There is something magical about visiting a distillery and being able to take away an exclusive “bottle your own”  expression, the experience just gives the visit that little bit of an extra special feeling..

If like me you visit a distillery on every opportunity you will know that bottling your own exclusive whisky is on the increase, it is a perfect chance for the distillery to offer something special or even a little different, and the more unique the more it feels special..  Glen Moray distillery offers just such an opportunity, whenever you visit you are given the chance to take away a rather unique bottle and Graham the distillery Master Blender and Master Distiller offers up some very interesting and diverse casks with the latest being a ” younger ” peated whisky finished in a Port cask ! Now I hear you saying but if it’s young then is it going to be good enough ? Well we will soon find out but in my opinion the fact Graham has offered this cask up speaks volumes to his belief that this cask is ready.. With what I know about Graham and how passionate he is,  I get the impression age is not the most important factor, the whisky is and when it’s ready it’s ready..   You don’t just put younger whisky out there if it’s not ready and believe me this guy knows his whisky !! It will be ready.

My info for this cask is rather limited but I do know this whisky is from 2011 and was initially matured in a bourbon cask before being given a finishing period of 8 months in a Port cask, bottled at 55.6% abv,  NCF , this is also a peated whisky at 20ppm.. And don’t worry as this  is also all natural, with the colour showing a really elegant pinkish tint that really draws you in..

Nose.. Smoke leads into winter berries, burnt toffee and dark chocolate, coffee grinds and citrus peels but the smoke is quite dominant with smouldering oak and dying bonfire aromas, the smoke probably does mask some of the more delicate notes but that’s to be expected..

Palate..  O ok.. This is rather different.. It’s quite strange in the fact the smoke is big but really sweet, you get the winter berries again but also pear drops, candied orange, fruit salad sweets and a bowl full of fresh fruits with sweet syrup but it’s all wrapped in smoke..

Finish.. Long, sweet and smokey..

Thoughts.. Bravo Graham, a great whisky that really takes you down a different road to the normal run of the mill expressions.. Thos is a whisky to sip with friends because believe me it will give you plenty to talk about !  The discussion like the whisky will be smoking hot …

My thanks go out to Fay and Graham for this sample.. This is a little gem..