INCHGOWER NCS
INCHGOWER NCS
REGION: Islay
STYLE: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 55.2% NCS
AGE: 17 Years
RRP: £74.95
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 within 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 beautifully briny 12-Year-Old has been selected from a small parcel of reracked PX octaves as a standout example of distillery and cask balance at Natural Cask Strength.
We’re expecting just 98 bottles.
NOSE
A complex and multifaceted opening reveals a classic combination of briny pickles, rich roasted coffee, and bitter cocoa. As the spirit breathes, the savoury start is elegantly balanced by the emergence of ripe, succulent melons and the decadent, sugary sweetness of vanilla fudge, rounding out the aromatic profile.
TASTE
The coffee notes intensify on the palate, reminiscent of robust instant granules, which are masterfully complemented by delicate touches of sea salt and the chewy, concentrated sweetness of sticky dates. The experience is further elevated by ethereal wafts of apple-scented shisha tobacco that drift through the finish, creating a deeply satisfying and highly palatable dram.
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…
