Inchgower 18yo 1976/1994

Inchgower 18yo 1976/1994

First Cask, The Malt Whisky Circle 
Single malt - Speyside 
Green gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Menthol, green apples, leather, honey, pistachios, lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, loosens, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Green apples, honey, dark chocolate, pistachios, vanilla, black tea, allspice. 
Finish: Long. Leather, black tea, green apples, menthol, dark chocolate. 

Comments: 

Cask 9891. Tastes old and leathery, lots of old bottle effect. Plenty of dark chocolate and green apples still shows through though, it must have been quite bright and intense when younger. Lovely whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Inchgower 20yo 2000/2020

Inchgower 20yo 2000/2020

Maltbarn
Single malt - Speyside
Bronze
50.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, fresh cut grass, jasmine, vanilla, marshmallows, ginger, hints of marmalade. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, cool, slippery, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour bitter. Fresh cut grass, white grapes, raisins, vanilla, green tea, cinnamon, ginger. 
Finish: Long. Marshmallows, white grapes, jasmine, ginger, hints of cream. 

Comments: 

Intensely flavoured, clearly defined whisky. It’s not sweet, instead being herbal, floral and spicy. Some vanilla sweetness is evident in the finish, but it’s still floral and spicy.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Inchgower 13yo 2007/2021

Inchgower 13yo 2007/2021

Selection, Adelphi
Single malt - Speyside 
Amber red gold
58.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Chestnuts, raisins, acacia honey, black tea, cloves, nutmeg, gingerbread, rose petals. With water, acacia honey, chestnuts, black tea. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, syrupy, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Orange peel, gingerbread, malted grains, acacia honey, rum and raisin, hints of cinnamon. With water, rum and raisin, black tea, acacia honey, hints of rose petals. 
Finish: Medium. Black tea, malted grains, rose petals, cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Malty and floral, this whisky is replete with satisfying flavours. It boasts a beautiful colour and thick legs, and is really very good. The sweetness is offset by a slightly tannic finish that opens up with a few drops of water.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Inchgower 23yo 1997/2020

Inchgower 23yo 1997/2020

Vintage, Signatory 
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark gold, hints of green
59.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pistachios, almonds, salted caramel, strawberry laces, beef broth, rhubarb and custard sweets. With water, pear drops, beef broth, almonds, salted caramel. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, oily, hot. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. White grapes, strawberry laces, rhubarb and custard sweets, pistachios, malted grains, black tea, vanilla, acacia honey. With water, malted grains, pear drops, beef broth, pistachios, almonds. 
Finish: Long. Acacia honey, vanilla, white grapes, pistachios, rhubarb and custard sweets. 

Comments: 

Quite sweet and complex, with a wonderful oily mouthfeel. There’s enough complexity such that it’s very drinkable neat, but water opens it up to reveal a meaty nuttiness alongside the sweet fruity notes. Very good indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Inchgower 27yo 1989/2017

Inchgower 27yo 1989/2017

Authentic Collection, WM Cadenhead 
Single malt - Speyside 
Pale gold
53.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apple juice, peaches, pears, sea salt, lemon sweets, hints of white grapes. With water, white grapes, peach gummies, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, warm, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Apple juice, peach gummies, lemon sweets, leather, white grapes, hints of honey. With water, honey, apples, peach gummies, malted grains. 
Finish: Medium. Honey, peach gummies, golden syrup, white grapes, hints of clay dust. 

Comments: 

This whisky tastes quite like Calvados, lots of apple but also a huge amount of peach notes. It’s a bit like the Japanese peach gummies you sometimes get at Japanese sundry shops. There’s a drying, dusty note at the end on the back of the tongue. Quite complex and tasty. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Inchgower 10yo 2009/2020

Inchgower 10yo 2009/2020

The Hidden Spirits Whisky Company
Single malt - Speyside 
Pale straw
52.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, cola nuts, malted grains, blueberries, cotton sheets, hints of smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, syrupy, sticky. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Malted grains, blueberries, sea salt, candied orange peel, preserved lemons, cola nuts. 
Finish: Long. Sea salt, preserved lemons, malted grains, vanilla, hints of candied orange peel.

