Whisky #17: Inverarity Ancestral 14 Year Old Single Malt
by 
Inverarity Ancestral 14 yr old Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 40.0%. Tasted at Whisky a Day HQ, $90/bottle.
Colour: She’s back on stage – bright lustrous Amber.
Nose: Sweet with a hint of maybe cinnamon. Thought it might have been some cloves, but went to the pantry & smelt some real cloves – nope that’s not it. When I stuck my snoz into a pack of cinnamon sticks…that was a bit more like it. A lot more subtle than snorting through a cinnamon quill though.
Palate: Very smooth, dry salty & sweet flavours.
Finish: Medium finish; smoked mussels, oak, mixed spice & some sweetness.
Comments: I’ve really enjoyed this drop for a couple of years now, always having a bottle around at home. I never actually thought to find out much about it – wasn’t aware it was sherry matured, just always thought it was pretty damn awesome. It’s actually a 14 year sherry cask matured Balmenach done by Inverarity Vaults. It’s not as dark or as strongly sherry-flavoured as other sherry matured drams, maybe that’s why I like it so much.