Glen Moray Whisky Tasting with Graham Coull

Glen Moray, a Speyside distillery in Scotland has released a new addition to its portfolio, the Glen Moray 25 Year Old Portwood Finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

Visiting Sydney for the first time, Master Distiller and Distillery Manager, Graham Coull presented a tasting of the Glen Moray single malts matched with cheese.

Glen Moray Range *

Owned by French company La Martiniquaise, Glen Moray started as a brewery in 1831 before it became a distillery in 1897. Coull is the fifth distillery manager in its history and has previously worked at the Balvenie Distillery in Dufftown. Glen Moray’s largest market is the UK followed by Australia. Last year, the distillery purchased two additional stills to increase production by 50%.

Glen Moray Tasting

Glen Moray Classic Single Malt (40% ABV) is the youngest of the range, aged in ex-fill bourbon casks. It is closest to the spirit that comes off the still, Coull explains. Light gold in colour, fresh on the nose with subtle vanilla notes, honey, orange, a little lime, it is also light on the palate with a little sweetness and sweet vanilla notes coming through, a combination that offsets the tartness of the accompanying goats cheese. It has a short finish and makes a good spirit in cocktails and mixers such as the Highland Fizz, a mix of the whisky with ginger beer and Angostura Bitters.

Glen Moray Chardonnay Cask 10 yo (40% ABV) is fully matured in ex French chardonnay casks, which is unique and gives the whisky a darker colour. On the nose, it has a sweet, candied caramelised aromas and a marked intensity on the palate, buttery with a longer finish and a little spice. Spiciness and butter notes of the whisky cut through the cheese blue cheese with which it is paired, leaving a dry, lingering taste with a mouth coating.

Glen Moray 12 yo (40% ABV) is the older brother of the classic, matured in ex American bourbon casks. Graham Coull’s favourite, it epitomises the house style of Glen Moray with vanilla, toffee, butterscotch and caramel notes, a little spice and zestiness with oak from the longer ageing. Paired with aged parmesan, the dryness and nuttiness of cheese goes well with the caramel notes of the whisky.

Glen Moray 16 yo (40% ABV) is matured in ex bourbon and ex sherry casks, aged in separate barrels before they are mixed in the end. The whisky has a stronger nose with more intense coffee and dark chocolate from the sherry maturation. Paired with aged cheddar, it tastes sweet and spicy, with the nutty texture of the cheese complementing the fruit flavours of the whisky.

Glen Moray 25 yo Portwood Finish *

Glen Moray 25 yo Portwood Finish (43% ABV), the star of the tasting, has spent 23 years in ex bourbon casks then moved to cigar shaped pipes with port casks from Portugal. A limited release, only 3,482 bottles are produced, each is numbered and comes is a wooden display box, retailing at $250.

The nose is markedly different from the range with more oak and complexity. The whisky has loads of flavour from the port which contributes to a deep copper colour. On the palate, there is a spicy kick from the bourbon followed by the sweetness from the port. A long lingering finish with dark chocolate and creamy vanilla makes it a good whisky with which to end the night.

The whisky is matched with a 3 year old aged gruyere which accentuates the sweet character of the single malt.

Graham Coull

The Glen Moray Tasting with Graham Coull was held at Since I Left You bar on Thursday 1st August 2013.

More about Glen Moray whisky, including experimental cask tastings can be found in our Whisky Live review.

* Images courtesy of Glen Moray, used with permission.