Speyside's Glen Moray will be launching a new single malt whisky next month, this time finished in French oak casks previously used to mature the French apple-based brandy, Calvados.

The Forbidden Fruit will the latest and third addition to the distillery's Xperience Collection.  Previous releases have been the Phoenix Rising and Twisted Vine, which explore heavily charred oak and Cognac cask maturation, respectively.

The distillery’s team laid a single malt aged in Bourbon casks in the French oak to see how the Calvados would combine with Glen Moray’s Speyside profile.

Nose notes are said to include aromas of green apple, toffee and sweet pastries. On the palate, it instead presents apple pie, vanilla custard, barley sugar and very subtle wood tannins can then be found on the palate.

The finish is described as ‘long, with an initial spice which subsides to reveal notes of oak with poached pears and cloves’, and the whisky is said to have subtle fruit notes and warm spices from the Calvados.

The whisky's box design contrasts a scarlet apple with the distillery's signature dark blue, all framed by a cradle of golden leaves.

Bottled at 40% ABV, the Glen Moray Forbidden Fruit will be available at specialist whisky retailers throughout the UK and in Morrisons stores across Scotland from April, with an MSRP of £32 (US$43).

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team