Glen Moray 7 Years Old 2015 Cask #88 (Sansibar)

From the bottler Sansibar, a 7 year old Glen Moray, distilled in 2015, from cask 88, bottled at 62%, one of 247 bottles. Glen Moray, founded in 1897 in a former brewery, is one of Speyside's best loved malts. It has been owned since 2008 by the French house La Martiniquaise.

It was run through the stills on River Lossie water for a light make, for a clean make of orchard fruit and a soft honey. Maturation came in ex-Bourbon wood, the oak quiet behind the light spirit. In these extractive early years the oak gives vanillin as vanilla and oak lactones as coconut over bright green apple and pear. The light, fruity make takes cask flavour well while keeping its apple and pear. A pioneer of wine cask finishing, Glen Moray has long layered fruit over its light malt. It closed in 1910 and reopened in 1923 under Macdonald and Muir of Glenmorangie. The cool Speyside air gives a slow, even maturation in the Glen Moray warehouses at Elgin.

At 62%, undiluted, it is deep and fruity. Baked apple, vanilla and a creamy toffee, with a soft vanilla from the oak. A baked apple and a gentle spice lift it. The finish is long, fruity and clean. This is an approachable Speyside single malt from Elgin.