Glen Moray 12 Year (2007), The Whisky Cask
Whisky: Glen Moray 12 Year (2007), The Whisky Cask
Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside
ABV: 53.3%
Cask: Sherry Cask
Age: 12 Years (Distilled 2007, Bottled 2020)
Nose: Big caramel apple, pear tarts with almond float, stewed stone fruits, brown sugar, nutmeg and clove, honey and fried pastries, more oak and lacquered wood with time.
Palate: Medium-bodied, big, bright, and vibrant with caramel apples, honey-drenched pastries, stewed stone fruits with brown sugar, clove, and nutmeg, hints of coffee, chocolate, and lacquered wood; more candied fruits toward the end.
Finish: Medium-length with apples, baking spices, and oak.
Score: 6
Mental Image: Fun Fair Caramel Apple Dealer
Narrative & Notes: Suddenly transported back in time, I was a kid again, staring at the giant caramel apple stand, trying to peek over the counter and see all the gooey options. Bright, juicy red apples and slightly tart green apples adorned the aroma with this caramel slathered on apples, melted in a pear tart with butter, or strewn over stewed stone fruits. The fruitiness sometimes verged more on almond extract or almond float with malty pastries spiced with nutmeg, clove, and brown sugar. Those honey-drenched pastries slowly faded as more oak and lacquered wood developed. Medium-bodied, on the palate were bigger, bright red fruits with a vibrant, sweet ripeness. Caramel apples and stewed stones fruit cobblers spiced with brown sugar, cloves, and nutmeg arrived with honey-drenched fried pastries. In the background, hints of coffee, lacquered wood, chocolate, and candied fruits lingered. The finish was medium-length with apples, baking spices, and oak,
An immense cask affair demonstrating how well the big malty flavors of Glen Moray stand up to a heady active cask. The aroma was loaded with caramel apples of various sorts and only gradually took on a more intense, sometimes peppery, lacquered wood quality. The flavor profile was bright and vibrant so that it never felt weighed down by the intensity of the cask, even if the cask took the driver's seat.
These sorts of cask bombs are not typically to my taste, but this one was definitely well-done and satisfied any craving on my part for something sweet, malty, and sherried. Overall, a simple, nicely put-together Glen Moray.
