Inchmurrin Single Cask 2004

Inchmurrin - not a distillery you've heard of? But like most of us when offered £20 off the price of a single cask bottle you'd jump at it?

Inchmurrin is of course a brand from Loch Lomond, a Highland distillery that uses it's combination of pot still, straight neck post still and continuous stills to produce a wide range of whiskies.

This single cask exclusive from The Whisky Shop was offered with £20 off - so down to £45 a bottle - who could say no?

I've talked about Loch Lomond's extensive range before here - this particular dram was distilled in straight neck stills and collected at high strength from unpeated malt.

Loch Lomond's Straight Necked Pot Stills

Bottler's info: 

Inchmurrin Cask #17/641-2 was distilled in November 2004 in a straight neck still with a high collection strength, 

Matured in a refill American oak hogshead then recasked into 1st fill Limousin oak light toast hogshead November 2017 for 2 years. 

It was bottled in December 2019 at a natural cask strength of 54.6% abv, just 393 bottles were filled.

Tasting notes: 

The nose is fruity and grassy with sweet notes of golden syrup. The palate brings an initial burst of zesty citrus lemon, followed by fresh pineapple, creamy vanilla and melted brown sugar, before a pleasantly tangy note in the finish.

So what did I think of it?

Appearance: Pale orangey gold, almost white wine in the glass, swirls cling as a hairline crack, eventually forming beads as an inverted crown which fall as slow thin legs.

Nose: Grassy, fruity and sweet, loads of orchard fruit notes with a hint of spice. We're talking poached pear and cinnamon with a little vanilla custard in a bowl in the middle of a summer field! A little air offers the beginning of some citrus.

Palate: Slightly oily arrival, more of the grass and orchard fruit but with a big dollop of honey sweetness. The fruit turns tropical with pineapple and mango. There's some sweet vanilla and barley sugar in here too and a huge lemon and lime citrus fizz on the tongue as the liquid disappears.

Finish: Long lingering citrus with some tropical fruit and golden syrup notes - there's a savoury biscuit note too - just ready for some cheese!

Overall: A lovely dram, with balanced fruit, spice and sweetness, very similar to what I'd imagine a cask strength Inchmurrin 12yo would be like.

By its nature Inchmurrin is a delicate grassy fruity spirit which does well in refill oak. A maturation or finish in anything heavier than Limousin oak would have overpowered it masking the character in the spirit itself. To me its added a little extra spice - that citrus fizz on the palate and finish. Nice!

I understand there are plans for Loch Lomond to release more Inchmurrin Limousin oak finished whiskies in the future - something to watch out for!