INCHGOWER
INCHGOWER
REGION: Speyside
STYLE: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 45.8%
AGE: 12 Years
RRP: £59.95
The majority of Inchgower heads to the blenders. It’s rarely seen as a single malt, except through the Flora and Fauna series and independent bottlers like us.
Inchgower has always been a significant player in blends, particularly Bell’s. Their own distilleries all shared variations on the ‘nutty-spicy' theme. Today, it also plays a significant role in the Johnnie Walker blends.
Located just outside the fishing port of Buckie, Inchgower is a coastal Speyside single malt. No other new make reaches the same level of intense spiciness, which is usually perceived on the tongue as salinity. What causes this spicy character? It all starts with a hotter-than-usual second water during the quick mashing regime. This cuts back any overt nuttiness. Fermentation is short, and the steeply angled lyne arms on the stills help to capture weightier elements.
This beautiful, briny 12-Year-Old has been matured in the finest hand-picked refill hogshead and finished in PX Octaves.
We’re expecting just 371 bottles.
NOSE
Rich aromas of ripe plums immediately draw you in, creating an inviting and fruity introduction. A delicate floral undertone, reminiscent of a summer orchard in full bloom, balances this initial sweetness.
TASTE
A gentle transition reveals comforting notes of buttery buns, beautifully complemented by a subtle, warming presence of black pepper. As the liquid coats the tongue, a faint hint of toasted almonds and vanilla bean begins to emerge, adding further depth to the medium-bodied texture. The long and satisfying finish leaves a pleasant, lingering sweetness of honeycomb and dark raisins on the tongue. A touch of oaky dryness appears at the very end, ensuring a clean and sophisticated exit that invites another sip.
ABOUT THE LABEL
Inchgower comes from Scots Gaelic for ‘island of the goats’. So, for unknown reasons, Goat Island in the middle of Niagara Falls was our inspiration for our original label, with a goat on Goat Island looking across to Canada, over Horseshoe Falls
Our reimagined label brings the goat front and centre, and we’ve added some little bells to it’s collar. An Oyster Catcher has appeared too - it probably thought our label was missing one…
