Glen Moray 25 Year Old Portwood Finish

The reviewed bottle has been open for 2 days. There is no age statement

Nose: nicely flavoured Port wine dominates the lightly flavoured malt...except, there's sulphur here. There's a bit of burnt matchstick aroma here, which will likely show up much more strongly on the finish, and in the bottle with more air time. Absent the sulphur, this nose is sweet, mostly, and quite pleasant. Water added broadens and melds the fruit flavours in a nice way. Score: 22.5/25

Taste: intense dried astringent dark fruits with strong fruit tannins. The nice sweet/dry balance on the nose goes dry/sour/bitter in the mouth. This is ruined by sulphur. Water added softens and mellows the flavours. This is better with water added. Score: 19/25

Finish: goes more strongly sour and bitter into the finish. This is the weakest phase of the tasting. Water added softens and mellows the finish. Score: 18/25

Balance: Glen Moray Port Cask Finish is a bit of a blunt instrument. If you crave the Port wine flavours and you cannot taste sulphur you can enjoy a dram of Glen Moray Port Cask Finish, but don't expect refinement, elegance, or sophistication. Score: 19/25

Total Sequential Score: 78.5 points

Strength: medium strength of flavours in the nose; strong flavours thereafter. This is impressively strong for 40% ABV whisky. Score: 22.5/25

Quality: all of the flavours would be very good--without the sulphur. Score: 17/25

Variety: adequate variety of flavours, but almost all of them derive from the Port finish, which is compromised. Score: 21/25

Harmony: sulphur ruins the harmony. Score: 17/25

Total Non-Sequential Score: 77.5 points

Comment: I bought this bottle because I met some malt lovers who liked it, and because it cost me $ 29.42

This is a sulphur-ruined Port finish here. This is such a shame because, absent the sulphur, the Port cask flavours and malt taste quite good. Do I like to complain about sulphur-ruined whiskies? Hell no! What I hoped I was buying on the recommendation of some friends was a good $ 30 Port Finished whisky

If you can't taste or smell sulphur, or don't mind sulphur flavours, then you can like this. Just don't expect fireworks

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