Glen Moray 8yr old, 2013, 63.6% ABV (A.D.Rattray).

This whisky was part of the Twitter tasting on the 23rd of September 2021of an A.D.Rattray Cask Collection tasting set, with The Whisky Wire. (Twitter follow buttons can be found at the bottom of this review.)

Bourbon hogshead Cask #889, and finished in a Sauternes Barrique for 12 months, and available in October 2021 for £61.

Appearance

A touch darker than light gold in colour, with a nice thick swirl line, with medium legs and teardrops #ADRattrayWhisky

Nose

High abv, wow, nose is more complex here. Shiny red apples lead us into this dram, quickly followed by lots of wood treatments. Icing sugar sits in the background, and quite quickly seaweed and marine notes push it aside.

With more time herbaceous aromas come through, pineapple slices too, with egg custard tart, and tropical muesli.

Palate

There’s a nice mouthfeel here, with lots of spice, 5 spices and honey. Cinnamon, cardamom, and blackcurrant jam, cram into the mid palate starting the rise of spicy notes. Espresso, heavily toasted bread, walnuts, and grapefruit/pomello pile in towards the end of the palate, and right at the end there is a little drying. #ADRattrayWhisky

Finish

Quite long, and much like the palate. Mouthfeel thickens up more with time, and i’m now thinking greengages, slightly unripe plums, with a citrus edge, keeping that spiciness going until the very end. #ADRattrayWhisky

My thoughts

It’s a spice bomb of a dram this one, with huge amounts of bourbon cask influence, and it keeps going and going. There is a dark spiciness to this also, it’s no one trick pony in all honesty. Iv’e enjoyed tasting it at this strength, personally i think Glen Moray comes across better at higher ABV, this one bares all, and it’s unashamedly proud of itself for doing so.

Notes – This whisky is presented in it’s natural colour, is non chill filtered and bottled at natural cask strength.

Thanks to – A.D.Rattray Independent whisky company, and The Whisky Wire, for the opportunity to sample this whisky.