Moving things on to the next whisky in the Tweet Tasting on Wednesday 13th was a much older whisky at 21 years old. This is a relatively new release for the Heritage range which sports a more classical packaging design with each bottle carrying an age statement. The original plan was to try the as yet unreleased 25 year old but the timings didn’t work out. However, we will somehow muster the strength to carry on and taste this anyway. Oh the trials, the trials.

This 21 year old is the second Glen Moray I have tried with a Port finish. If you remember to earlier this year I tried the cheaper NAS version. That was a good value whisky with a fruity finish which was quite delicate but bright and fresh initially. With a much older whisky having an equally longer finishing period I would expect better integration and indeed more wood influence.

The Dram

Released in the summer of 2019 this 21 year old was matured in Port pipes for 2 years before bottling at 46.3% ABV. The whisky comes in an upmarket display box and is available now for the very reasonable £125.

The usual specification applies here to with no chill filtering and possibly natural colour as well. Generally speaking this follows the usual pattern of well priced high quality specification whisky without the expensive mass market campaigning.

Tasting Notes

Colour – marmalade

Nose – with water its fruity with red soft fruits and blackcurrants but there is a background of damp dunnage warehouses as balance.

Palate – The intense fruit of the nose is left on the palate with lots of oak wood influences of sap, pepper and drying bitter cocoa beans. There is still a sweetened aspect of honey and caramel with a sharp tartness of strawberry coulis

Finish – The finish is long with again that strong wood influence of cinnamon and woody earthy spices

Final Thoughts

A very different whisky to the Classic NAS series whisky from February. The longer time in wood has made it harder, spicier and more intense from the wood influence. This is in contrast to the NAS version which was intense from ripe fruit notes coming from the Port influence over the actual wood itself. This would make a great special Christmas present for someone and is a whisky to slow down with and reflect on another year gone.