This was my bottle to open for the tasting, and has been hanging out for a few years, awaiting an occasion like this. It was the sixth whisky, however please be assured I took a break which was needed more than an Intermission during The Batman, so we’ve reset, and we’re onto Sherry Cask whiskies now.
I’m very behind the times on Inchgower. This is only the second, and frankly I picked Inchgower 20 2000 Maltbarn strictly on not wanting to pass up a Maltbarn pick, as I typically enjoy their picks.
Last time we were discussing how Inchgower is owned by Diageo, used mostly in blends, and well known for its youthful spice (R. Kelly has entered the chat).
Now we have a 20 year old one from a sherry cask at cask strength. Will I enjoy it more? Will this be the last Inchgower I buy out of bitter spite? Let’s see, shall we?
Price: € 190
Region: Speyside
Vintage: 2000
Bottled: 2020
Cask type: Sherry Cask
Number of bottles: 178
Abv: 50.7%
Colour: 2.5Y 7/8
Nose: Papaya, honey, herbs, plums, peach
Subtle fruit, lots of floral/honey notes, and some herbal notes. So again we’ve seen no spice. That said, it’s known for youthful spice, so let’s kill that recurring joke in the crib (R. Kelly has entered the chat).
Very subtle. Needs extra time to open up and really enjoy the nose.
Taste: Ginger, red licorice, peach, anise, burnt meat
There’s the spice! And it’s not from a youthful Inchgower (R. Kelly has left the chat)
Candy, spice, fruit, and eventually a charred beef/meat flavour that pops out. Again, needs time to really open up, and can’t be rushed.
Finish: Ginger, strawberry, dust, plum, char
Spice, some musty additions, and fruit. It’s like the taste is slowly wrapping up, and it aligns with the flavour profile quite nicely.
Conclusion: Very subtle and fruity dram with various fun surprises. You don’t expect the char to come into play. You don’t feel the spice is overwhelming.
It’s also so easy- drinking/light that it’s really easy, on first taste, to think it’s simpler than it is. I’ll admit I did have a second and third dram to double check my notes, give it more time, make sure I had a “no whisky before this” palate, and ended up at the same place. So go me, I guess?
More so I’m saying that this is one of those whiskies you have over multiple hours. Not a daily dram. And very tasty, so I’ll be hunting more Inchgower moving forward, and comparing them to this.
82/100
Scotch review #1503, Speyside review #427, Whisky Network review #2209
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