For anyone wondering, "xanthous" is an adjective referring to something yellow in color, usually a particular mustardy golden/red/auburn/brownish shade of yellow. Video game fans will recognize the term from the Dark Souls games, where there is a set of clothing that is xanthous-colored (and is so named).
I haven't had a bottle of Glen Moray in a while, and decided it was time to come back and revisit this excellent distillery whose bottles I have so enjoyed in the past.
This single cask independent bottling from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society ("SMWS") spent 8 years in a first-fill bourbon barrel before being bottled at a nice ripe 60.3% ABV. Let's take a peek at the official notes:
The nose had yellow fruits – pineapple humps, banana syllabub, lemon puffs, beeswax and maple syrup on pancakes. The palate enjoyed a banana split with chocolate sprinkles, sherbet lemons and coconut snowball cakes; the slightly drying finish found hints of soft leather, linseed oil and chewed pencil ends. With water, the nose veered to the citric side – lemon meringue pie, lemon balm on sugar-dusted strawberries, spring meadows, sunlight on straw and yellow roses. On the palate now, we discovered custard Danish pastries and malt loaf, lemon and passion fruit sorbet, Earl Grey tea and sherbet lemons, with cinnamon and oak on the finish.
Well, I'm already liking what I see here: tropical fruit, beeswax, chocolate, coconut, leather, pencils. Count me in! I've definitely encountered these in Glen Moray before, and look forward to revisiting my happy relationship with them again. Let's dive right in:
Nose: As with so many Glen Morays, this is dripping with rich tropical fruit. Pineapple, banana, mango, all young and fresh. Sweet lemon candy (like yellow Starburst). A pronounced waxiness. I don't get the maple syrup, but all the fruit that is present is more than welcome - it's an enticing nose, rich and fragrant... but also balanced, as I also get quite a bit of dunnage warehouse - dusty malt on the backend of the nose, and maybe the gentlest touch of linseed oil. Interestingly, it doesn't come across all that young on the nose.
With a little water and some time in the glass, the nose alters a little. The lemon candy becomes lemon peel/zest. Lime emerges. Oak. The waxiness *really* builds here, and becomes something almost like Chapstick/petroleum jelly. Very thick wax.
Mouthfeel: Oily and silky.
Palate: The palate is quite hot, pricking the tongue with alcohol. After the alcohol washes away, I got strong lemon pie (sweet and tart), chocolate bread (!), coconut macarons. Grilled pineapple. Malted barley (which occasionally comes forward as a bit of freshly cut grass).
With a little water, it takes on a slightly different aspect. A strong waxy black tea flavor comes out of nowhere! The tasting notes got this one right on the money - Earl Grey. Very surprising. There is also a black pepper oaky note that comes up as well. I like this a little better neat, but it's nice to have essentially two different flavor profiles on tap.
Finish: The finish, as the tasting notes indicate, is quite dry and short. All the more astringent notes of the nose come back here: leather, linseed, malted barley, dust. Meanwhile, a lingering tropical sweetness floats along as an overtone. Pleasant, if brief.
Verdict: Probably the second-best Glen Moray I've had, after the sublime 14 year old "Waffle Stacking Ecstasy" from SMWS. It's full of nice, rich flavors, and changes fairly dramatically with water - so that it's almost two whiskies in one! Neat, it reminds me of a supercharged Irish whisky with all the tropical notes, with the nice additions of the dusty malt bin and the waxiness. With water, it transforms into a more savory beast, with tons of wax, tarter fruit, and much more oak influence. Recommended.
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