Glen Moray Elgin Herritage 15 Year Old

It's been about six or so years since the last review of this whisky, so thought I would offer my opinions on a more recent bottling. This is a vatting of half oloroso and half ex-bourbon casks, aged for fifteen years and bottled at 40%. Master blender, Graham Coull, remarks: " Sherry matured and American oak matured Glen Moray are brought together to produce a deliciously sweet and rich whisky with a hint of spice."

Appearance: Bight gold (not natural). Chill filtered. Bottling code: L618157C

Nose: A nice berry (Cranberries, Strawberries) start gives way to green fruits (apples, plums, kiwis(?). Some very shy sherry notes develop late. Spirity. Pleasant, I guess, but one that will not hold your attention for long.

Palate: Light Body. Just a hint of initial sweetness quickly becomes astringent. Some of the green (sour) fruit detected on the nose comes through on the palate but are quickly pushed aside as the oak tannins take over for a bumpy ride to the finish.

Finish: Short and bitter (and that's about it).

Final thoughts: Some very tired casks (principally sherry) did this whisky no favors. After fifteen years in sherry casks (even if they only make up half of the vat) you would expect a little bit more wine influence than this offering displayed. Also, given the investment that Glen Moray expends to produce a fifteen year old malt, you would expect them to maybe raise that expectations as to what the final product should be. Bottling at 40% is a joke.

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