Glen Moray 14 Years Old 2006 Sauternes Cask Matured (59.6%, OB, 1248 Bottles, 2020)

• ABV: 59.6%
• Age: 14 Years old
• Bottling: OB, Warehouse 1 Collection
• Category: Speyside single malt scotch whisky
• Cost: £79.95 available from The Whisky Shop
• Origin: Glen Moray distillery
• Vintage: 2006

What they say

The spirit and stories of Glen Moray’s most famous warehouse are being wrapped up in time for Christmas this year, with the inaugural release from the distillery’s new ‘Warehouse 1 Collection’: Glen Moray Sauternes Cask Matured expression.

This dazzling new cask strength dram is packed with festive flavours of dark chocolate, caramel, Seville orange and spice, having matured in Warehouse 1 for 14 years, exclusively in five sweet Sauternes wine casks.

The resulting whisky is a luxurious mix of Glen Moray’s smooth, light Speyside style with the aromatic, honeyed sweetness of France’s most famous dessert wine.
Sauternes Cask Matured will be the first in a new collection of eclectic, small batch releases from Glen Moray, named in honour of Warehouse 1: the Elgin distillery’s blue-fronted dunnage warehouse where an adventurous assortment of interesting and innovative casks are tucked away, quietly maturing for future release.

Glen Moray’s Head of Whisky Creation Dr Kirstie McCallum said: ‘We’re very proud to be releasing our Sauternes Cask Matured expression in time for the festive season – and as the first whisky in our new Warehouse 1 Collection. This is an absolute cracker of a dram, and a perfect marriage of Glen Moray’s spirit with all the rich, deliciously sweet flavours you would enjoy in a glass of Sauternes. It’s a real celebration of flavour and Glen Moray’s passion for unusual cask maturation’.

Commenting on the new Warehouse 1 Collection, Glen Moray Brand Ambassador Iain Allan added: ‘There are a good few warehouses at our Elgin site, but Warehouse 1 is special. Over the years, this is where our distillery teams have quietly stored the results of their experiments and cask adventures. As a result we have pockets of casks holding the most interesting and incredible tasting whiskies scattered throughout the warehouse, which we are now uncovering, tasting and making plans to release. It’s fitting and very exciting that, starting with this superb Sauternes bottling, these whiskies will now be enjoyed by drinkers as part of our Warehouse 1 Collection in years to come.’

Glen Moray Sauternes Cask Matured is bottled at cask strength – 59.6% ABV – at its natural colour, and non-chill-filtered. It is a UK exclusive, available in 70cl in specialist whisky shops, RRP £79.95.

Official tasting notes:

Nose: Dark chocolate and espresso with rich toffee and sweet fruit, oak and a gentle touch of spice.

Taste: Sumptuous and complex, syrupy and mouth-coating with hints of dark chocolate, coffee and a touch of salted caramel, balanced with rich oak, vanilla cream, sweet berries, Seville orange and subtle spice.

Finish: Long, lingering, sweet and fruity with a touch of allspice.

What I say

From Glen Moray’s Warehouse #1 this was distilled in 2006 and has been fully matured in 5 ex-Sauternes casks vatted together to produce this expression.

This post was sponsored by Glen Moray by provision of a sample of this product.

My tasting notes:

• Appearance: Bright orange gold/amontillado (10/20), slow, fine tears and imperceptible legs.
• Nose: Sweet, honey, golden syrup, caramel, touch of milk chocolate, hazelnut, fruity, apple, peach, nectarine, biscuity malt, vanilla, desiccated coconut
• Taste: Warming and quite sprightly across the palate, fruity, orange, nectarine, honey, turns syrupy, woody and fibrous spices appear, cinnamon, tobacco leaf, coffee grounds and black pepper, with a drop of water, creamier, vanilla, coconut cream and more tannic oak influence.
• Finish: Long, spiced and woody, a touch drying, clove oil

Overall

A fascinating full ex-Sauternes maturation has delivered plenty of sweet fruit but equally tannic French oak influence to Glen Moray’s supple spirit.

Score 86/100

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