Glen Moray 18 Years Old single malt whisky is part of the premium Elgin Heritage Collection by the Speyside distillery of Glen Moray. This collection is a capsule portrait of the classic styles of Speyside whisky, each with an age statement, that feature a variety of cask maturation. Aged entirely in first-fill ex-bourbon American oak casks over 18 long years this is a rare whisky. Bottled at 47.2% ABV and costing around £85.
The Glen Moray distillery is located on the outskirts of the city of Elgin, next to the River Lossie. The distillery started life as the West Brewery in 1828 and was later converted to become a whisky distillery in 1897. After a slightly chequered early history it is currently owned by the French drinks company La Martiniquaise, who took control in 2008 after buying the distillery from Moet Hennessey.
La Martiniquaise then embarked on a massive expansion programme, which is now complete and has resulted in an annual production capacity of six million litres. This now makes Glen Moray one of the larger distilleries in Speyside. The whisky produced Glen Moray is used for a number of La Martiniquaise’s own blended whiskies, namely Label 5 and Glen Turner, as well as this expanded range of single malts.
The Elgin Heritage Collection are available globally through specialist whisky retailers. They join and the non-age statement Elgin Classic Collection, which are available through supermarket and off license channels and the Warehouse 1 Collection that features small batch whiskies that are the result of experiments and cask adventures.
Our Tasting Notes
The nose has a subtlety to it and reveals aromas of vanilla fudge, stewed apple, peach and delicate wood spice (especially cinnamon) early on. With time further aromas of cocoa, gingerbread and dried mango come through.
This whisky has a very classy feel on the palate and follows a similar path to that of the nose. It is mouth coating and has a pleasant level of richness. Again, it seems to take some time for notes to begin fully revealing themselves. Initial notes of brown sugar and soft vanilla fudge are joined by cooked fruits (think of apple and pear) and a pinch of baking spice. This spice grows with time and adds delicious warmth to the whisky. Late notes of gingerbread, apricot jam, cocoa powder and candied orange peel add further depth and complexity.
What’s The Verdict?
This 18 years old is a whisky of rare intensity that is delicious and very classy. We have always liked Glen Moray and have enjoyed their whiskies since discovering them a number of years ago and this whisky delivers on all fronts; the classic style of Speyside whisky that they produce, great value for an older aged whisky, and an exceptional example of cask selection for boldness and depth of character.