Comments: 

I like Hidden Spirits, nearly every one of their bottlings that I’ve been lucky enough to try has been excellent. This one is too, lots of malty, spirity notes, with salty citrus and vanilla. Well aged, released at what might be the perfect time. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Inchgower 20 yo 1995/2015

Inchgower 20 yo 1995/2015

Extra Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Speyside
Green gold
51.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Ink, gooseberries, leather, quinces, lemon zest, hints of iron filings. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Gooseberries, iron filings, green apples, rice crispies, leather, hints of sandalwood. 
Finish: Medium. Ink, lemon zest, quinces, walnut skins. 

Comments: 

An unusual Speyside whisky. It's light, but it's tart and cereally, with bitter fragrant, even metallic notes. Well aged, it's very complex, and worth taking plenty of time over when drinking a dram. Good stuff.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 18.29 (Inchgower 24 yo 1985/2010)

SMWS 18.29 (Inchgower 24 yo 1985/2010)

2010, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Tawny gold
49.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, malty beer, tobacco leaf, rum, cream soda, hints of leather, hints of grass.
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, tingly, slippery.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Raisins, leather, grass, rum, tobacco leaf, vanilla, butter.
Finish: Medium. Chillies, rum, tobacco leaf, vanilla.

Comments:

Quite airy and ethereal, with some nice hints of herbaceous tobacco. However, there's not very much going on in this whisky, and it's a little one-dimensional. Drinkable, but slightly boring.

Verdict:

Not bad.

SMWS 18.28 (Inchgower 24 yo 1985/2009)

SMWS 18.28 (Inchgower 24 yo 1985/2009)

2009, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
47.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pineapple, limes, apples, oranges, roses, plums, chocolate, raisins, tobacco leaf.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, cool, a little volatile.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Cinnamon, limes, sea salt, pineapples, apples, plums, tobacco leaf, walnuts.
Finish: Long. Light, faint, chillies, pineapples, walnuts.

Comments:

Laden with exotic fruit and spice, this whisky is quite unusual. There's a great deal of complexity underlying the initial sweetness. Very wholesome.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 18.26 (Inchgower 23 yo 1985/2008)

SMWS 18.26 (Inchgower 23 yo 1985/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Copper penny
48.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, vanilla, condensed milk, raspberries, orange peel, hints of new plastic, hints of rubber.
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, cool, then tingly.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Oranges, lemons, orange peel, condensed milk, vanilla, raspberries, brown paper, new plastic.
Finish: Short. Brown paper, orange peel, condensed milk.

Comments:

Reminds me of Marks & Spencer's victoria sponge! Cakey and jammy, lots of cream somewhere in the middle. This whisky would make an unusual but satisfying dessert, or even a digestif. Not too sweet, but that makes it all the better.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Inchgower 14 yo

Inchgower 14 yo

Flora & Fauna, official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Pale green gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Marshmallows, raisins, glace cherries, dried orange peel, apricots, vanilla, lemon zest, hints of smoke.
Mouthfeel: Light body, quickly turns syrupy, oxalic, astringent.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Orange peel, apricots, vanilla, marshmallows, hints of leather, hints of lemon.
Finish: Short. Orange peel, lemon, walnut skins.

Comments:

Quite a lot going on here for such a low strength. I quite enjoyed this, although the finish was a little short and anaemic. Not bad at all, I only wish this was bottled stronger.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 18.27 (Inchgower 23 yo 1985/2008)

SMWS 18.27 (Inchgower 23 yo 1985/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Golden yellow
47.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cake, butter, cherries, rum and raisin, marmalade, glace fruits.
Mouthfeel: Light body, metallic, thickens quickly.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Brass polish, rum and raisin, cake, cinnamon, hints of honey.
Finish: Medium. Honey, marmalade, rum and raisin.

Comments:

Very pleasant. I like the rum and raisin notes - they come out very clearly, along with lots of other tasty sweet things. Not very complex, but a tasty way to start an evening of dramming.

Verdict:

I like this.