Whisky : Loch Lomond Inchmurrin 11 Year SMWS 112.52 “Tropical tea time”

Country/Region : Scotland/Highland

ABV : 59.4%

Cask : 2nd Fill Ex-Bourbon

Age : 11 Years (Distilled 27 March 2008)

Nose : Exotic spices, tropical fruits, and fragrant florals.  Pink peppercorns and green mango before tropical floral notes sorted themselves out with bird of paradise, plumeria, and a fruity orange-hibiscus tea.

Palate : Initially light and oily but a nice tannic structure developed overtime with notes of tropical fruit, florals, and cream.  Right away were tinned pineapples, dried mangos, cherimoya, and roasted fēʻi— a sweet creamy red plantain.  Beyond the fruit were herbal notes of tropical hibiscus tea, menthol, and eucalyptus.  At the end came creamy pineapple Dole Whip and blue vanilla syrup.

Finish : Lingering tropical fruit tea with mango and hibiscous.

Score : 6

Mental Image : Te māʻa no te Mātete

Notes : This was an absolutely delightful dram and another one that SMWS christened with a name that properly encapsulated the experience of the bottle.  This was intensely tropical with notes of florals, herbs, and plenty of fruit.  This reminded me of time spent visiting friends or working in Tahiti— activities that I cannot wait to return to someday.  

While I thought this was delicious and tinged with some sweet nostalgia, I did think it ran a little bit hot.  A few drops of water calmed things down, but also seemed to drown some of the brighter tropical notes.  This was good enough that, while I do not need a bottle, I definitely have my eye out for an Inchmurrin to stock in the cupboard— and this would not have been a bad option at all.

Overall, this was delightfully tropical with a whole range of island experiences ready to unfold across the palate.  Loch Lomondʻs Inchmurrin is definitely a great place to turn for a tasty tropical vibe.