Inchgower 14 Years Old 2009 Cask #3167 (Cane And Grain)

Few Speyside distilleries taste of the sea, but Inchgower, near the Buckie fishing harbour, carries a briny, waxy character into almost everything it makes. Cane And Grain selected this single cask, distilled in 2009, and released it at 14 years old in its Private Reserve range. Single cask 3167 gave 313 bottles, released for the Netherlands.

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 a Pedro Ximenez sherry cask.

Bottled at its natural cask strength of 55.9%, without dilution, the Pedro Ximenez wood is the sweetest of the sherry styles, melanoidins reading as raisin, date and treacle over a syrupy body. At 14 years the wood and the salty, nutty spirit are roughly in balance.