Glen Moray Classic

Immediately, something about the box is striking. It looks classy enough; indeed, the golden crest nobly set amongst the dark blue background is reminiscent of those you see amongst Oxbridge colleges. No, what's striking is the lack of age upon either box or bottle. Is this worrying? Some would say so, but as an optimist I'm rather excited. 'You've got nothing to lose' the whisky seems to say (admittedly after several large glasses).

So, an uncertain nose is thrust into the glass, picking up pureed banana and the sweet fragrance of butterscotch. Freshly cut grass, perhaps a garden or so away, wafts into the picture. Supporting this ensemble is a bold maltiness that drives its way through this whisky.

Ought I to have been concerned? No, as it turns out, but it's still not setting my nose alight with sensation. Perhaps some water...Ah! The sweetness of the whisky lingers, but freshly ground pepper now dances liberally throughout. This whisky has come alive.

A glugg (or two, or three...) later and I'm acquainted with it. At first, a smoothness and a gentle sweetness. And no sooner am I thinking, 'Is this it?' than the toffee quality disappears amidst a crescendo of spiciness. The swallowing coincides with the whisky's climax, and it continues into the finish: from spice, to ginger and finally mellowing to shortbread. A beautiful symmetry.

It's lovely, it's multi-dimensional, but dare I confess to a slight embellishment? Whilst the Glen Moray is a superb whisky both its greatest strength and weakness lie at the beginning of this review: its lack of age. It promises nothing, delivers a lot, but hides behind the ambiguity. Nonetheless, it's difficult not to be impressed by what's accomplished here. Now, please excuse me...