Graham Coull (Glen Moray) VA
Graham COULL
GLEN MORAY Distillery (Speyside, SCOTLAND)
Master-Blender, Master-Distiller & Distillery Manager
QUESTIONS to GRAHAM COULL, Master-Distiller of GLEN MORAY (founded in 1897), at the occasion of the 120th distillery anniversary in 2017, for ® GREG’S WHISKY GUIDE website, driven by Gregoire Sarafian, head of website www.gregswhiskyguide.com :
ENGLISH version
Updated : 18/04/2017
Hi Graham, I’m very pleased to interview you even at a distance (I hope some day I’ll be able to make it at the distillery and talk to you from within a warehouse!) for this very special occasion. (Please just answer below the questions & I’ll translate them for our French audience. The interview will be published on a bilingual base though).
1/Gregs’s Whisky Guide (GWG): This year 2017 sees the 120 th anniversary of GLEN MORAY distillery who’s production started on September, 13 of year 1897. What are your thoughts about this celebration year ? Are they special events organized by the owner & the distillery itself ? I heard of special anniversary bottlings, for instance…Can you tell us more ?
Graham Coull (G.C.): This year is a big year for the Distillery. It is a chance to reflect on the history and achievements of the Distillery The birthday will be celebrated with a special limited edition bottling called “Mastery’. It contains a blend of several Glen Moray vintages all with their own story to tell.
2/ (GWG): One has also to notice that, as we celebrate your 120th anniversary, you are yourself only the 5th master-distiller on the distillery’s history, so how does it make you feel & what do you consider as your
tribute to this distillery (what you have brought), in terms of production policy, innovations, etc… ?
(G.C.): I feel very proud to carry on the great work of my predecessors. Working on the spirit they laid down is a privilege and a pleasure. It is also my duty to develop the Distillery and its whiskies – during the last few years I have managed the expansion of the Distillery and the extensions to the Glen Moray range.
The new "Elgin Heritage" GLEN MORAY collection, with 2 new bottlings (15 & 18 y.o.). Thanks to Graham Coull for this picture.
3/ (GWG): What is your background in the industry (or beyond if you like) before you got to take care of GLEN MORAY?
(G.C.): My first job after studying Chemistry at Edinburgh University was in Brewery making beer. I then made the natural transition from beer to whisky joint William Grant & Sons at Glenfiddich Distillery in 1994.
I started in Bottling then Moved to distillation looking after Glenfiddich, Balvenie & Kininvie.
I then joined Glen Moray as Distillery Manager in 2005.
4/ What is your first (good) memory of a whisky you tasted in your life?
My first memory of drinking whisky was with my father in the 1980’s. It was Macallan which was his favourite.
A "1970" Vintage from The Macallan...(or when it deserves to be called "The...") bottled around 1988. Picture: © Grégoire Sarafian
5/(GWG): I noticed you were of the few master-distillers who enjoys communicating (especially on social media) about other distilleries whiskies you came across & liked (which I find very fair by the way), so could you quote 3 recent favorite of yours and explain why?
(G.C.): I enjoy tasting a variety of whiskies because there is always something to learn.
Recent favourites of mine have been:
Scapa 16 – wonderfully smooth and dear to my heart having shared it with close family and friends.
Caol Ila 18 – my favourite peated whisky. So elegant and well balanced. A great end of the night dram.
Glencadam 14yo Oloroso Sherry Cask – maybe not so well known but this whisky has the balance of age, Sherry character and strength spot on.
The last (on a regular core range) age statement bottling from SCAPA distillery, a few years ago. Picture: © Grégoire Sarafian
6/(GWG): I have been tasting your whiskies for more than 15 years now & I can tell there have been some (often welcome) changes over time, but also that at GLEN MORAY a house style has been maintained & that the distillery has even always had a sense of pioneering, aside with GLENMORANGIE, for instance in terms of wood finishes (not everyone knows you were the first to use white wine casks, back in 1999…). In 2017, what assessment can you make about these questions and how do you see the near future for the distillery’s ability to stay on this innovation ground?
(G.C.): I have a free hand to source different casks from all over the world. My recent purchases have been Rhum, Virgin Oak, Marsala and Cabernet Sauvignon. Add to this the more mainstream Sherry and Port gives me plent of opportunities to experiment in the future.
The remarkable "2004" vintage (a 12 y.o.) bottled in 2016. A beautiful Madeira finish. Picture: © Grégoire Sarafian
7/ (GWG): GLEN MORAY has unfortunately often been overlooked by some whisky amateurs because of its wide availability in supermarkets & affordable prices policy (a bit like GLENFIDDICH), because of the 40 % ABV chosen for most of the core range, but probably also because it’s the heart of a very « ordinary considered » Label 5 blended whisky. What do you answer to these people ?
(G.C.): All I can say to people is to give Glen Moray a try. The variety within the range is quite wide and I would hope that there is at least one Glen Moray out there for everyone!
