Whisky: Glen Moray 28 Year (1990), Thompson Brothers

Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside

ABV: 45.9%

Cask: Sherry

Age: 28 Years (Distilled 15 May 1990, Bottled 2018)

Nose: Rich dried fruits, baking spices, and barrels of orchard fruits; apples and pears with slivered almonds and coffee cake, dried plums, mellow lacquered wood with hints of leather and chocolate, subtle tobacco at times.

Palate: Medium to light-bodied, oily texture, dried fruits, lacquered wood, brown sugar and plum, leather, orchard fruits with nuts and caramel, more wood and herbal notes toward the end.

Finish: Medium to long and mellow with dried fruit, oak, and herbs.

Score: 6+ (80)

Mental Image: September Evening Porch Whisky

Narrative & Notes: The aroma was rich and fresh, a contradiction of sorts as dried plums, figs, and berries dueled with apples and pears in various states of being peeled and chopped for pie. Slivered almonds, all-spice, dried ginger, and hints of cloves lingered in the background with coffee cake and chocolate. Mellow lacquered wood and hints of leather developed with more time and helped prop up a sweet dried tobacco quality. Medium to light-bodied, oily texture, and a profile that drifted between layers of fruit, wood, and herbal tobacco. Dried fruits with hints of apples provided a restrained sweetness and hints of nuts and gooey caramel. Black pepper and all-spice developed with lacquered wood and musty mulch. Tea cakes and tobacco provided an herbal and occasionally bitter ending. The finish was medium to long and mellow with dried fruit, oak, and herbs.

The aroma had a beautiful complexity with contrasting notes that never stepped on one another or became overly muddled. Yet, where did all of that complexity go on the palate? The whisky was unexpectedly light; considering the robust aroma, the flavor profile was relatively simple. From prior experience with mature Glen Moray, I expected a thicker, heavier, and much richer malt on the palate. Still, the whisky was very quaffable, and the mild nature of the malt made it a great candidate as something to sip on without hyper-focusing, as I sometimes like to do.

Overall, a lovely whisky with a mellow waxiness on the palate that helps to deliver a long finish.