2 by 2, Inchgower vs. Aultmore

Another small detour from the Classic malts, just to recharge my palate for what's to come in the next two sessions, I'll be doing a small double take on both Inchgower and Aultmore Distillery. Two that I do not taste often enough.



Inchgower 15yo 1993-2008 43% Gordon & Macphail Connoisseurs Choice

I'm not quite sure what to expect here, but I hope it will not just be another weak and grassy everyday dram. The color is white wine. It smells wheat flour, hay, dry cider, apple vinegar. Unusual enough to keep me interested so far, but it's no giant in any way. The taste is sweet, light, marzipan, fizzy candy, sparkling apple lemonade, sweet licorice, pistachio, peanut butter, dried thyme. The aftertaste is long light and sour, lemon, ginger and lime, before it ends on a minty note.

Seems G&M still bottles good stuff, even in the CC-series: 6.5


Inchgower 13yo 43% Master of Malt

I do not know more than the age and %abv about this one, not often found when it comes to IB bottlings. The color is a wee bit darker than the CC. It smells dusty, chalk dust, old clothes, black marker, gasoline, very withdrawn, perhaps it needs some water to open up, but lets try it bare at first. The taste is light, creamy, vanilla, ginger, dried thyme again, grassy, sweet, fresh. The aftertaste is peppery and oily. Water does not improve this one, it just makes it very weak.

Another one that is very light, but still complex: 6


Aultmore 14yo 1995-2009 43% Gordon & Macphail Connoisseurs Choice

Light as white wine. It smells rich, coffee beans, melted dark chocolate, some salty notes, that's about it. I must say I have always considered Aultmore a whisky that could be keeping a couple secrets about what it could show off at its best. Perhaps I've just not come around to finding the one bottling that will open the door to fully appreciating this whisky yet. The taste is a bit burnt, licoric sweetness, worchestershire sauce, cardamum, canola oil, black peppers, a weird mix on the palate.

It's a good whisky, but from a bit of a passive cask I think: 5


Aultmore 9yo 60.2% Cadenhead's

Another Ib that only states the age and %abv, no vintage, no cask profile or number, or month of distillation. I do not mind, less to write for informational purposes only. These young 60?% ones should never be underestimated, I've had some of my best experiences ever with a 6/7yo(can't remember exact age) Fettercairn at 62.3%abv.) Who'd thought, and up to this day it remains one of my two fav Fettercairns. The color is bright golden. It smells peppery and spirity, not much else. The taste is at first all on leather, clay, heather, cigars, rhubarb, brussel sprouts, tannins, tonic water, extremely rich and powerful. Seems much older due to all the great rustic nuances. I do not believe this needs any water, and me adding it anyway, for research purposes only, just proved me right.

This is a vibrant & powerful dram, very well chosen by Cadenhead's: 7.5



Next tasting: #6 Classic Malts