there was fig cake drenched in syrup, candied cherries, and sweet oranges. Malty caramelized sugars came through with toffee blondie bars and a mild dryness at the end. A few drops of water highlighted roasty sweet espresso crema and caramel covered bananas.
Finish : Lingering bitter orange and caramelized brown sugar.
Score : 7
Mental Image : Orange Panna Cotta with Honey Fried Figs
Notes : I gave this a go totally blind and while I could tell right away that it was a sherry bomb, I honestly thought it was nearly a decade older and certainly not a Glen Moray. Despite running into some really tasty Glen Moray through SMWS and Berry Bros & Rudd, I still think of them as a totally plain-jane distillery without a whole lot of character.
This struck a lovely balance between the syrupy sweet cask and a wonderfully fruity spirit. The combination worked wonders as occasional hits of maltiness gave the impression of syrupy drenched fruit pastries. While I have never been to a tabanco in Jerez I have heard, seen, and felt enough flamenco to have an idea what the bottle-namers at SMWS were going for with this one. There was a feeling of passion and depth to the dram that resonated like the strum of the flamenco guitar and the stamping of a dancer’s feet— if that was a tad bit poetic then just take away from this that the flavors were vivid and bold.\
Overall a wonderful sherried Glen Moray with a lot to offer, this hits right up there with the Glengoyne Tea Pot and the SMWS Tullibarine 28.43 “Muscle-toned heft and punch” as the sort of sherry bombs I want available when I am in the mood.
