Inchgower 1993 / Managers' Choice / Sherry Cask

Colour:  Deep, polished mahogany with crimson flashes in sunlight.

Nose:  Initially, very reserved. Notes of liquorice, bubblegum and clove top the faintest hints of sawn oak, burnt oak and bitumen. Suggestions, too, of the sea; brine, ozone and salt air. Fresher with water; traces of pear, red apple, eucalyptus, linseed oil and sandalwood.

Body:  Thick.

Palate:  Astonishingly cool at first. Dense, with a near-impenetrable herbal bitterness. Italian bitters [Fernet Branca]. Rapidly becomes fierce and intensely drying. Pure liquorice and strong Assam black teas. Water transforms some tannin character into a perfumed, slightly oily, sweetness with hints of quinine and citrus pith.

Finish:  Beyond bitterness comes enormous complexity: Myrrh-like in its resinous astringency it hints at molasses sweetness; peat and tar, brine and ozone; burnt fruit cake, and late bitter chocolate.

Comment:  The essence of this exceptional malt, of truly hard core complexity when taken at cask strength, lies almost wholly in the finish. Though a challenge to decode, it will eventually yield its secrets with a little water and a patience.