Inchgower 1990

Light golden color. The whisky is not too oily.

Old-school at its best!

Color of light white wine. Scent: cardboard, sweetness. Taste: moldy (this is very unpleasant for me and leads to devaluation), earthy, cardboard box, long finish (in this case a disadvantage), not again. Although I only have a sample of this bottling available, I can't finish the dram.

Golden color. Light oiliness.

One of the nine Inchgower drams in TheWhiskyBarrista’s tasting. The list includes WB135080, WB140987, WB178185, WB157712, WB237779, WB8473, WB165906, WB231142, and WB15275 S 6.5 Very interesting, unconventional nose. Although it doesn’t translate into the palate, it’s well worth the experience. It picked up more oak tannin than anything else from the cask, seemingly a tired cask. This allows the Inchgower distillate to continue shining even after 27 years in the cask. 86-90 - A to-share bottle

Starts good on the nose, very lemony, one the palate the slightly peaty notes make it a little bit musty

Nose: Lime and pepper form the vanguard for a full broadside of sour fruits. Gooseberry, some kiwi, with honey melon and ginger. With some time in the glass comes the smell of freshly sharpened pencil, pastry and black tea. I think of Earl Gray (bergamot), but rosehip is also in the background. With a bit of water, the sour notes fade into the background, and he seems a little more maritime - a slight touch of sea air blows around the nose. Mouth: Grandma's apple pie, sprinkled with cinnamon and cream, peaches. The mouthfeel is wonderfully soft, which emphasizes the beautiful sweetness. Blossom honey, in which a vanilla pod was inserted. Over time, it becomes slightly drier and milder in the mouth (peppermint). Finish: The finish is medium long, and is here much spicier and tart. A touch of salt, some leather. After a few minutes a taste of a strong mocha.

Tasting Simple Sample 1.2.24

Ideal Bourbon cask whisky. It retains the characteristic salty flavor of the distillery while not allowing the saltiness to overpower other flavors. The overall aroma is rich and harmonious, the body is incredibly smooth, and the honey flavor at the finish is very obvious, with a high level of pleasure. Personally, I think it's better than the RMS Inchgower 27yo.

https://whiskylovingpianist.wordpress.com/2021/03/31/swc-members-grand-dram-6/ Nicknamed ‘‘The manzanilla of Speyside’, WF describes Inchgower’s character as: Sherry Fruits Smoky Chocolate Coffee Caramel Dry Raisins Tea Wine Oranges. At £290, this is the most expensive whisky of the night. Established in 187’1′, SW ‘the spicy character is driven initially by a hotter-than-usual second water during the quick mashing regime which cuts back any overt nuttiness. Fermentation is short and the steeply angled lyne arms on the stills help to capture weightier elements. An underlying waxiness flashes a signal to another coastal plant, Clynelish‘. N: A 27yo Inchgower, what a treat. Initially, we’ve a soft/private nose with a similar spirit-sulphuriness to the [#2] Glenallachie, but with more meaty grapey-fruit = > floral-toffee-sour sweetness and an accompanying light seaside note. With plenty of soft weight behind this one, I find it subtly very powerful yet with a warm alluring calm nature. T: That’s Inchgower alright, the profile speaking of huskiness, honey, toffee, tea, saltiness,.. oiliness,… popadoms? The previous Talisker still lingers, but it’s ‘corruption’ on this Inchgower is rather desirable. F: Same again, very ‘on-point’ Inchgower – bourbon-cask styley – peppery without being spicy. Add a little water and it’s the perfect oily sailor. C: Typical of a well-aged Inchgower that doesn’t rely on sherry casks, though those can be fantastic too and can bring more of a leathery toffee fruity maltiness. An excellent whisky.

Blenders Glass. Light, pleasant malt with a pungent and spicy aftertaste. Balance 22 Total 88

Beautiful, complex bourbon cask nose. Lots of tannins on the palate and on the finish, fruitiness is missing. The salty note is interesting and the whisky is perfectly drinkable undiluted. An overall pretty good drop with a few weaknesses.

Oily, waxy, creamy, lots of fruit like apple nectarine. Creamy, yellow fruit, honey, sweet, little beeswax, very oily, some spices and white pepper at the back end, very rich flavor, strong and round. Medium long tail rhyme, some licorice and leather, bourbon bucket. Very good, this is my first Inchgower and probably my best, rich and round, very complex.

yellow fruits, tobacco, tea, pepper, citrus, salt, bit austere, not bad

Struck Match Inchgower is something of an unknown, a workhorse for Diageo’s blends. You will not come across it as a single malt very often. It even makes its debut in this year’s Special Releases and what an entrance: matured for 27 years on refill American hogsheads. Very full nose of ripe fruit of both the white and yellow variety (quite a bit of stone fruit) with a green edge. A hint of struck match, Earl Grey tea, almonds, pears, walnuts and jute sacks. Mustard seeds? This is very aromatic and inviting and an absolute pleasure to nose. The arrival is creamy and surprisingly sweet. Apple sauce, orange marmalade, mint… and something bitter that reminds me of grapefruit or a grape pith. Quite quickly, this Inchgower turns somewhat dry on the palate, but it keeps entertaining. The finish is both very long and very spicy. Think ginger, liquorice and red pepper. Impressive, but so is the price: around 330 EUR.

Very decent and fruity, just lack of a little surprise.

