Cadenhead’s Original Collection Inchgower 14 Year Old 700ml 46%

Matured in refill Pedro Ximenez sherry casks.

Details
700ml: 46%alc
Age: 14-year-old
Region: Lower Speyside
Cask Type: PX Sherry
Bottler: Cadenhead’s
Distilled: 2009
Release date: May 2024 (UK)

Description
Now here’s a real conversation dram.

This bottling presents an intriguing contrast of flavours. At its core, the Inchgower spirit is known for a lean profile, with grassy notes and distinctive ginger spice. However, this 2024 Cadenhead release takes an interesting turn with PX sherry cask maturation. These casks impart their famously rich qualities – think concentrated dried fruits, dark chocolate notes, and roasted coffee flavours, creating a luxuriously sweet and complex dram.

The whisky was re-racked into refill PX casks in 2022 which previously held Springbank whisky, resulting in a light peat note that can be identified on the palate. It’s a winner at a great price point.

About Inchgower distillery.
The Inchgower distillery lies in Banffshire not far from the mouth of the River Spey and just on the outskirts of the fishing town, Buckie. It was founded in 1871 by Alexander Wilson and Co who utilised the buildings and infrastructure of the old Tochieneal Distillery. In 1938, Arthur Bell and Sons acquired the distillery for £3,000.

Despite being a relatively small-scale distillery, Inchgower boasts thirteen onsite warehouses which hold up to 60,000 casks. There have been very few official releases and independent bottlings are also quite rare. Their maturation warehouses, blending facility and a bottling line are all located on-site. The Inchgower whisky is classified as a Lower Speyside Malt and takes its water from a burn rising in the Menduff Hills to the south of Buckie.

Interesting Fact
Less than 1% of Inchgower’s malt is kept back for bottling as a single malt. The Flora & Fauna 14yo is the only official release still readily available, although there are also handful of rare bottlings from the turn of the century.