NEW WOOD FINISHES FOR 2020
By Steve Kirwan
With four new specialty expressions just released, 2020 will be a big year for Glen Moray Distillery. The Elgin, Moray brewery-turned-distillery is one of the earliest experimenters with alternative caskings, and this year’s releases expand their reputation in a huge way.
Distilling from 1897 to 1910, and then continuously since 1923, Glen Moray was sold along with sister distillery Glenmorangie to LVMH in 2004. Current owner La Martiniquaise (France’s number two spirits distributor), purchased the facility in 2008, expanding production to nearly 5 million liters per year. Glen Moray malts and co-owned Starlaw Distillery grain whiskies form the backbone of Label 5 Blended Scotch, the 10th best-selling Scotch in the world.
Glen Moray’s primary range of malts, dubbed the “Elgin” series, offers several expression ranges, including their Classic, Heritage, Reserve, and Prestige bottlings. The Cassic series starts with its core offering, a traditional ex-bourbon finish, along with ex-fill from Sherry, Port, Chardonnay, and Cabernet casks and a peated ex-bourbon finish. Their Heritage series include a 10-year “Fired Oak” finish, and 12, 15, and 18-year expressions. The Reserve and Prestige bottlings are rare special editions with limited availability.
2020 represents the height of Glen Moray’s excursions into unique finishes. Following the first two of its Elgin Curiosity series, a Cider finished single malt in 2018, and then a rum finish in 2019, they’ve released a Madeira finish single malt, boasting notes of intense toffee, dark chocolate, sweet dried fruit, and spice. Not ones to rest on their barrels, they just released three single cask Distillery Editions matured in hand-selected Chardonnay, Burgundy, and Chenin Blanc ex-fill kegs. Although the Curiosity series available throughout the UK, the three special bottlings are available solely for distillery visitors.
For more information, visit The Glen Moray Experience:
http://glenmorayexperience.com/