So far the oldest original bottling from Diageo. This malt ticks the right boxes everywhere. Top. Like it a lot. Mainly light fruits, a lot of vanilla, toffee, very pleasant and light oak spice, spices and herbs, mint, ginger, a little pepper. Full-bodied, slightly roughened, some sea aromas, saltiness, fresh sea breeze, gout. Very long finish. Clear recommendation, although the drop isn't cheap.

N23 P22 F22 B23

Sound whisky 22-22-22-22

Background: I got an Inchgower 2008 WKK # 11507 through a random sample (by André) and was thrilled. But it was sold out. Then I got the tip that the Inchgower 2008 ANHA # 11507 should be equally good. Top ! ... immediately bunkered. Then I came across this Inchgower1990 at the proud age of 27 and knew immediately that I can trust this bottle blindly. No sooner said than done, including a video with André. I have not looked back. Something special and without comparison. The empty glass after the tasting smells divine!

0.45 left opened for 3 months Glassware: Glencairn Copita Colour: Pale White Gold Tasted it long time ago Not very good at writing notes at that time

Very interesting dram, a lot of sweetness with some fruity citrus notes to the side. Pretty powerful. Nice to have had the opportunity to taste this one.

Blind tasting: June 2023

Come to this one sinless and it'll reward with a sweet nose and a delicate palate of vanilla and fresh fruit, maybe also honeyed baked apple, with a rather long finish that released warm heat from the pepper at the very end. Just not sure how it'll fare in a blind tasting. At its tag price, drinking enough to register its exquisite subtlety would be prohibitive.

I've only tried one Inchgower 20-YO (from Maltbarn) before and it was great too! I highly recommend drinking this whisky in small sips, there is a little audacity in the taste! 22 22 23 22

Aromatic and complex nose, but the taste has a lot of herbal bitterness that continues on the long finish. Not quite my cup of tea

After nearly three decades in the cask, the mouthfeel was well balanced, but there was not a ton of depth to the flavors. Orchard fruit is not one of my favorite notes, so I was not particularly taken in by its starring role. I imagine this would be an absolute treat for fans of Glenfiddich or Balvenie, as I thought it inhabited a similar flavor space with an additional underlying oaky richness or old oak note that might stand out as something new. Mental Image: Orchard Fruit Smugglers

Inchgower 1990,27 YO,Diageo SR 2018. This whisky presents a dense, oily structure with a distinct aged character. On the palate, sweetness and salinity intertwine. Although matured in American hogsheads, its profile evokes the combined influence of bourbon and sherry casks. It strikes a remarkable balance—neither cloying nor bitter—with its oak presence perfectly measured. Mid-palate, a faint whisper of peat emerges, adding complexity while also introducing a subtle, peculiar dissonance that detracts from the overall harmony. In terms of value, its price remains steep at over €300 even through duty-free channels in my country, diminishing its appeal considerably. Nevertheless, this remains a worthy and commendable high-age-statement original distillery release.

good

A very tasty Inchgower

[November, 2019] After three very good editions of the 2019 Diageo Special Releases (Glen Ord, Cragganmore and Lagavulin) I am curious about this one from last year... ...and it is like almost all of 2018's special releases very wood-driven. Not my style, to be honest. The profile is clean but rather simple and not very interesting (to my taste buds). I am not willing to pay more than 80 Euro for a whisky of this (drinking) quality (per bottle, of course). [April, 2020] I re-tasted this dram tonight and the wood is not that strong as it was with the first tasting. So the more subtle flavours shine through more brightly and I raise my score to 89 points tonight. But I leave the detailed ratings below as they were with the first tasting. By the way, given tonight's taste I am willing to pay 100 Euro for such a bottle - but never ever the 250 bucks they request(ed).

22 22 22 22

Delicious

A pretty unique and interesting malt that clearly stands out from the mainstream. What fascinated me most is the strong saltiness, here he does not really remember a good manzanilla.

spice, spice and spice (=wood), two yellow plums behind an alcoholic vail. Malty sweetness and something autumn leafy and floral. More pleasant on the palate, rather smooth, quite malty sweet (like drinking out of the underback) with a pleasing floral note that lingers in the finish. Nice but not more - overpriced? Yes! 2cl sample

Nice Inchgower even if slightly unusual. But vfm is not good. Having said that, prices have come down over time. Nice garden herbs, lemon and pineapple. Very peppery. And more lemon.

Tasted 12/2025 General impression: Very light and bright, super smooth Bourbon maturation, slightly salty/maritime.

Colour: straw yellow Nose: Peppery-hot lime is in front, but also dull, slightly sour fruit flavors of avocado, leather, vanilla and honeydew melon. Undercurrent smoky aromas of wet coal and ash. For this softened newspaper, soft green herbs and accompanied with a continuous peppery spiciness. Taste: Complex, spicy and balanced. Dull and tart with fresh fruits and herbs that are slightly acidic underlaid. Actually rather unusual, but great! Wet coal, avocado, vanilla, mint, sorrel, slightly bitter lettuce leaves with salty dressing and well integrated wood - very nice! Finish: Long spicy spicy and salty cool! With soft fruit, some leather and fresh peppermint, as well as golden honeycombs. Underground dull, green and sour fresh. Towards the end it gets a little drier and ends with a "cold coffee note". 91 points N: 90P / G: 92P / F: 91P