Glen Moray @TweetTastings

There's been a few @TweetTastings in the run up to Christmas and I'd applied to a few of them, this was the one I really wanted to take part in as I'd missed out on the @GlenMorayDist one earlier in the year.

Glen Moray send a lovely package of @GlenMorayGCoull selected drams : five 100ml bottles:

First up on the night was a new addition to the Elgin Classic range : Cabernet Cask Finish (40%)

Glen Moray's thoughts: Nose: Honey, sweet apple jelly, toffee and honeycomb crisp. Taste: Creamy vanilla, pepper and spice. Velvety dark chocolate and charred oak. Finish: An initial burst of sweetness fades into the dying embers of burnt oak and intense spice.

My thoughts: lovely reddy gold, swirls lead to slow fat legs. Initial nose wine.

Nose: Loads of fruit - strawberries & plums. Some apple in there too. Hints of spice and damp wood! Some brown sugar and sour cherries too?

Palate: A nice balance of oaky and fruity notes - there's a big peppery kick  and a strange dryness to this dram - also can't believe it's only 40%

Finish: Long fruity, drying and spicy - some honey there now too - lovely dram!

An easy drinking dram, great addition to the Elgin Classic range and amazing value for money.

Other tweeter's thoughts:

Second dram of the evening was another new addition to the range - the 10yo Fire Oak at 40%

Glen Moray's thoughts: Inspired by the popularity of American
Bourbon sweeter than other single malts in Glen Moray's collection, with "layers of vanilla bark" and a "hint of smokiness and toasted vanilla" on the finish.

My thoughts: Lovely pale gold in the glass, gravity defying swirls. Initial nose orchard fruit.

Nose: Apples and pears give way to more tropical notes - ripe banana, pineapple and honey. It looks like someone had poured vanilla custard over it all too!

Palate:  Waves of smoke cover the tongue followed by vanilla, butterscotch and more tropical fruit. Another drying dram - with some sips a spicy note joins the drying of the mouth - my tongue is tingling with cinnamon!

Finish: Very drying, spicy oak and cinnamon - none of the fruity or sweet notes from the palate.

Other tweeter's thoughts:

Next up was one of the current £55 Bottle-Your-Own (BYO) selection from the Distillery - Bourbon Cask at 58.6%

My thoughts: Pale gold in the glass, more gravity defying swirls.
Initial nose dunnage warehouse

Nose: Dunnage warehouse, toffee popcorn & hazelnuts wrapped up in a blanket of light smoke. Yummy!

Palate: The 58.6% ABV hits you straight away, cleansing the palate and then releasing a torrent of oily vanilla and peppery spice. Another hugely drying dram. Not getting as much burn as expected from this one - It's a sipper - don't think it needs water. Dark bitter chocolate notes with a hint of orange oil coming through as the glass gets drained!

Finish: Long, drying slight smokey - some nice vanilla notes but so sign of any fruit. Lovely nonetheless!

Other tweeter's thoughts:

 

Fourth dram of the evening was the 1998 PX Finish at 45.5%

My thoughts: Lovely mid gold colour, swirls tear up and leave slow thin legs. Initial nose Sherry (!)

Nose: A little dunnage warehouse mixed with red berries. Liquorice  dances with musty plums.

Palate: Mmmmm lovely thick golden syrup laden with strawberries. There's a real black fruit bowl full here - figs, dates, black cherries - yummy!

Finish:  Long spicy blackberry jam notes with a hint of smoke or char. A lovely complex dram so fruity it must contain all your #FiveADay

Other tweeter's thoughts:

 

Final dram of the evening was another of the current BYO - a Peated Cabernet Sauvignon at 58.7%

My thoughts: Beautiful reddy gold colour, gravity defying swirls.
Initial nose : heaven!

Nose: Huge smoke notes like a cloud which every now and again reveals glimpses of blue sky or in this case fruit notes - it's like a mixed fruit jam.

Palate: Initially toffee but quickly covered over by a blanket of smoke - (Alistar's) Peking Ribs offer some sustenance before the smoke rolls in again. Red fruit (berrys) notes dry the mouth before the smoke once again clears the palate.

Finish: Long and warming full of smoke and berries

Other tweeter's thoughts:

An amazing set of drams from @glenmoraygcoull & the team at #GlenMoray tonight - thanks to @TheWhiskyWire for organising & all my fellow tweeters.

For me the standout dram was the Peated Cask #HeavenInAGlass It's so good I can't even remember the first four and will have to revisit!