Glen Moray 8 Years Old 2007 Cask #5452 (A.D. Rattray)

The bottler A.D. Rattray bottled this Glen Moray, an 8 year old, distilled in 2007, from cask 5452, bottled at 57.7%, one of 233 bottles. Glen Moray, founded in 1897 in a former brewery, is one of Speyside's best loved malts. It was a pioneer of wine cask finishing, working with Chardonnay casks back in the 1990s.

It was worked through the stills for a light, sweet make, for a clean make of orchard fruit and a soft honey. Most Glen Moray begins in American oak ex-Bourbon, the base for its cask finishes. Young and extractive, the cask sheds vanillin (vanilla) and toasted sugars (light caramel) over the clean, fruity spirit. The light, fruity make takes cask flavour well while keeping its apple and pear. Its make is a key malt in the Cutty Sark and Label 5 blends. Most of its malt matures first in American oak ex-Bourbon before any cask finish. Its light, fresh spirit suits a wide range of cask finishes, from sherry to rum.

At 57.7%, undiluted, it is deep and fruity. A light, orchard fruit and toffee, with a soft vanilla from the oak. A soft fruit and a gentle oak give it depth. Apple, pear and a soft oak see out the finish. This is a fresh, fruity Speyside single malt.