8/(GWG): GLEN MORAY single malt house style is kind of unique even within the vast Speyside distilleries offer. I can tell how in my opinion but how would you define it yourself and can you please describe the variety of styles your core range (and beyond maybe with the limited edition) provides to the customers ?
(G.C.): Glen Moray is a full bodied sweet Speyside whisky. This sweetness comes through in all Glen Moray offerings. This sweetness is then enhanced by using ex Bourbon, Port, Chardonnay and Oloroso sherry in the core range.
The "Distillery bottling only" (& some for good folks of Whisky Live London 2017 it seems!) 2017 Chardonnay finish bottling
I have tasted a previous one (an advance sample) that was really good, back in 2010...Tasting notes to follow soon...
9/ (GWG): What is the proportion (approx. percentage) of the whisky you produce that goes only to GLEN MORAY single malts & in which blended whiskies brands goes the rest?
(G.C.): About 40% is retained for Single malt use and the remainder is for use in Label 5 and swapping with other Distillers.
10/ (GWG): Greg’s Whisky Guide has recently listed his favorite 75 whiskies of all time and one of those was a GLEN MORAY though not a bottling but a cask sample (a 37 yo vintage 1971 sherry cask sampled in 2008 at approx.. 54 % which fetched 98,5/100 & Beyond any category). Among the tasting notes I will publish & present to the readers at this occasion, and there will be some exclusive & unreleased ones such as the terrificly well made 6 y.o. (the 2010 finished in P.C. sherry cask but also peated!). I’ve noticed a lot of innovations or attempts to push the distillery boundaries further, and not only in terms of finishes. This is quite an exciting time now for GLEN MORAY & some bottlings or experiments are really top class ones, so what can you tell us about how you work on these special bottlings?
(G.C.): Patience is the key. I like to mature the whiskies until they are ready rather than when they are needed. Creating a whisky and watching it develop is probably the best part of my job!
Three experimental finishes (2 were peated as well!) proposed to tasting last year in France in a professional spirits show.
You will find my tasting notes about these vintage great whiskies on the "Focus on...GLEN MORAY distillery" section.
Picture: © Grégoire Sarafian
11/(GWG): What would you say to some of our (especially French) readers who may have not came across your whiskies yet in order to make them want to try them?
(G.C.): As I have said previously I would hope there is a whisky in the Glen Moray range for everyone. The trademark sweetness of Glen Moray makes it very easy to drink!
12/ (GWG): Among GLEN MORAY’s own whisky production, can you quote 2 regular expressions you particularly like and why, and 2 limited editions expressions you particularly like and explain why?
(G.C.): Glen Moray Classic Portwood Finish – beautifully rounded with subtle wine flavours
Glen Moray 12 y.o. is a traditional Speyside whisky matured in ex bourbon casks which gives it lovely toffee vanilla flavours and a little spice.
The "Port cask finish" from the core range "Elgin Classic". It's a n.a.s., but a good value in my opinion. Picture: © Grégoire Sarafian
13/ (GWG): As I have the pleasure to meet every year or so at whisky shows on the distillery’s stand your wife Fay, can you tell us more about her specific role in GLEN MORAY & at this special occasion can she offer us her thoughts as well about one or two expressions of GLEN MORAY she particularly likes and explain why? (Please thank her in advance for her answers).
(G.C.): I could not do my job without her support. We attend many whisky events together and her knowledge of Glen Moray is very good! Her favourite Expressions are Glen Moray 12 y.o. and 18 y.o. both matured in ex bourbon casks.
Graham Coull & his lovely wife Fay, in a French professional spirits show in Paris, 2014. Picture: © Grégoire Sarafian
14/ (GWG): The year 2016 (& even more this year for sure) has been the year of the explosion of the fashion (or serious trend, we don’t know yet) for craft distilleries (or so-called) all over the world & the challenge for the others to innovate or try to push the boundaries to reconquer (if needed) the customers. Some of these attempts I believe have to be taken very seriously (I think for instance of WESTLAND distillery approach) as they question in a way the ability of Scottish distilleries to explore all the ways they not necessarily intend to follow in the past & the present, such as using varied kinds of barley, brewery yeast instead of distillery yeast (the latter being the most used today), different durations of the mashing or fermenting process, different woods, etc… What are your thoughts about that ? Can Scottish whisky distilleries still innovate in2017 in your opinion?
(G.C.): I think there is room for everyone but Scotch whisky distillers must maintain high standards of quality and consistency to ensure that Scotch whisky goes from strength to strength. There are so many permutations in terms of age, cask type etc. I don’t think we will ever stop innovating.
The pretty convincing new 18 y.o. from GLEN MORAY's new "Elgin Heritage" collection, with an "whisky anoraks friendly"-ABV of 47,2 % !
15/ (GWG): Last but not least question, what are your goals for the distillery for this very special year for GLEN MORAY, year 2017?
(G.C.): My goals are to enjoy the special year and try and introduce many more people to Glen Moray. Cheers!
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Thanks a lot once again for yours answers, Graham!