Speyside Distillery 2014 DMor (Dràm Mòr)

Single malt from the Speyside Distillery, an independent Dràm Mòr bottling, aged 11 year old from 2014, drawn from cask 2431 and bottled at 55.3%. 255 bottles in all. The Speyside Distillery was hand built near Kingussie and first run in 1990 near Kingussie in the upper Spey valley, and it has made the SPEY and Beinn Dubh malts for the Harvey's family. The SPEY range and the dark Beinn Dubh are bottled by Harvey's of Edinburgh.

It was worked slowly through short stills to keep the spirit light, for the light, fruity Speyside make the distillery is known for. A wine cask held it, layering red fruit over the honeyed malt. Past a decade the fruit deepens into honey, soft spice and a fuller body. Maturation in the Highland air gives a clean, unhurried development. A long fermentation builds the fruity esters that mark the house style. Set in the Cairngorm foothills, it counts among Scotland's prettiest distilleries.

At cask strength 55.3% it is full bodied. The Port cask adds plum, red berry and raisin, and fragrant honey and ripe fruit meet honeyed oak sweetness underneath. Soft orchard fruit and vanilla sit behind the sweetness. It closes long, fruity and honeyed. This is a gentle, honeyed Speyside malt.