Invergordon 18yo IB
The Pearls of Scotland
18yo (1997 – 2015)
Cask Strength Single Cask 59,1%ABV
From grain (unmalted barley). Matured in an ex bourboncask.
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Invergordon is a distillery founded in 1960 and owned by Whyte and Mackay ltd. In fact it’s a large grain whisky distillery, wich means that they only distil whisky from unmalted barley. The distillery, located in the north Highlands in Scotland, produces mainly for Whyte and Mackay blends, but is also sold to a few independant bottlers which make its own and unique reputation with fans. Please let me you explain it with this particular tasting notes. This whisky comes from The Pearls of Scotland (Gordon company), which is a range of exclusive single cask bottlings from some of the finest distilleries
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Colour : light gold.
Nose : Immediately sweet, frank and expressive, with notes of honey, cereals/grass, varnished wood, vanilla, applesauce with cinnamon, creamy butter, jasmin flowers and mandarin.
Palate : Spicy and onctuous with a great punchy flavor. I got some pepper, chili and nutmeg at first, with alcohol notes, and then the sweetness/lightness came back with caramel notes, honey, red fruits and oak.
Finale : Long and intense with oak, citrus zests and grass
Comments : It’s a unique but very rich and well made drink. I love to find those kind of flavours in a scotch whisky restored with such precision. The grain, imho, offers me here some vanilla, cereals/grassy, light fruits notes that are very pleasant and easy. Nice and great discovery indeed !
(Photo of the bottle and samples provided by Peter Linting / @whiskypeater)