Glen Moray creates whisky with Edinburgh Rugby team

by Owen Bellwood

Single malt Scotch whisky distillery Glen Moray has launched an exclusive single cask bottling in partnership with the Edinburgh Rugby team.

Edinburgh Rugby Single Cask Private Edition Whisky has been made with whisky from a single cask selected by Edinburgh Rugby team mates John Barclay, Scotland Rugby captain, and Damien Hoyland. Bottled at 52.8% abv and non-chill-filtered, just 312 bottles of the limited edition whisky have been produced after being finished in a 2004 Chardonnay cask. On the nose, the whisky has “sweet vanilla, charred oak and tropical fruit notes,” while the palate is said to have “caramelised fruit flavours infused with toasted spice”. Graham Coull, Glen Moray master distiller, said: “As you would expect from two talented and dedicated rugby players, John and Damien threw themselves wholeheartedly into the cask selection process. “It was never going to be easy for a flanker and a winger to agree on anything but we persevered, and after several attempts we agreed on a wonderful 2004 Glen Moray finished in a Chardonnay wine cask.” Edinburgh Rugby Single Cask Private Edition Whisky has an RRP of £100 (US$126) and all of the profits from its sale will be donated to the Hearts & Balls Charitable Trust, which is a Scottish charity that supports rugby players and their families in the aftermath of injury on the field. Edinburgh Rugby’s head of commercial, Ben Slater, said: "Rugby and whisky have had a long and fruitful association and as such we are very excited about this new Edinburgh Rugby whisky from Glen Moray. “It is fantastic to see Glen Moray working to support Hearts & Balls, one of our official charity partners and we are fully behind this new venture. I am sure our fans will support this very worthy cause.” Last month, the Speyside distillery launched its Bourbon-inspired “sweet and smooth” 10-year-old single malt Scotch whisky.