Review #544 - Single Cask Nation Glen Moray 13 Year Single Cask
Part of Single Cask Nation's 2024 releases, this single cask from Glen Moray boasted a dark color and a potent strength of 59.9% ABV. It first spent 8 years maturing in an ex-bourbon cask; the spirit was then moved into a first fill Spanish oak Oloroso sherry cask for an additional 5 years, quite a long finishing period.
Glen Moray, based in Elgin in Speyside, was founded in 1897; its whisky was actually sold as single malt as early as the 1970s, making it one of the older single malt brands, though it wasn't marketed heavily until a few decades later. They (generally) use unpeated malt for their distillate, and though much of their whisky is aged in ex-bourbon barrels, we personally love their spirit in sherry casks, especially when the whisky gets older.
Single Cask Nation Glen Moray 13 Year Single Cask
Scotland/Speyside - Single Malt
Price: USD 140 (2025)
Age Statement: 13 Years
Strength: 59.9% ABV
Cask Makeup: Ex-bourbon, finished in first fill Spanish oak Oloroso sherry cask
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; distilled November 2010, bottled July 2024; cask #160006; 232 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 1 time from a sample. Tasted in a nosing glass, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Very pretty - caramel, cherries, apple pie to start, somewhat sweet. Cinnamon and oak spice arrive, and there's even a hint of polished oak, hinting at the age; brown sugar Pop-tarts adds more sweetness, and apple pie transitions to cherry pie.
Palate: Rich and oaky - a very strong oak presence, almost bourbon-like. Cinnamon and tannins, polished wood... then some fruit: red grape, quite juicy, a bit of sweet passionfruit. The mouthfeel is medium-thick.
Finish: Tannins linger, plenty of wood spice. Lots of fruit, too: wine gums, stone fruit like sweet nectarine; with time, it grows more subtle and balanced.
Final Note: This has some similarities to well-aged bourbon, actually - those 5 years in first fill Spanish oak are showing through, adding lots of wood notes and spice. The fruits are there, too, especially on the palate; it's all a bit cask-dominated, though it's a good example in that category.
Value is okay; in our area, these Single Cask Nation bottlings are often a bit expensive. This one does pack tons of flavor, any the cask is a good one, but a 13 year single malt at $140 feels a bit pricey.
Our Average Rating: 8.0 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 6.16
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
Check out our other Single Cask Nation reviews:
Review #508 - Single Cask Nation Aberfeldy 10 Year Single Cask
