Elgin’s Glen Moray distillery decide to they’re going to peat one their new single malts. We imbibe the results and report in…
Rating
Price
Circa £20-25
In A Nutshell
A very well priced peaty ‘table whisky’. In terms of flavour, it is light, easier to drink than you think and not particularly characteristic. It is good at what it does – which is being an economical, entry level peated whisky that goes down quite well.
A Twist On The ‘Elgin Classic’
You’re looking at a peated version of Glen Moray’s ‘Classic’ whisky. As you probably know, Speyside distilleries aren’t known for peating their malts, so this is a bit of a detour for the ‘Elgin Classic’. It’s economically priced at £20-25, bottled at 40% ABV and available in Morrisons (you can also get the ‘regular’ Classic there too).
I also want to give Glen Moray love and kudos for producing an accessibly priced whisky – as I have noticed in the whisky market people tend to have a price barrier at anything above £30 (me included!)
Glen Moray gave been active as a distillery since 1897 (it was a brewery before this) in 2008 they were bought by a brand I have never heard of called ‘La Martiniquaise’. The distillery itself is right on the banks of the River Lossie. I didn’t get the chance to visit when I was in Elgin but would like to, I have been told that everyone is super nice and that they will ply you with coffee and cakes (as oppose to plying you with whisky, uh….)
We Drink It, Stuff Happens
First Impression
Damn son you weren’t joking about the peat smoke…
Nose
Familiar cask flavours: a little woodsmoke, slight honey. Familiar peat flavours: old leather and peat smoke. Plus something smokey and unfamiliar – distinctly different from the usual peat odours you may be used to. It’s actually closer to the more sulphurous note you get in a mezcal. ‘Semi active volcano’ sensations – sulphur and/or saltpetre – it really does remind me of a volcano I went into once (as I say, it was ‘semi active’ so no dying was involved…) There’s an average level of alcohol evaporating off on the nose, so you can tell it’s not going to be a harsh one.
Palette
A little surprising! I guess the word here is “small”. It’s a fair amount lighter than expected despite the peat. Average/medium in sweetness when it hits your tongue. I did not expect it to be quite so easy drinking but neither is it particularly characteristic and so there’s not too much to say about it apart from MOAR. I don’t get the sulphur on that the nose promises (sadly?) but that old leathery peatiness is there.
Finish
Somewhat dilute and pretty short. As expected, the peat will stick around for longest, eventually fading to a slightly leathery, slightly honeyed note that comes out every time you exhale. Nothing too unusual here, typical peaty finish.
Verdict
At £20 this is particularly good value – somewhat generic but a little softer on the palette than expected. It does what it does very well, and is a very good peated ‘table dram’ – a competitor for Laphroaig 10 perhaps? (…I always have a bottle of that around!). I dare to say that if it were the first in the category at this price… it would be revelatory.
Not too shabby, not too memorable. I wonder if they’ll create any more peated expressions? Seems like they’’d be off to a good start