ADVANCED MIXOLOGY
BRAND SPOTLIGHT
A Great Introduction to Whisky Glen Moray Cabernet Cask Finish By Michael Tulipan
W
hile whisky producers have long finished their spirits in ex-sherry and port wood casks, they are increasingly turning to other wine barrels to add layers of fruit and spice. One of the most innovative companies using these techniques today, Glen Moray, produces a line of wine cask-finished whiskies in the historic town of Elgin in Scotland’s Speyside region. Glen Moray’s new Cabernet Cask Finish is the latest in its “Classic Range,” a line that eschews age statements and Master Distiller Graham Coull has called “a great introduction to whisky.” The Classic Range now encompasses six expressions: Classic Single Malt, Port Cask Finish, Sherry Cask Finish, Chardonnay Cask Finish, Peated Single Malt Whisky, and the newly released Cabernet Cask Finish.
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Coull explains, “Glen Moray has a long tradition of maturing in wine casks (for example, red Burgundy), so the Cabernet Sauvignon Finish was a natural progression.” For this new release, he sourced barrels from Bordeaux, France. The window for using a wine barrel is quite short, and speed is of the essence. “I work closely with the vineyards and transport companies to pick up the casks as soon as they are freshly emptied,” Coull says. “Once the casks arrive in Scotland, I fill them immediately to capture all the residual wine character.” The whisky is first aged in ex-bourbon barrels for generally six (or more) years, and then rests for a minimum of 12 months in the Cabernet barrels.
