Inchgower, located near the fishing port of Buckie, is a coastal distillery known for its intensely spicy and salty character, which is driven by its production methods. The quick mashing regime, with a hotter-than-usual second water, helps to minimize overt nuttiness and enhances the spice and salinity perceived on the tongue. The short fermentation and steeply angled lyne arms on the stills further contribute to the weightier elements in the whisky, with an underlying waxiness that recalls the style of another coastal distillery, Clynelish.
The distillery was built in 1871 by Alexander Wilson. In 1936, when the Wilson family went bankrupt, the local town council stepped in to save the plant. Two years later, Arthur Bell purchased it for £3,000. Over time, as Bell’s Distillery merged into Guinness and eventually became part of Diageo through the purchase of DCL, Inchgower continued its significant role in the production of blends, particularly Bell’s, which shared a nutty-spicy character with its distillery partners. Inchgower also contributes to the Walker range.
Occasionally bottled as a single malt under Diageo’s “Flora & Fauna” range, Inchgower can sometimes be found from independent bottlers, offering a unique taste of its coastal and spicy nature, often with varying degrees of salinity.
