...where distraction is the main attraction.

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Inchmurrin 22 year old 1993 Signatory, cask 2846

The second pair of Loch Lomond malts I tried this week were such diametric opposites that I was (and am) left astounded by the range of possibilities that can come from one distillery. Even better, both whiskies were good.

Today, I'm reviewing (yes) another Inchmurrin, but one quite unlike the two that preceded it this week. Don't worry, tomorrow's whisky will NOT be Inchmurrin.

As per the online Whiskypedia, Inchmurrin is supposed to be the light and fruity member of the Loch Lomond range. I guess that's a matter of perspective. Compared to most of the distillery's other malts, anything is light and fruity.


Distillery: Loch Lomond
Brand: Inchmurrin
Owner: Loch Lomond Distillery Company
Region: Highlands (Western)
Independent bottler: Signatory
Age: 22 years (24 May 1993 to 7 Oct 2015)
Maturation: Hogshead
Cask number2846
Outturn: 224
Alcohol by Volume: 59.2%
(thank you, Sjoerd!)

NEAT
A pretty nose! Peaches, melon and roses up front. Earth and cocoa powder in back. A delicate salty peating with gentle white oak notes. Apple cider and sugary barley. A less delicate, but still graceful palate. Pears, flowers, salt and pepper. Tart limes and brown sugar. Tiny bits of vanilla and horseradish. It's plenty warm, but not as hot as 59%abv can be. It finishes warm, sweet and floral with a hint of milk chocolate. Moderate length.

DILUTED TO ~46%abv, or 1¾tsp per 30mL whisky
Pears, peaches, barley, salt and roses in the noses. The palate is warm, tingly, simple, sweet and barley forward. Lightly bitter with a hint of peat. Barley, sugar, salt and pepper in the finish.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
This is almost cognac. Yes, there's barley and a whiff of peat going on, but if you can imagine a moderately aged (in US oak) cognac at nearly 60%abv, that wouldn't be too far from this Inchmurrin. The one thing that keeps this whisky from soaring is the thinness of the palate's texture, an issue I always find with this distillery's products. But the nose was so good that went I online to price check this thing after the first sniff. I can't remember the last time I did that. Had the palate met the expectations the nose set then this might have been a 90-point Loch Lomond.

Availability - Some European retailers
Pricing - €110-€130
Rating - 86 (that nose, though)

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