Glen Moray 34 Year Old 1977 Malts of Scotland

This is the second Glen Moray I taste this month. Actually, this is my second Glen Moray ever. The first one I tasted was the standard 12 Year Old during a fancy whisky dinner in Antwerp. The independent bottler Malts of Scotland bottled something quite different indeed: this one is 34 years old.

The creamy nose burst with tropical fruit (think mango, pineapple, figs), upholstered with honey, vanilla, furniture polish and a big stamp of the oak. Not woodsmoke, but a hint of it. From the rack of herbs I remember cloves, cinnamon and a whiff of saffron. A leaf of mint gives the spirit a wonderfully fresh uplift.

The attack makes the oak to speak first. Make that shout. Then all the herbs from the nose return and the whisky becomes very fruity again, almost tropical. Despite the high ABV, it does not need water.

The finish is a party as well. Long, spicy and warm on soft oak.

If you have tasted this, you cannot conclude anything else than Glen Moray being one of those underrated distilleries. But then, the standard 12 is a meagre thing, compared to this. Wow! Those fellas at MoS sure know how to pick their casks. The spring release also contains two other Speysiders: a Tomintoul 1967 on a rum cask and a rather rare Banff 1975. But that is a whole different story.

Find where to buy Glen Moray whisky