Inchgower 14 Years Old 2008 Cask #814787 (Anam na h-Alba)

Inchgower is the coastal outlier of Speyside, owned by Diageo and built mostly into the Bell's blend, with single malt a rare sight. Anam na h-Alba selected this single cask, distilled in 2008, and released it at 14 years old in its Anam na h-Alba and Friends range. Single cask 814787 gave 340 bottles, released for Germany.

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 Oloroso sherry cask.

Bottled at its natural cask strength of 56.6%, without dilution, the Oloroso wood gives dried fruit, melanoidins reading as fig and raisin with tannins adding a walnut dryness. At 14 years the wood and the salty, nutty spirit are roughly in balance. The recorded notes run to cocoa, dried fruit, honey, a sherry note and vanilla.