Third of six samples at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society May 2023 outturn event at the Jack Rose Saloon. This is a 21 year Inchmurrin (one of the Loch Lomond imprints), bottled at 53.6% ABV.
Here are the official tasting notes:
“These tropical notes are from an alien planet” said one panelist, "the aroma jumps out of the glass like a circus clown jack-in-the-box" said another while nosing the whisky neat. There was also a lovely freshness of aloe vera, fenugreek and galangal. We imagined sitting in a circus tent on wooden benches and munching a full-flavoured, spicy Thai green curry made with lashings of coconut milk . With a drop of water, someone came and sat next to us with a Sri Lankan curry served with coconut sambal, before a breath-taking acrobatic act left us wide eyed and with open mouths.
Excellent opening here - an alien planet!! They need more adventurous notes like this! The follow-ups are also promising - fenugreek, lemongrass, Thai curry, coconuts... wow.
Well, let's not mess around, here are my notes:
Nose: Tropical as hell - mango, banana, lots of coconut. Cocoa dust, fresh grass, berries - but the whole shebang is unusually shy. Takes an age to unwind, and even then, you really have to shove your sniffer into the glass. Muted.
Mouthfeel: Medium/thick.
Palate: Tropical (same as before), fruity, some oak, a floral note. Raw sugar, and a strange chemical "sour cough drop" (like Ricolas) note - cherry.
Finish: Bright fruit lingers with some raw bitter oak. Simple, but surprisingly long. Drying, astringent at the tail end.
Verdict: I didn't really get Thai curry out of this, but I get the idea. It's not quite "spicy" enough to quality, in my book, but the tropical notes are rich and sweet. This was a popular dram at the tasting, despite a finish that many found a little unpleasant and a nose that is a bit shy. Quite a nice dram. I wish I had a second glass to continue exploring.
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