Colour: Dark amber.
Nose: The nose starts off with old, matured sherry, blood oranges and juicy tangerines. This is followed by spicy notes of cinnamon, oak and lots of walnuts, accompanied by dark chocolate, cocoa, leather and a touch of tobacco leaves in the back.
Palate: Sweet and warming on the palate with sticky orange fruit, ripe tangerines and brown sugar. Pleasantly warming and soft with oak, cinnamon and many walnuts. Dark chocolate and dry cocoa with a hint of tobacco leaves towards the finish.
Finish: The finish is long lasting, pleasantly warming and creamy with sweet fruit jam and cinnamon. Gets drier with time, with oak, cocoa and walnuts towards the end.
With water: After the addition of water, the nose is less fruity, with more tobacco notes, dark chocolate and cocoa. Some blood orange with walnuts in the background. Creamy, sweet and fruity on the palate with lots of sherry, orange fruit, some cereals as well as chocolate and walnuts. The finish is still long, soft, creamy and fruity sweet with blood orange, cinnamon and a touch of cocoa.

Comments: Nomen est omen! Wow - after three decades of maturation in a sherry cask, this single grain whisky has taken on many chocolate and walnut flavours, which combine perfectly with the delicious spices and especially with the orange fruit. The alcohol is well integrated, the flavours are harmonious and perfect. A true soul warmer. This makes single grain whisky incredibly fun!

Colour: Gold.
Nose: The nose is wonderfully intense with sweet vanilla, honey, cereals and cookies. This is accompanied by buttercream, notes of coconut and a hint of pineapple fruit. In the background, oak spice and ginger remain discreetly present. Rather complex and delicate.
Palate: Wow - an unexpectedly powerful entry on the palate with spicy and at the same time strongly warming notes of ginger and black pepper. The whole is underlined by a creamy sweetness with vanilla and butter cookies. As soon as the warmth fades, coconut notes emerge accompanied by honey and creamy milk chocolate.
Finish: The finish shows a medium length with creamy notes of apricot and tropical fruit jam, accompanied by a slightly warming oak note and a touch of coconut.
With water: After adding a few drops of water, the aroma on the nose is even more intoxicating with tropical fruits - pineapple and coconut. It is accompanied by vanilla, oak spice and some cedar wood. Sweet and creamy on the palate with a clearly tamed spiciness and warmth. Vanilla, coconut, buttercream and sweet milk chocolate with some tropical fruit. The finish is still of medium length, yet sweet and creamy, with fruit jam, coconut and a little more dry oak.

Comments: Oh yes, this is another example of how wonderfully sweet, creamy, complex and beguilingly well-matured single grain whisky can be. After 24 long years of maturation in an ex-Bourbon barrel, this Invergordon combines an intense sweetness and tropical fruit aromas in a beautiful balance with spicy oak notes. Surprisingly intense on the palate, so you are welcome to experiment with water. As a result, this Grain Whisky does not lose any of its brilliance. Well done!

I thank The Whisky Cellar for the complimentary sample and the photograph!

Colour: Pale gold.
Nose: The nose starts off with loads of vanilla - custard and ice cream, complemented by lingering coconut and white chocolate. A touch of citrus emerges with a whiff of oak and gentle spice behind. Rather complex and very delicate.
Palate: Very smooth at the beginning with lots of lingering vanilla and a slight citric note. This is followed by a significant amount of oak, subtle cinnamon and German Lebkuchen spice. Very warm indeed with delicate roasted nuts, dark honey and prickling oak towards the finish. Pleasant and vibrant.
Finish: Long and deliciously sweet with vanilla and some dark fruit, maybe plum. Gets a bit dry on the tail with oak, ginger spice, and black pepper. Vibrant and mouth-coating.
With water: The delicate vanilla flavour significantly decreases on the nose with a slightly bitter touch of citrus and oak spice coming through. Water tames the warm spiciness on the tongue bringing a creamy sweetness of delicate vanilla and coconut with winterly spice to the fore. The finish is medium long and warm with prickling oak and a warm touch of pepper on the tongue.
Comments: An appetising single grain whisky, with good length and complexity. Well matured and well selected. The delicate vanilla note on the nose does pleasantly echo on the palate, with a good balance of oak and spice. A savoury experience, especially when giving the grain whisky some time to develop its full aroma. Well done!

I thank Whisky-Doris (Versandhandel Doris Debbeler) for sample and photograph!