Whisky : Invergordon 31 Year; Morrison & Mackay Càrn Mòr

Country/Region : Scotland/Highland (Single Grain)

ABV : 51.1%

Cask : Refill Hogshead

Age : 31 Years (Distilled 22 June 1987, Bottled 3 Sept. 2018)

Nose : Creamy and sweet— lemon curd and custard, oaky molasses, caramel cream, and creme brûlée.  Between the caramelized sugars and creams are subtle notes of spice and pastry.  

Palate : Medium bodied and immensely creamy.  Full fat cream yogurt, browned butter, and citrusy hints of orange and lime.  Overtime develops the oily consistency of whipping cream along with notes of sweet brown sugar and salt.  A bit of water in the glass brings forward caramel and hints of cocoa to the cream.

Finish : Long and lingering with buttery sugars and subtle citrus zest.

Score : 6

Mental Image : Fruit Curd Yogurt Parfait

Something Better : Strathclyde 41Y SMWS G10.21 (more intense custard & sugars, longer finish)

Something Similar : Bushmills 15 Y SMWS 51.10 (similar yogurt cream & citrus)

Something Worse : North British 30Y Dramfool (similar lactic profile, less complex)

Notes : Simple and delicious.  This Invergordon did not have a ton of complexity or depth to its flavor profile, but what it did have was good.  The milky profile was quite unique and made this really easy to sit back and sip.  This would be an ideal easy sipper for the end of the a long day— there are some pleasantly interesting notes, but nothing aggressive or that demands attention.  I was initially a bit disappointed with this dram— it was the first grain whisky I tried and the first grain whisky I purchased.  I thought it would be fun to have an older bottle and see what all the fuss was about.  After a couple of neck pours I put the bottle in the back of the cabinet and ignored it for about a year.  Finally, with an opportunity to share the bottle with others, I found the bottle a lot better than I had left it.  Overall this was a pleasant bottle to sip on, it made for a great gentle palate warm up a tasting.