Inchgower 8 Years Old 2016 Cask #2314204/2016 (Cask Masters)

Inchgower is rarely bottled on its own, most of its salty, nutty spirit going to the blenders, so independent releases carry the distillery's name where the blends do not. Brave New Spirits selected this single cask, distilled in 2016, and released it at 8 years old in its Distiller's Cut - Cask Masters range. Single cask 2314204/2016 gave 316 bottles, released for Europe.

A quick mashing regime and a warmer second water give Inchgower the savoury, saline character that earns it the Manzanilla of Speyside nickname. This bottling matured in an ex-Bourbon cask.

Bottled at its natural cask strength of 57.1%, without dilution, the refill ex-Bourbon oak works gently, vanillin reading as vanilla and furfural as a faint toasted almond. At under ten years the cask has had only a short time to work, so Inchgower's own salty, waxy spirit still leads.