I never really seek out Inchgower, but maybe I should pay this coastal distillery more attention. The two releases I’m reviewing today certainly seem to indicate so. One is a recently released Inchgower 2008 from Tri Carragh, the other an older Inchgower 1982 by Whisky-Doris from 15 years ago.
Having said that, I am generally rather fond of Inchgower. You can read why in my article about an Inchgower distillery visit during Spirit of Speyside. The distillery has a quirky approach, which doesn’t always lead to the most polished end result, but never produces boring whisky.
Both today’s whiskies matured in bourbon casks. The Tri Carragh release spent time in a first-fill bourbon barrel, while the Whisky-Doris is from a bourbon hogshead (no word on the fill number). I was kindly sent a sample of the first, while the latter was reviewed from my own bottle, opened for a massive BYOB somewhere in the Dutch countryside with close to 100 attendees. But that’s a story for another time.
Inchgower 2008 16 Years (51.7%, Tri Carragh, 224 bts.)
Nose: Buttery vanilla notes with a tinge of oak. Think crème caramel, brioche buns and just a sliver of nutmeg. Then also hints of crush mint leaves, some fresh peaches and a sprinkle of lemon zest. Quite lovely I’d say.
Taste: The buttery notes neatly translate to a creamy mouthfeel. Again, some fresh yellow fruits, which is always greatly appreciated, followed by a faint hoppy bitterness, fudge and a sprinkle of white pepper.
Finish: Medium length. A tinge of cardamom with a slight grassiness, then also some walnuts.
Inchgower 1982 28 Years (56.6%, Whisky-Doris, C#6971)
Nose: A well-rounded, sweet and fruity kind of single malt. There’s tinges of honeycomb, a sliver of melted better, polished furniture and ripe banana, but then also something akin to love hearts, gingerbread and mushy kiwi. Even some pineapple.
Taste: Reassuringly mature yet vibrant and lively at the same time. There’s a gentle nuttiness alongside pickled ginger, but also more pineapple and banana notes, which is rather excellent. A faint saline quality, but also caramel. Should we just say salted caramel? Maybe we should. And just a pinch of pepper to finish.
Finish: Medium to long. Gentle vanilla notes, a touch of minerality and some cantaloupe.
