Interesting stuff here. A Glen Moray matured for 15 years in a 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel and then re-racked into a 1st fill ex-IPA barrel for some extra maturation.
Nose: Quite unusual. An assortment of jelly sweets (especially Wine Gums) sits with candyfloss, lemon grass and lemon balm. Whilst elderflower cordial is infused with sage seasoning and a dollop of industrial machine grease. Dilution reveals light perfume alongside apricots and peach cobbler.
Taste: Textural – quite viscous and oleaginous. Rosewater (Turkish delight) is upfront alongside elderflower and milk chocolate. The hop influence is quite perceptible – its herbal and floral rather than being overtly citric in nature – but it still has some of the bittering and dryness you’d expect. Water greatly diminishes the IPA influence – less floral, less hoppy, and more focussed on fruit notes of green apples, peach slices and guava. A pleasant adaptation.
Finish: Medium to long with fading lemon peels, cough syrup and wild honey.
I find this IPA cask finish to be one of the more successful examples I’ve tasted. The influence is perceptible and sympathetic to the spirit, without being in anyway overwrought. Different and a very positive manner.