Alexander Murray isn’t a household name in the Scotch world, but we’re willing to bet you’ve tried their bottlings before. It’s the brand behind the American private label business, from Costco to Trader Joe’s, known for bringing some of the best values in the industry for those in the know (they were putting Macallan Sherry casks into Kirkland for years). 

One of the biggest hang-ups that modern Scotch drinkers have with the standard Alexander Murray label is the lower-than-average 40% ABV. In the cask strength era, the younger and more forward-thinking whiskey crowd tends to prefer the liquid at a higher proof. 

Which brings us to this diamond in the rough: an anomaly that absolutely took our breath away upon tasting. Sitting on a small supply of ultra-mature, peated Glen Moray, from casks that had already dwindled down in their ABV, Alexander Murray’s addition of water in this case didn’t really change the nature of the whisky—but it did change the nature of the price. 

Cask strength whiskies are generally more expensive than those that have been reduced with water. Yet, in this case, these Glen Moray casks had already reduced themselves into the low 40’s, a phenomenon that can happen with older whiskies stored in certain conditions. Hence, the small bit of added water was the difference between a $150 bottle of 20 year Glen Moray and one that can sell for $89.99—and we think that addition was more than worth the discount.

If you’re a fan of oily, waxy, phenolic single malts that harken back to the olden days of barrel hunting, you’re going to want a bottle of this. In fact, you might want two or three.

2001 Glen Moray 20 Year Old Alexander Murray Single Malt Whisky $89.99

Glen Moray Distillery was founded in the late 1800s, and was part of the Glenmorangie empire until LVMH purchased it in 2004. The barrels used for this 2001 release came from the pre-LVMH period when Glenmorangie (originally Macdonald & Muir) ran the facility and distilled a peated malt. For those of you who were fortunate enough to taste some of BenRiach’s older peated whiskies, we think that’s the best analogy for this exquisite Glen Moray. Yet, underneath the subtle smoke and campfire is a mouthful of stewed orchard fruits and resin, all of it dipped in a bit of caramel with an oily finish that reminds us of Clynelish. Needless to say, we’ve never tasted a Glen Moray expression as complex and delicious as this one. Dare we call it: the poor man’s peated Brora? Taste it if you don’t believe us!

Despite the 40% ABV, the concentrated flavors of this whisky were already well developed as these barrels proofed themselves down naturally. While it’s not quite whisky season yet, we still think you’ll want to stow a few bottles away for the Fall. Halloween comes early to Los Angeles as is, so why not a screaming hot deal for mature single malt whisky?

Don’t sleep on this one. It punches well above its ridiculous price, as many of the Alexander Murray whiskies often do.