Inchmurrin 18 Year Old Review

Inchmurrin 18 Year Old - 46% abv.

Here's another distillery bottling you don't hear about much: Inchmurrin. There is no Inchmurrin distillery any more that I am aware of - the modern Inchmurrin that is easily identified by its very modern packaging is actually a product of a column still at the Loch Lomond Distillery. For those who don't know, the Loch Lomond Group which includes Andrew Grey (formerly of Bruichladdich) owns Loch Lomond, Glen Scotia, and this Inchmurrin.

The good news is that, with Andrew Grey involved, he has brought with him from Bruichladdich the same philosophy of bottling un-chillfiltered, colouring-free whisky at 46% alcohol.  Everything they released for the past couple years from the Loch Lomond Group was aged 100% in American Oak and unpeated, however, I hear a brand revamp is coming in 2015 and that we'll likely get some sherry or wine cask finishes and some variety in the bottlings. 

Anyway, here is a note for the Inchmurrin 18. Its worth checking out, especially as a lighter summer dram. 

click photo to enlarge

Colour: 14 carat gold.

Nose: Pretty soft and a bit perfumed with scents of sweet cereal and lemon. A little of that cream soda note comes through too, which seems common for products of the Loch Lomond Distillery (in my experience).

Palate: soft and sweet. Honey cream and lemon peel.  A little salt mid palate. I want to say that I get a touch of mango or pineapple here. Add some water and things become a little less tangy and tart and a little more creamy. Good stuff. When you mash it all together in your brain, which makes sense here because it isn't a super layered and progressive palate, I think lemon meringue whisky is an appropriate description.

Finish: medium persistence with some sparkly lemon pop bubbles at the back of the palate. Finish is shorter, like to the the back of the throat.

This is more of a summer whisky to me. But one for the evening in the summer... softer and a little more mellow with some subtle development.  Good stuff! Don't look past this one just because you don't know it.