Dram Mor Glen Garioch Single Cask

Limited to only 241 individually numbered bottles, this CASK STRENGTH, SINGLE CASK Single Malt is matured in ex-bourbon barrels from the small batch specialist, Glen Garioch Distillery that has been making whisky since 1797 in North East Scotland.

Almost on the opposite end of the flavour scale to our ‘Malt of the Month’ Tomintoul – the Glen Garioch 8yo from Dram Mor is an ex-bourbon aged, single cask, unpeated whisky. Where the Tomintoul is huge, rich, thick and stewed-fruity – the Glen Garioch is all about light, clean spirit, nuts, vanilla and buttery notes.  Both are big whiskies though, no mistake. The 55% ABV of the Glen Garioch really unleashes the buttery deliciousness that only a brilliant bourbon cask can provide!

It really seems like it’s been a long haul getting this whisky – Viktorija from Dram Mor and I first started speaking around March 2020. After much too-ing and fro-ing… samples held up by international shipping, then being sold out when they arrived at my house… more samples (agonisingly slowly a-la COVID) coming across, deals made and etc etc etc. PHEW!

But anyway, all that is history now – it’s here! We got the whisky! And what a fantastic whisky is it – totally worth the wait!

Nose: A solid base of granny smith apples underlies fresh and vibrant floral and grassy notes with a citrus tang.

Palate: Wonderful, buttery, creamy mouthfeel luxuriously coats the palate before a wave of poached pear, vanilla custard, honey and buttered milk arrowroot biscuits and a lovely walnut flavour chase each other around the palate.

Finish: Lovely medium peppery-ness leads the charge to the finish, but it’s the sweet, floral notes that linger longest!

This is a wonderfully easy drinking dram (especially after a splash of water to open it’s cask strength goodness) and an almost textbook demonstration of fantastic highland spirit matched with first class oak. All the biscuits, nuts, vanilla and buttery mouthfeel you could ask for in a bourbon cask matured whisky.

A very warm welcome from a very chilly Scotland to all of you Down Under. Kenny & Viktorija Macdonald here from Dràm Mòr .

Who? I hear you say.

Well we are a relatively new Indy Bottler hailing from the town of Dumbarton on the banks of the river Clyde, in the vicinity of Loch Lomond and Ben Lomond, here in Scotland We are delighted to be able to finally say that our single cask, cask strength drams are now available in Australia to the members of the Single Malt Whisky Club.

It’s fantastic to be on board at last!

The first one that is going to be coming to you is our delicious Glen Garioch 8 year old coming in at a sturdy 55% ABV.

This cask is as straight forward as your going to find as it’s a refill Ex Bourbon cask with no fancy finish (and we like a fancy finish) but don’t think for a second that this makes the flavour straight forward.

Far from it!

From the nutty almond and toasted barley with a hint of vanilla drizzled stewed pear on the nose to the sweet biscuity hazelnut palate that coats the mouth like a gentle syrup this dram is one that you will return to again and again.

Only issue is that with only 241 bottles its in very short supply and there’s only a very limited amount heading your way so don’t wait to grab this because you’ll be left disappointed and as a whisky nut I hate feeling disappointed!

Till the next dram…….

Slàinte,

Kenny MacDonald

Dràm Mòr is the brainchild of husband and wife team Viktorija and Kenny Macdonald. The business started as a hospitality training and whisky events business as well as working to open new markets around the world for Independent Scotch whisky producers. The business worked with companies such as Ian MacLeod Distillers, Arran, Wemyss Malts, Douglas Laing, Speyside Distillers, Borders Distillery, as well as Scottish gin producers such as Port Of Leith Distillery (Lind&Lime Gin) and North Uist Distillery (Downpour Gin). Following the success of this, Kenny was offered the chance to work with Ian MacLeod Distillers as a freelance Brand Ambassador working in numerous markets throughout the world.

In 2019, due to high demand for small independent bottling for a range of whisky bars, boutique restaurants and stores, Viktorija and her husband Kenny decided to start their own brand Dràm Mòr. The name meaning a Big Whisky translated from Scottish Gaelic. The company now exports to 14 different countries and keeps helping clients to access and bottle unique and bespoke single cask Scotch whiskies. The actual brand and label of the Dràm Mòr was created with the help of massive amount of input by a wonderful young Lithuanian artist, Iveta Šmidtaite, who has created our original mountain logo, whilst the commercial look of the brand was developed with the help of Joanne Smith who has brought her excellent marketing and design experience to the brand.

One of the oldest operating distilleries in Scotland – and its most easterly – Glen Garioch (pronounced Glen Geery in the ancient Doric dialect still spoken in these parts) has been making its mighty malt in the quaint and historic market town of Oldmeldrum, near Aberdeen in North East Scotland, ever since 1797. Shielded from the world’s prying eyes, deep in the fertile ‘Granary of Aberdeenshire’, and only ever produced in small, precious batches, Glen Garioch is a rare find indeed, but warmly appreciated by those who like a hearty Highland malt, non chill-filtered as nature intended, with a wholesome maltiness, honeyed sweetness and delicious creamy texture to savour.