Time to raise its game (Glen Moray)
Glen Moray is Glenmorangie’s third distillery and is somewhat forgotten,lying as it does in the shadow of Tain’s finest and the wonderful Ardbeg.But is it underrated? The mystery visitor had a look…
The road to Glen Moray takes you past some rather smart housing, largely comprised of âexecutive villasâ and climaxing in a mock gated estate (in Elgin?) rejoicing in the name of Bruceland Mansions.
I couldnât help reflecting on the contrast between this pretentious gentility and the honest-to-goodness approach immediately apparent at Glen Moray. Whatever do the Hyacinth Buckets of Bruceland Mansions make of the whisky pilgrims, I wondered. Did I imagine the tutting as I drove past and, was it my imagination, or did a curtain twitch?
I expect theyâd really prefer to have Glenmorangie as their neighbour. After all, itâs owned by the same company, but Glen Moray has been in its shadow for many years.
Thereâs nothing you can put your finger on but, once youâve been to Glenmorangie or Ardbeg, Glen Moray has a slightly hang-dog air. It looks a bit like the little kid wearing his big brotherâs hand-me-downs â the school blazer thatâs just too big and the serviceable trousers, complete with patch.
This impression is perhaps derived from the giant fibreglass tank that greets you on arrival and the grubby corrugated sheet that forms the slab-sided wall of the malt store.
It was certainly compounded by the arrival of our guide, who I shall call Dââ. Apiratical ear ring glinted in the sunshine, but couldnât distract from the haircut, silver thumb ring and prominent eye-brow piercing. Where else, I wondered?
However, letâs not go there because Dââ wa.....
To read the rest of this article you can buy this issue
or subscribe to Whisky Magazine to have every issue delivered direct to your door.
You can unlock and read this entire article with 1 of your community tokens by clicking here.
By Mystery Visitor
Section : Mystery Visitor
Page number : 30
