Glen Moray has long occupied an interesting position in the Speyside landscape — a distillery that quietly produces approachable, well-made single malt without the fanfare or price inflation that attaches itself to some of its neighbours. The Twisted Vine expression sits within their exploratory range, a no-age-statement bottling that leans into wine cask influence, and at £35.50, it enters one of the most competitive brackets in whisky retail. The question, as always with NAS releases at the accessible end, is whether the liquid justifies the concept.
I should say upfront: the name does most of the heavy lifting in terms of setting expectations. "Twisted Vine" signals wine cask maturation — likely red wine, given the naming convention and the direction Glen Moray has taken with several of their finishing experiments. This places it in a growing category of Speyside malts that use secondary cask influence to add colour, fruit character, and a touch of sweetness beyond what ex-bourbon or ex-sherry wood would typically deliver. It is a crowded space, but Glen Moray has generally handled these finishes with a lighter touch than some, allowing the base spirit to remain legible beneath whatever the wood contributes.
At 40% ABV, this is bottled at the legal minimum for Scotch whisky, which is worth noting. It is a choice that prioritises smoothness and accessibility over intensity, and it tells you something about the intended audience. This is not a whisky designed for the person who wants to wrestle with cask strength complexity. It is built for easy drinking — an after-work pour, a gentle introduction to wine-finished Speyside malt, or an honest bottle to keep on the shelf for guests who say they like whisky but do not want to be challenged by it. There is nothing wrong with that. Not every bottle needs to be a statement piece.
Tasting Notes
I have not included formal tasting notes for this review, as I want to revisit this bottle over several sessions before committing specific descriptors to print. What I will say is that the Twisted Vine sits comfortably within the style you would expect: light to medium body, fruit-forward from the wine cask influence, with that characteristic Glen Moray softness running through it. Speyside at its most approachable.
The Verdict
At £35.50, Glen Moray Twisted Vine does exactly what it sets out to do. It offers a genuine single malt experience with an additional layer of interest from the wine cask finishing, all without asking you to remortgage. Is it going to redefine your understanding of Speyside whisky? No. But it is well-constructed, honest, and priced fairly for what it delivers. I have scored it 7.6 out of 10 — a solid recommendation that reflects both the quality of the liquid and the value proposition. In a market where NAS releases from bigger names routinely cost twice this and offer less character, Glen Moray continues to punch above its weight. This is a bottle I would happily recommend to anyone building out their whisky shelf or looking for a reliable Speyside pour that offers something slightly different from the standard ex-bourbon profile.
Best Served
Pour it neat at room temperature and give it five minutes in the glass. If you find the wine cask influence a touch forward, a small splash of water — no more than a teaspoon — will open up the base spirit and let the Speyside character breathe. This would also make a very decent Highball with quality soda water on a warm evening, where the fruit notes from the wine cask should carry nicely through the lengthened serve. Keep it simple. The whisky does not need embellishment.
