What do Aberlour, Glenmorangie and Whisky Label 5 all have in common? Their owners have all owned the Glen Moray distillery at some point in time since it’s conversion from a brewery to a distillery in 1897. This scrappy little distillery has been caught on fire, allowed to run down, closed for over a decade and brought back online during it’s 117 years. It’s the little distillery that could.
It’s flagship product, the Glen Moray 12, is an interesting little guy. It has so much potential and so many nice things going on that I find myself rooting for it and spending more time than I usually would hunting and searching for more. Hoping that there is some hidden depth to this whisky that I just didn’t taste the first, second, third or fourth time… but alas, that is not the case as you’ll see in the review below.
Glen Moray 12 Review
ABV: 40%
Age: 12 years
Price: $42
Distiller: Glen Moray
EYE
Light Gold
NOSE
Initial notes of caramel and lemon zest waft up from the glencairn and pave the way for some fruit and floral notes to come sifting through. A bit of honey, vanilla and whisky spice notes come drifting through with a touch of oak and herbs. It may sound like there is a lot going on… but there isn’t. It’s all very light and airy. Coming drifting through as hints and wisps.
TASTE
The fruit has turned a bit towards the dried variety, but the vanilla and honey notes have stayed true to what they were on the nose. Malt, whisky spice and a toffee like sweetness move about on a lightly nutty underpinning. The flavor, like the aroma, suffers from being too light. The flavors feel very topical with no real depth to them.
FINISH
Honey, malt, spice and wood dominate the rather short finish with some light notes of fruit playing in and out during the quick fade.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
The balance is pretty good, but the body is really light and it feels like water.
OVERALL
It’s one of those whiskies that I don’t hate, am glad I tried, but won’t be trying again anytime soon because I’m let down by it. There was nothing offensive about it and the aroma and palate both had some nice aspects to them, but they came across far too light and flighty, It’s like the diet version of a really good Speyside and leaves me wanting more, but never quite able to find the substance I want in this glass. This is definitely a whisky that needs a higher proof and maybe even another year or two in the barrel.
SCORE: 80/100
