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Whisky is like people. Each expression has a personality shaped and moulded by its unique journey through the world. Growing in complexity with every passing year, it absorbs elements from its surroundings at every stage of development, meaning that by the time it reaches your lips, whisky tells a story entirely its own.
This heavenly liquid’s ability to reflect its place of origin and the process through which it became fully formed is harnessed by makers to find new and exciting variations that expand whisky’s metaphorical colour palette. No one is more devoted to this end and to the deft art of whisky finishing than Glen Moray, an innovative distillery located in Scotland’s Speyside region, crafting some of the most intriguing whiskies you’re likely to encounter.
We recently sat down with Glen Moray’s global ambassador, Iain Allan, for a guided tour through the distillery’s impressive range. From the core collection to its impressive selection of ambitious cask explorations—including an Australian-exclusive Shiraz Cask—Glen Moray is pushing the boundaries of whisky craft in exciting new ways, and according to Iain, the distillery is just warming up.
A History of Looking Forward
“We’re a Speyside distillery based in the town of Elgin, and we’ve actually been producing there for 127 years. But so much has happened in the last 16 years,” reveals Iain in his signature understated manner, almost but not quite concealing the excitement in his voice. ”There’s been real development around the brand, around what we do. The recent history is where it’s all been happening.”
Much like watchmakers, there’s often a tension for distilleries between heritage and innovating for the future. However, as Iain explains, Glen Moray’s sense of innovation has long been at the core of its identity. It’s just that the label is now more free to let it show.
“The exploration has been a big part of our history, but a change of ownership and development of the brand has really meant that we’re taking it to the market now,” he says. “Whereas before, the distillery was used as a testing bed. It was an experimental lab to play around with casks for the previous owners to then roll out to their other distilleries.”
Now Glen Moray is in the process of successfully re-establishing its reputation as a vibrant and exciting player in its own right, boasting a heritage that others would give their left warehouse for, while simultaneously showcasing an experimental side through cask exploration.
“Of late, what we’re doing is kind of cementing this idea that we are cask explorers, that we like to take our spirit, which is wonderfully versatile, and see what it can do,” Iain explains. “We like to take it in different directions.”
So, without further ado, let’s dive into some of the versatility the Glen Moray range has to offer.
Glen Moray Shiraz Cask
Arguably the most exciting of these new endeavours, the Glen Moray Shiraz Cask is an Australian exclusive that Iain singles out as a personal favourite: “I’m slightly jealous I don’t get to pour it in any other market.”
It’s not hard to see why. From its sweet fragrance of rose petals that gives way to a subtle note of herb, it will have you enthralled the moment it’s poured. On the palate, it boasts notes of ripe strawberry and creamy toffee, combined with a hint of peppery spice, and background notes of oak and tannin. For the finish, sweet fruits fade to subtle oak and gentle spice. It’s a delightfully rounded, satisfying expression that’s ideal for sharing.
When we ask Iain what makes the Shiraz Cask so special, he’s eager to explain: “I like a red wine influence, particularly in Glen Moray. Our spirit really suits grape casks, and the Shiraz just brings a richness to the spirit. Our spirits have a lovely kind of toffee apple profile, and then when you build red fruits—particularly from red wines—on top of that, it just adds something really nice to the spirit.”
We couldn’t agree more, and once you’ve given it a taste, we’re sure you will, too. Here in Australia, we’re very fortunate to be the only place you can secure a bottle of this remarkable expression.
Glen Moray Sherry Cask
The Shiraz is certainly a hard act to follow, but the Sherry Cask is a similarly outstanding whisky that again highlights Glen Moray’s mastery of finishing. According to Iain, the distillery uses only the finest Oloroso sherry casks—sourced from Jerez in Spain—to add the perfect final touch to this extraordinary single malt.
While the unmistakable vanilla and light oak notes that are such a signature for Glen Moray are undoubtedly present, there’s an added complexity here that comes courtesy of the sherry’s vibrant dried fruit and earthy, nutty notes.
As for the finish, it combines a mouth-tingling warmth of spice with bittersweet dark chocolate for a richly satisfying conclusion.
