Thompson Bros Inchgower 13yo
2011 Speyside Single Malt | 54.7% ABV
Score: 8/10
Something special.
TL;DR
A distiller, a pastry chef and a florist walk into a bar
A Guiding Hand.
It’s often said that whisky finds you. And, in my still-limited experience, this is true nine times out of ten. Sometimes it does so by pure chance or luck. But often, to get to you, whisky needs a little assistance.
And then there is that one time out of ten where pure persistence is needed to do the trick. I’m looking at you, Springbank Local Barley… one day I’ll get you.
If I look at how whisky found me, often it is fellow whisky lovers sharing their excitement for a whisky they discovered. If I’m lucky, I may even manage to get my hands on a sample to try first. Sometimes it may come down to a review, here on Dramface or from some other source, such as your trusted WhiskyTuber of choice. Considering I just broke a self-imposed bottle ban to grab a bottle of Living Souls Ninety-Nine & One, I know how easily that can happen. And for once, it was not FOMO, just good sense: how can you say no to an “almost” Ledaig 18-year-old at that price? If you are thinking I sound in denial… don’t worry, I am fully aware I do.
There is another group who have helped me navigate whisky, and I am sure many others have had the same assistance. I am talking about the passionate people working in whisky shops and behind whisky bars. And today, before getting to my review, I want to give some kudos where it is due - the rhyme is completely unintentional, I swear!
A recent trip sparked my need to say thank you, something I should do more often.
Just over a month ago, I took myself on a short birthday break to Scotland. A trip short in time but laden with whisky experiences. In those few days I managed to meet a couple of lovely fellow whisky botherers, visit a few distilleries (less than I would have liked, but probably more than I should have), and fill a suitcase with a few souvenirs in liquid malt form. All fantastic experiences. And yet, the moments that stick most in my memory from this trip are the interactions with the folk working in whisky shops and bars. Having strangers make you feel welcome with kindness, camaraderie, and a good touch of humour tends to do it for me.
In part, I am sure, it is due to the “thirsty traveller in the desert” syndrome. The city where I live has a complete drought of whisky bars, and the lone, quality whisky shop in town has been steadily winding down its stock - sadly, not a great sign for things to come. Travelling to Scotland, full of great shops and bars within easy reach to whisky enthusiasts, feels like fresh water to a parched throat - I am sure the Scots among us, native or otherwise, realise how lucky they are).
But mostly, it is because I cannot shake the feeling of not giving credit where it is due. I know I am certainly guilty of it at times. The way bar staff, waiters and shop assistants, often working in the background almost unnoticed, can easily be taken for granted. And yet they have contributed to many of my best whisky memories. You could argue that the liquid in the glass is always the star of the show, but without a conducive, convivial atmosphere, even the best dram can lose some shine. Or in the case of a shop, it might be left on the shelf. I am a firm believer that the people serving us play a bigger role than we give them credit for in creating those memorable experiences.
As is often the case in life, it is easy to notice the impact of monumental occasions, like, say, the first memorable dram or the first visit to your favourite distillery. It takes a moment of reflection to recognise the impact of some of the things we take for granted when they are done at a top level. Finding a shop or whisky bar staffed by professionals who put understanding their customer (us) before closing a sale, engaging us and making us feel at home, is a thing of beauty.
I had a number of great experiences during my trip, so I could have easily been inspired to write this piece by any of the (well-known) pubs, bars and shops I visited. But one experience, at Dornoch Castle Hotel, stood out - it came with the extra bonus of discovering a new bottle.
Unsurprisingly, it’s the one I picked for my review today.
Review
Inchgower 13yo, Thomson Bros, 2011, Refill Hogshead, distilled 26/2/2011, bottled March 2024, 54.7% ABV
£60 paid, maybe some sparse availability
The bar at Dornoch Castle Hotel is like a whisky lover’s dream. I’m sure you’ve heard that many times, and me repeating this adds little. It is also a nightmare for anyone suffering from FOMO. The number of whiskies worth trying (arguably all of the ones on the list) far surpasses any single human being’s physical drinking capacity. I could have easily picked any of the 100+ which captured my curiosity. But since I am trying to be healthy (as much as possible while still enjoying the good things in life), I knew I had some tough choices to make.
So, in a moment of meditative clarity (frankly surprising, knowing myself), I decided to pick a strategy and not be swayed by my own FOMO. I would focus one of my two nights on exploring the IB output from the Thompson Bros. and the following night for some spur-of-the-moment, curiosity-driven sampling.
