Inchgower 13 year 2009/2023 Connoisseurs Choice (Gordon & MacPhail)

Gordon and MacPhail, Elgin, Shop Tasting, May 4th, 2024, whisky #3. Nose: Rum and raisin chocolate, treacle, leather, orange concentrate, a hint of menthol and mint. The aroma develops considerably over time, revealing malt extract scents and a complex, rich character. Palate: A sweet yet drying initial taste, this presents a classic oloroso sherry profile with aged dark fruits, Brazil nuts, and walnuts. Served neat, it is dry and resembles fino sherry cask maturation, but with added water, it immediately achieves balance, and sweeter notes become more prominent. The texture is coating and oily, yet with a slightly firm quality. Finish: Medium. Dark fruits and some barrel char are present in the aftertaste. This is a commanding cask-strength whisky matured exclusively in refill sherry hogsheads. It is clean and dry when neat, but it truly comes alive spectacularly only after adding water. The whisky gains balance, poise, and enhanced textural complexity, becoming more approachable without losing anything. There's a noticeable, though not overpowering, alcohol presence when neat, but this disappears when diluted to around 50% ABV. This is a very good example of Gordon & MacPhail's Connoisseur cask strength range of single malts. 241 bottles were produced from refill sherry hogshead #803998, aged for 13 years, and it beautifully highlights both the distillate and the excellent cask used for aging. Inchgower is another Diageo Speyside distillery that is often overlooked, and its characteristic nutty, dry distillate is wonderful when matured in either ex-bourbon or sherry casks (as in this instance). Recommended, and just shy of 4 stars. 'Good': 84/100 (3.75 stars).