Finglassie 2020 TCaH (The Caskhound)

Finglassie is the name InchDairnie uses for the peated single malt it releases through independent bottlers, the smoky counterpart to its unpeated Strathenry trade malt. The Caskhound bottled this 2020 vintage at 4 years old, for its Peatwave range. This single cask, number 722, yielded 116 bottles, released for Germany.

The Fife distillery runs one of only two mash filters in Scotch production and distils through a custom Lomond Hill still, a pot still with six bubble cap plates in its neck for high reflux. Peated malt gives this one a smoky backbone the unpeated Strathenry side lacks. Matured in a Palo Cortado sherry cask.

Bottled at its natural cask strength of 57.8%, without dilution, the Palo Cortado wood sits between Amontillado and Oloroso, nutty and rich in dried fruit with a saline edge. Guaiacol and related phenols carry the smoke, with the medicinal edge that peated Lowland spirit shows young. At this age the malt is young but the smoke gives it weight, into a long, drying finish.