Glen Moray Rhum Agricole Cask Finish Project Review

Glen Moray Rhum Agricole Cask Finish Project Review      Price: £53

I was looking through my Google Drive Cloud in my Blogs folder and I noticed that I have quite a few unfinished Whisky review blogs which have sat there for months or in some cases, even years! I thought, being that we are all stuck at home in “Beidud” (quarantine), between watching shiurim on TorahAnytime.com, talking to family and giving shiurim on Zoom, I’d try and publish some of these unfinished posts.

Introduction

Kasher LeMahadrin Whisky Cask Types

Generally speaking, Single Malts considered “strictly kosher”, are restricted LeMa’aseh, to Ex-Bourbon matured, Virgin oak matured, Kosher Port/Wine matured, and lastly, (being that it is made from a distillation of sugar cane molasses) - Rum Cask matured Whisky. The latter will be the subject of this blog.

Obviously, almost all the whisky I drink tends to be matured in Ex-Bourbon casks and occasionally heavily charred Virgin Oak, being that they are the most common. However, over the past few years, I have been getting to know and enjoying the Kosher Port/Wine matured Single malts, thanks to the wonderful stuff coming out of the Golan Heights Distillery here in Israel. So, late last year (2019), I decided that it would be a good idea to try to get more familiar with what is the least common of the above group of strictly kosher cask types, namely whisky matured in Rum casks.

Up until now, the only Rum cask matured single malt readily available here in Israel has been the Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14-Year-Old. By the way, this used to be certified by the Manchester Beth Din and I have Import labels in Hebrew stating as such, as well as a screen shot of the Manchester Beth Din site from six months ago which includes the Caribbean Cask in its list, yet this expression seems now to have disappeared from their site. If anybody has any information about this, then please get in contact with me.

See my review of the Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14-Year-Old here:

https://rebmordechaireviews.blogspot.com/2015/07/balvenie-14-year-old-caribbean-cask.html

Balvenie has always had (at least for me), a bit of a generic flavour profile, (but having said this, their 12-Year-Old Single Bourbon cask expression is really tasty, zesty stuff). To that end, when I was in Scotland, last November, I decided to concentrate on buying some Rum cask matured single malts from smaller craft-presentation distilleries, which I could bring back home to Israel. At the back of my mind, I was also thinking of perhaps organising a Whisky Evening presentation on the theme of Rum Cask matured whiskies. So, I ended up with this small list.

Springbank 15-Year-Old Rum Wood Cask

Glen Scotia 2003 Distillery Exclusive Peated Rum

Hunter Laing “The Old Malt cask” Benrinnes Rum Cask 8 Years.

Lastly, and to start the ball rolling, I will begin with the Glen Moray Rhum Agricole, which I purchased from the “Masters of Malt” site and had delivered to my parent’s home in England.

RHUM AGRICOLE Versus English Naval Rum

The British Royal Navy

https://www.yachtingmonthly.com/news/ceremony-to-mark-ending-of-rum-tot-at-hms-victory-6539

Having said that Rum Cask matured whisky is quite rare, almost all of those rum casks being used in the Scottish Whisky industry are from distilleries making rum in the English Naval Caribbean tradition.  The first clue that this expression is no ordinary rum cask matured whisky is in its French use of the spelling: “Rhum”.

https://thedearsurprise.com/the-french-navy-during-the-napoleonic-era/

From a Bloomberg article:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-08-30/what-is-rhum-agricole-guide-to-best-martinique-rum-bottles

“Rhum Agricole, is very specific: produced only from the fresh-pressed juice of sugar cane, which must begin its fermentation process within a day, or it will spoil like milk. Therefore, Rhum must be produced as close to the source as possible, and so maintains a distinct taste of its local agricultural provenance, or terroir, if you will.”

It is only produced in a very few places in the world and all ex-French colony islands such as the French West Indies, (mainly Guadeloupe), Madagascar and Martinique, where they use sugar cane grown especially in the far south of Martinique next to the Atlantic Ocean.

When I read all this, I made an educated guess that these Rhum casks have all been sourced by the parent French company of Glen Moray distillery, namely “La Martiniquaise” (pronounced “La-Mar-ton-ikae”).

My guess was confirmed when I read on “The Spirits Business” site that these casks came from Martinique-based St James Rhum plantation distillery (or as they say “Distillerie”).

Packaging

Considering this is a limited-edition expression, it is interesting that the packaging is completely standard. It’s the normal Glen Moray bottle in the regular simple cardboard box. I applaud this. Yes, I liked the Jewel-box style design of the Glen Moray 18 but this understated minimalist approach enthuses confidence. 

Presentation

I further applaud the fact that they have bottled this at higher than normal 46.3% abv, although I am puzzled why they dafka chose the specific number of 46.3 which has been up until now, the exclusive reserve of distilleries coming under the Burn Stewart parent company umbrella, which includes Deanston, Tobermory and Bunnahabhain, who all bottle at 46.3%.

[Update: I have just realised that the entire series of the "Glen Moray Cask Project", which includes the "Madeira Cask Project" and (the now banned, as it falls foul of the new SWA 2019 Cask Regulations): "The Glen Moray Cider Cask Project", are all bottled at 46.3% abv.

