GLEN MORAY 'PORT CASK FINISH' - DISTILLERY BOTTLING

After a short break, I'm back with another Glen Moray review.

Now, I've always liked Port cask matured whisky - 'cause I'm also a Port Wine drinker. However, it comes very much down to if it has spent all its years in a port cask or if it has only been finished.
The latter is the case here... and as always it comes down to a combination of the original casks but especially the quality of the port casks, in my opinion.
I mean, like with whisky there's 'your run off the mill' and there are great quality casks - the same goes for port - There's what your Granny likes for Xmas and then there's the Prime Douro Valley stuff

But let's try this one...

A peak inside a Glen Moray Warehouse © Glen Moray

Glen Moray 'Port Cask Finish' 40% Distillery Bottling

Nose:
As expressive as the 'Egin Classic' was, this is its absolute counterpart - it definitely needs time to open up... zzzZZZzzz and we're back, now picking up some obvious vinous notes, wet cask staves, bung cloth, mint, and whiffs of strawberries

I feel like it's really being held back by either the quality of its initial maturation rather than the Port casks that have imposed a pinkish-orange hue to the whisky.

Taste:

More expressive on the palate for sure. Lovely cask spices, slight orange zest, alcohol-soaked blackberries, and generally quite earthy in style. The oak is very active and drying, especially on the finish, which this whisky sadly cannot withstand.

Now,  as I mentioned I normally like port cask matured whiskies but this one seems a bit rushed. Maybe a year or 2 more in the port casks to smooth out the rough edges? and would think Glen Moray could do better with a Port Cask whisky than this?

72/100!

Official sample provided by the Danish Importer