Inchmurrin New Make Spirit (85.9%, OB, 2015)

• Category: New Make Spirit
• Origin: Loch Lomond Distillery
• Bottling: Tweet Tasting Sample – Loch Lomond Group
• ABV: 85.9% – reviewed at ~ 43%
• Score: N/A

What they say:

Inchmurrin New Make Spirit 85.9% ABV. Inchmurrin Whisky is distilled in the unique stills that give the whisky light, floral and grassy notes.

What I say:

Sample#1 from the #InchmurrinWhisky Tweet Tasting hosted by Steve Rush @TheWhiskyWire and @LochLomond3. We questioned the rather high ABV of this new make spirit with Loch Lomond Group who were willing to confirm that it was down to the types of stills they use at the distillery. Loch Lomond is equipped with traditional copper pot stills, Lomond stills (copper pots with rectifying heads rather than swan necks) and a continuous (grain) still. Traditional double-distillation or triple-distillation in copper pot stills allows production of New Make at ~ 68-73% ABV (variable by distillery due to still size and shape and their spirit cuts) or ~80% ABV respectively (e.g. at Auchentoshan) whereas continuous distillation can easily reach 90+% ABV. I assume the Inchmurrin new make is rectified in their Lomond Stills allowing distillation to 85.9% ABV as it is not triple-distilled. Even so at this concentration a reasonable level of flavour and character is still retained, forming a good base for their Inchmurrin range.

Colour:

Crystal Clear (0/20) thick, oily legs

Nose:

Chemical ester and acetone, fruity apple and under-ripe pear, peach, apricot and grassy, perfumed floral and herbal

Taste:

Grassy/hay, cereal grains, wheat & rye (flavours), pear drops, green banana, plasticine/acetate? salted caramel

Finish:

N/a

Overall:

Interesting New Make Spirit from Loch Lomond Distillery’s Inchmurrin range or brand. The new make is quite fruity but has the cereal, floral and grassy  notes they desire.