An 11 year old Inchmurrin drawn from a 2nd fill ex-bourbon hogshead.
Nose: Orange marmalade, mandarin preserve, fig rolls and jelly sweets are counterbalanced by leather chairs, dried grasses, basil buttercups and green bell peppers. The combination of sweetened fruits and vegetalness is quite odd. Reduction brings out further leafiness with greenhouse qualities and tomato vines dusted with icing sugar.
Taste: Again, far from mainstream. The arrival is syrupy and with good weight and texture – cinnamon and clove lead off with liquorice and dark chocolate sponge providing deep sweetness. Raisins and swirled buns and joined by nougat and dry oakiness whilst hebalness returns in the back palate with basil leaf. Water takes juicy tinned apricots and pitches them against boiled potatoes. Still quite anomalous.
Finish: Long with polished wood panelling and fading cinnamon and clove spicing.
I guess this Inchmurrin is a talking point whisky, in that its particularly peculiar. Fruits and vegetables might be found in the same supermarket aisle, but that doesn’t mean that their existence is always going to be as harmonious when in liquid form. In this instance I’m not totally convinced.