Glen Moray Classic Peated
Moving into something a little out of left field for the distillery, Iain confesses that the peated side of whisky is not typically associated with Glen Moray.
“We only started running peated malt in 2010 so, you know, it’s only been 14 years of producing this style,” he says. That might sound like a not insignificant period of time, but remember, this is a distillery with a 127-year history. “It’s about three per cent of our annual production—a very small chunk of what we do—but it just offers a slightly different approach to our whisky style.”
It may only be a small slice of the Glen Moray pie, but it’s a delicious one nonetheless. Offering an immaculate balance of smoky intensity with that unmistakable Speyside smoothness, this single malt boasts distinctive campfire notes and it’s a perfect easy-drinking introduction for those new to peated whiskies.
As Iain explains, keeping things local has ensured that Glen Moray’s approach to peated whisky stands apart from other varieties: “The peat that we take comes from the Aberdeenshire region, which is just about 40 miles east of where we’re located at the distillery. So it’s quite close to us, giving a local twist on peated whisky.”
Glen Moray Classic Port Cask
Next on our list is Glen Moray’s dalliance with port, which is comparable to the Shiraz Cask, but maintains a character all its own.
As Iain explains, “The port brings some similar characteristics, offering those red fruits that you get with a red wine cask, although it’s a fortified wine, so it has nuances that make it unique.”
Unique and delicious, it perfectly combines rich wine flavours with notes of vanilla oak. This is achieved through maturation using the finest American oak barrels, followed by eight months in port casks to achieve perfect fullness and character.
Glen Moray 21 Year Old
Moving on, we come to one of Glen Moray’s defining expressions. This 21-year-old wonder features a nose of intense berries mixed with vanilla, caramel, and a hint of gingerbread.
Taking a sip, you’ll discover an incredibly balanced and rich character, offering notes of blackcurrant and liquorice, which ultimately give way to caramel toffee and chilli-infused chocolate.
Unsurprisingly, this expression offers a rich, satisfyingly long finish, boasting notes of dark chocolate and caramelised raisins. An outstanding whisky that’s a proud standard bearer for the Speyside distillery.
Glen Moray 18 Year Old
According to Iain, the 18 Year Old and the two whiskies that follow (the 12 Year Old and the Classic) form the backbone of the Glen Moray range and it’s easy to see why.
Matured in the finest American oak barrels over the course of 18 years to create a whisky of rare intensity, this expression offers up delicious notes of spice, oak (obviously), and caramelised fruit.
In the crafting of this outstanding dram, Glen Moray uses first-fill casks that have not previously been used for single malt to ensure this spirit is infused with the maximum flavour the wood has to offer. This is a richly flavoured whisky and an absolute must-try.
Glen Moray 12 Year Old
Another icon of the Glen Moray range, this expression is part of the foundation on which the rest of the Glen Moray range is built.
As Iain elaborates, “The 12 Year Old is our flagship. If somebody came up to me and said, ‘I’ve never tried Glen Moray before, where should I start?’ For me, the 12 Year Old’s the starting point. That’s the control ground, the sense of identity.”
As starting points go, you couldn’t really ask for a better one. Offering a sweet aroma and balanced palate of vanilla and berry notes, along with highland toffee, brambles, and just a touch of marmalade, it’s the kind of whisky you’ll want to make a staple once you’ve tried it.
Glen Moray Classic
Finally, the single malt from which the rest of the Glen Moray family springs, this light, smooth, and fruity expression encapsulates the flavours for which Glen Moray has become renowned.
Distilled since 1897, it is the very embodiment of the subtle Speyside malt and absolutely defines the word ‘classic’, hence the name. This expression will remain a cornerstone of the Glen Moray offering for as long as the distillery stands.
As Iain explains, “What is guaranteed is the Classic, the 12 Year Old, and the 18 Year Old are not going to change. They’re going to be the core style for us, and everything else around it will move and rotate as we see fit.”
With that being the case, we look forward to enjoying the Classic and its many and varied Speyside whisky brethren for many years to come.
