Colour: Bright gold.
Nose: First floral on the nose, then notes of toffee, nougat, lemons and green apples. This is joined by vanilla sauce and caramel cream, accompanied by a touch of cinnamon.
Palate: Sweet and fruity on the palate with notes of citrus fruits and pears. Warming notes of alcohol, baking spices, some ginger and cinnamon arrive. Vanilla, caramel, toffee and a hint of nut nicely linger towards the finish.

Finish: The finish is long lasting and slightly warming with dark chocolate and cream toffee. It is accompanied by creamy honey, slightly bitter notes of black tea and dry oak.
With water: After the addition of water still floral on the nose with pear, milk chocolate, cream toffee and some black tea leaves in the background. Sweet and creamy on the palate with vanilla, but also prickling notes of citrus fruits, juicy oranges, caramel and a touch of cinnamon. The finish is still long with orange oil, dark chocolate and black tea.
Comments: An exciting, multi-layered Glen Moray single malt, to which the 23 years of maturation in an American ex-Bourbon barrel have given wonderful bright fruit notes. This is joined by aromas of cream toffee and caramel, perfectly balanced with wonderful spices from the wood. You don't see many long matured Glen Morays on the market. Here is definitely a bottling that deserves a lot of attention.

I thank The Whisky Cellar for the complimentary sample and the photograph!

Colour: Gold.
Nose: Buttery and sweet on the nose with vanilla and biscuits. Then a fruity sweetness arrives with apricots, pears and white grapes. Slightly sparkling with yellow lemonade and pineapple.
Palate: At first creamy sweet on the palate, then a warming spiciness spreads out with ginger and oak. Behind it a lot of vanilla emerges, accompanied by some pear fruit and fine icing sugar.
Finish: The finish is long-lasting with an almost sticky vanilla and fruit sweetness, followed by a touch of bitter almonds and some dry oak.
With water: The nose is much more lively by adding a few drops of water. Also spicier with oak and ginger, followed by some pear with vanilla. Less sweet but spicy on the palate with a clearly reserved alcoholic bite. Creamy vanilla with pear fruit and some oak. The finish is less sweet, but dry with oak and allspice.
Comments: A rich, full-bodied and lively Glen Moray from a ex-Bourbon cask where the alcohol is very well integrated on the palate. A beautiful interplay of yellow fruit, creamy vanilla and oak spice. The addition of water can confidently be avoided, otherwise the whisky becomes too dry.

I thank whic (Whiskycircle) for the complimentary sample and the image!

Colour: Mahogany.
Nose: Immediately sherry on the nose with a potpourri of raisins, dark dried fruits, plums soaked in Armagnac and juicy overripe oranges. This is accompanied by Demerara sugar and dark toffee, followed by bitter chocolate and a whiff of cinnamon.
Palate: The palate delivers what the nose promises: sweet with a burst of sherry, treacle, plums and dark dried fruits. Then warming with cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg and subtle oak. Roasted bread and nutty flavours linger towards the finish.
Finish: The finish is long, warm and lingering with dark chocolate, barley sugar and sticky toffee, followed by ripe walnuts on the tail.
With water: There's more cinnamon and spices coming through when a splash of water is added. Still sweet and fruity with plums, dark toffee and brown sugar. Slightly warming spices on the palate while sherry and dark fruits remain stable, showing some nutty flavours and nutmeg towards the finish. The finish is medium long and slightly dry with oak and delicate hazelnuts.
Comments: Wow - what an incredible dram! Although the strength is almost 67% abv, this Speyside whisky is smooth and well-balanced. No alcoholic bite at all. The sherry aromas dominate, no wonder - look at that colour - but there is a nice balance of fruits, brown sugar and warming spices. Well rounded and harmonious. A true winter whisky and well chosen cask by the folks at Douglas Laing.

I thank Douglas Laing for the photograph!

Colour: Sweet white wine.
Nose: Fresh and sweet start on the nose with delicate vanilla and prickling lemonade. Reserved rum flavours and tropical fruits in the back, followed by subtle oak and a touch of pepper.
Palate: Quite strong on the palate due to the high alcohol content, which, however, isn't really pungent. Subtle sweet and fruity with vanilla, tropical fruits and lots of lemons. This is followed by a warming spiciness of oak, black pepper and caramelised ginger. Sticky towards the finish with a lovely but a bit restrained rum sweetness.
Finish: The finish is long, warm and dry with oak and ginger. Sticky sweetness with tropical fruit and vanilla, followed by slightly bitter grape peel and hints of grapefruit on the tail.
With water: Clean and fresh on the nose with a few drops of water. Significantly more lemons are coming through, lovely mixed with tropical fruits and sweet vanilla. The pleasant sweetness, however, is clearly tamed on the palate, while bitter notes of grape peel and pink grapefruit take over. The warming spiciness as well as the alcoholic bit are remarkably tamed. The finish is quite short with only a hint of spiciness and fruitiness, while more bitter and dry notes of grapefruit and oak shine through.
Comments: The rum cask finish isn't dominating here, leaving enough space for vanilla sweetness and oaky spiciness. The alcohol isn't quite mastered being a sort of impetuous especially on the palate, but it shows a lovely sticky and creamy texture. Only a few drops of water help to soften the alcoholic bite bringing delicate tropical fruits to the fore. A challenging but quite interesting dram.

Colour: Straw.
Nose: Lovely fruitiness on the nose with apricots, lychees and lemon, followed by vanilla and subtle floral notes. Fresh with hints of oak in the back.
Palate: Creamy and sweet on the palate with vanilla and apricot jam. This, however, is immediately complemented by a bold and intensive spiciness of pepper, ginger and subtle nutmeg. The alcohol is omnipresent and very warming.
Finish: The finish shows good length. Warming spiciness, complemented by creamy apricot jam, and a slightly bitter touch of walnuts and oak on the tail.
With water: Very fresh and lively on the nose with a dash of water. Lots of citric fruits, apricots and custard are dominating here. Very creamy, but also very spicy on the palate with pepper, oak, ginger spice and a significantly tamed fruitiness. The finish is medium long, warming with vanilla and oak spice on the tail. No fruit here.
Comments: Seems to have three elements to it, creamy vanilla, yellow fruitiness and warming spiciness. And they are all in good balance. Although the alcohol isn't quite mastered, especially on the palate, this is a gently matured, savoury, and delightful whisky. Nonetheless, no need of water here!

I thank Dailydram.de for the sample and the photograph!