Glen Moray matures whisky in Cognac casks

Speyside distiller Glen Moray has released a single malt whisky matured in Cognac casks, called Twisted Vine.

The latest permanent addition to Glen Moray’s range was matured in ex-Cognac casks made from oak grown near Cognac’s vineyards in France.

The resulting liquid is ‘sweet and woody’ and offers notes of freshly brewed coffee, prunes in syrup, raisins nuts and toast on the nose. The palate brings dried fruit, coffee, malt and wood spice, with tannin undertones.

The whisky has been packaged with a design that depicts twisted vines and golden grapes.

The new release was inspired by the brand’s history of exploring ‘unusual’ cask maturation, which dates back to the distillery’s origin in 1897.

Glen Moray’s global ambassador and visitor centre manager, Iain Allan, said: “The record books show that Glen Moray was one of the first distilleries in Scotland to explore the effects of unusual casks on maturation of our spirit.

“This playful, pioneering approach to flavour is very much part of what drinkers love about our whiskies today.”

Allan said the new whisky has a “rich but accessible flavour” and recommends serving it neat or mixed in a cocktail.

The single malt will be supported with a new marketing campaign over the summer.

Four leading whisky bars in the UK have created a Twisted Vine cocktail to mark the product’s launch.

Drinkers can sample the serves at London’s The Racketeer, Nauticus in Edinburgh, Glasgow-based The Gate and Aberdeen’s The Tippling House.

Twisted Vine can be purchased from Asda, Morrisons and Co-op stores across the UK, as well as specialist whisky and spirits outlets.

The 40% ABV whisky is priced at RRP £28 (US$35) per 700ml bottle.

In March last year, Glen Moray revealed a new packaging design for its Explorer range.