The selection at Dornoch Castle Hotel is great. But it is also a fantastic watering hole for whisky fans, because of their staff: passionate, knowledgeable, and whisky-geek friendly (how could they be otherwise?). On my first night, Silvia and Gail were manning the bar. I let them have free rein in picking the lineup for my Thompson Bros sampling, with one exception - I had to have some of the 3-year-old Circumstance Hamish reviewed last autumn. Surprisingly, for me, this was my second favourite dram from Aqvavitae’s Blind tasting at last year’s Glasgow Whisky Festival. I tried to find a bottle for sale, but failed, so I had to grab the extra chance to try some again. (Must be one of those 1/10 chances when whisky doesn’t find you, I guess).
Silvia picked a great 18-year-old ; pure fruit and gorse blossom, and a rich and complex 13-year-old Orkney (Highland Park) finished in Cognac casks. Gail insisted I try the 13-year-old Inchgower, her favourite. I am glad she did. The whole lineup was banger after banger, but the Inchgower stuck with me. I wasn’t sure what to expect; I had only tried Inchgower once before, so my points of reference were missing, but as soon as I stuck my nose in those dainty Rastal glasses Dornoch uses to serve their drams, I was hooked.
Score: 8/10
Something special.
TL;DR
A distiller, a pastry chef and a florist walk into a bar
Nose
After my first couple of evenings in the company of this Inchgower, I realised it is a whisky which develops in two phases on the nose.
To begin, there is a blast of vanilla, like cutting through a vanilla bean and sticking your nose right into that. Behind that primary note I smell hazelnuts, ginger, some salted buttered popcorn, lemon drops, a hint of petrichor and a big hit of dark, just topped before being burnt, caramel. To the point that on my first sip, I almost thought there was a touch of peat in this one. It feels like being in an experimental pastry laboratory.
And then, once it has a chance to breathe for an extra 15-20 minutes, it gains a floral and slightly maritime profile while maintaining the sweet core character. A fresh jasmine and orange blossom note emerges, taking me to a florist shop, together with some orange peel. Then a hit of sea spray. The vanilla is still there, as is the caramel (losing that burnt edge) and the nuttiness, which turns more into walnuts now.
A few drops of water work great to speed up that transition and increase the petrichor note.
Palate
Things kick off with a rich mouthfeel, warm and mouth-coating. On the palate there is a much more malty and spice-driven character. First, I taste toasted oats and oatcakes. Then some noticeable spice: ginger, pepper and just a touch of sea salt. Letting the liquid linger on my tongue, the sweeter notes I got on the nose come back, now as creme bruleé, rich with vanilla and caramel, hazelnuts and just a hint of citrus.
The finish is medium long. The taste goes back to the aromas on the nose: dark caramel first and foremost, then vanilla and orange blossom. It closes with a slightly drying feel and maritime aftertaste .
Adding water doesn’t dramatically change the taste, but it does bring out more of the salinity and adds a layer of white fruit, pear and apple to an already richly flavoured dram.
The Dregs
After sampling my flight of Thompson Bros independently bottled drams, I immediately asked if, hopefully, any of the Circumstance or the Inchgower were still available. I was duly informed that both were sold out, so when I made my way to the Dornoch Distillery shop the next day I was simply curious to see what else I would find. I was sure I would find something interesting to bring home in any case. Once I got to the shop, there the Inchgower was, proudly waiting on the shelf. Apparently, an extra case had miraculously turned up. How could I say no? Whisky does find you after all.
In the few weeks since my last Scotland trip I have continued to enjoy this bottle more than I would have expected. I don’t always get along with sweet-leaning whiskies that have tons of vanilla and caramel in their profile. I often find them cloying. I am becoming more and more aware that it has more to do with a lack of balance than the sweetness itself. The almost smoky dark caramel, together with the spice and floral notes, creates a contrast which avoids palate fatigue and provides a welcome distraction to keep my tastebuds intrigued.
As I mentioned earlier, I am just discovering Inchgower. I am still in that phase of my whisky exploration where there are more distilleries I haven’t tried than those I have - although I am getting quite close to turning that around. So, I would love to read what more experienced Inchgower aficionados think of this one. I, at first, took a conservative approach with this one thinking a 7/10, but my enjoyment of both the bottle and the discovery has elevated things towards something special. As a standalone whisky that mark feels spot on, and continues to speak to the quality of the output from the Thompson Bros as independent bottlers. One thing is sure, I have gained a new distillery to explore, which is always a win in my book - if not for my wallet.
After all this focus on the whisky, let me get back to what is more relevant than the liquid in the glass. To all the passionate people working the sales and hospitality side of whisky who might stumble on this review: thank you. While your names might not be familiar to the general public, you are greatly appreciated by us whisky geeks. You contribute so much to the passion many of us have for this beautiful liquid. Thanks to you I have laughed, learned loads and tasted some fantastic drams.
Keep up the great work.
Score: 8/10
Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. HC
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