The new head of Whisky Creation at Glen Moray and the brains behind this Cask project is none other than Dr Kirstie McCallum, who, wait for it, wait for it....used to be the Global Brand Ambassodor for Burn Stewart, who "just happened" to choose that magic 46.3 number. Hmm...]

I also wish to praise Glen Moray for stating on the label, that this expression is Non-Chill Filtered, although no mention is made regarding whether they have added E150a colouring, so one can assume that this UK exclusive edition is not a natural colour.

Colour and Look

Indeed, when you pour some of this whisky into a Glencairn glass, it does seem to have a slight orang-y tint to it, indicating some caramel colouring. However, it does seem slightly paler than the regular Ex-Bourbon releases.

Despite stating on the label that this is Non-Chill-Filtered, whilst swirling the liquid around in the glass, it does not seem to exhibit a particularly high viscosity.

Nosing and Tasting

Initially, when I first smelt and sipped this, I was really surprised that it was quite different to any Ex-Rum matured single malt I had tried previously and moreover, thought that this Glen Moray was quite a bit more Bourbon cask dominant and showing typical Glen Moray flavour malty biscuit-ty notes. This is not a criticism, simply an observation for I really do enjoy the classic Glen Moray profile.

The aroma is in fact, simply delightful. Gentle blossom perfume, rich honey cake, yellow fruity, roasted almonds, gentle wood spices, new leather shoes. I could spend 20 minutes just sniffing this.

As many of you know, I always recommend Glen Moray 12 as the No.1 Introductory transition dram, which I would pour to anyone who has as yet not discovered the wonderful world of single malt whisky. Glen Moray is gentle and light yet packed with flavour. So different to the harshness of most Blended Scotch Whiskies.

As I was writing this review, Ralfy Mitchel just uploaded another of his classic vlogs and this was coincidently about rum! In it he mentions that French colonial style Rhum was very different to British colonial style rum, the latter being much heavier. So French Rhum it seems, is a more delicate lighter spirit. Yup! I can confirm this and it definitely compliments the Glen Moray signature flavour.

I will have to look out for a genuine French Rhum in the local Jerusalem wine stores, here, in order to experience the original spirit itself.

However, at the moment of writing, (Monday 16^th March 2020), all the wine stores along with almost every other store except those selling food, are all closed as per Government regulations due to this Corona virus pandemic. I do wish all of you reading this, much “brius” – health, and to those who are un well, a “Refuah Sheleima” – a full recovery.

May Hashem speedily save us from this terrible and unprecedented affliction. Amen.

Finishes or ACEing

Indeed, this bottle is almost finished!!!

The label states that this is a “Cask Finish Project” which means that the whisky was not actually exclusively matured in these Rhum casks but that the whisky, which had been maturing previously in other type casks (almost certainly Ex-Bourbon), was then transferred to these casks in order to add extra flavour, to “finish” the whisky off, before bottling.

Usually, the whole point of finishes (also known as ACEing – “Additional Cask Enhancement”), is to give a maturing whisky a flavour boost just before bottling, in order to hide the lack of maturation of an old inactive refill cask by finishing it in an active full flavoured cask. This doesn't seem to be the case here.

The classic Bourbon flavour notes and the Glen Moray in particular character shine through here but there is something else on top. That is, a kind of a dark brown sugar sweetness. Glen Moray has a biscuit and ice cream character but this is a more vanilla fudge, raison rum ice cream. Light, elegant and fruity sweet but a wider variety of fruits. Milk chocolate.

So, with this Rhum finish, I was expecting a heavy sweet syrupy molasses sugary flavour with dates and raisins with gun powder/burnt matches sulphur-y character to completely obliterate the classic Glen Moray flavour signature; but, in fact, even on the first smell and sip, this is instantly recognisable as a Glen Moray.

It is as if the ex-Bourbon casks used are First Fill and the Rhum cask finish has simply added a few subtle extra flavours to it.

Sipping the whisky with just a drop of water, I get delicious but delicate yellow apples, oranges, raisins, vanilla pods, vanilla fudge, creamy vanilla filling digestive biscuits, kitchen spices.

Conclusion

For those who enjoy their heavy meaty or peaty whiskies, this Glen Moray is not for you. However, for those who enjoy the lighter more delicate types of single malts, this is for you. Let me say again, this might be light in style but it’s packed with flavour, so don’t let the word “delicate” put you off. Some would label this a dram for the ladies but I’d say it can be enjoyed by everyone.

Mechiras Chametz 2020

Lastly, I would have said in normal times, “don’t forget to sell your Chametz before Pesach by going to see your local Rav”, but due to these extraordinary times, the Rabbanut here in Israel are instructing you to do Mechiras Chametz online.

Hebrew:

https://www.gov.il/he/service/chametz_sale

English:

https://www.gov.il/en/service/chametz_sale

IMPORTANT: Everyone like me who has a large whisky collection, is used to selling Chametz Gamor. However, this year, I have been told from reliable Poskim that even those who have never sold actual Chametz before, that this year, (2020) you SHOULD put it all away, seal it up and sell ALL your Chametz Gamor, including flour, pasta….