Auchroisk
One of Diageo’s ‘nutty-spicy’ sites.
Inchgower
Distillery & brand
Located just outside the fishing port of Buckie, Inchgower is a defiantly coastal style of single malt. No other new make reaches the same level of intense spiciness which is perceived on the tongue as salinity.
Inchgower distillery
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
The spicy character is driven initially by a hotter than usual second water during the quick mashing regime which cuts back any overt nuttiness. Fermentation is short and the steeply angled lyne arms on the stills help to capture weightier elements. An underlying waxiness flashes a signal to another coastal plant, Clynelish.
Inchgower History
Built in 1871 by Alexander Wilson, this is one of the few distilleries to have been owned by the local town council which stepped in to save the plant in 1936 when the Wilson family went bankrupt. Two years later, Arthur Bell bought it for the princely sum of £3,000. With the absorption of Bell’s into Guinness and the subsequent purchase by that firm of DCL, Inchgower became part of what is now Diageo.
It has always been a significant player in blends, in this case Bell’s, whose own distilleries all shared variations on the ‘nutty-spicy' theme. It also plays a role within the Walker range.
One of Diageo’s ‘Flora & Fauna’ range, it is occasionally found (with varying degrees of salinity) from independent bottlers.
Timeline
- 1871 The distillery is founded by Alexander Wilson & Co which builds it using equipment from the disused Tochineal Distillery
- 1936 Buckie Town Council purchases the site after Alexander Wilson & Co goes bankrupt
- 1938 Arthur Bell & Sons buys Inchgower for £3,000
- 1966 Inchgower's capacity is doubled with the addition of two new stills
- 1985 Arthur Bell & Sons is acquired by Guinness
- 1987 DCL merges with Arthur Bell, creating United Distillers
Inchgower Facts
-
- Condenser Type i
- Shell and tube
-
- Fermentation Time i
- 46hrs
-
- Filling Strength i
- 63.5%
-
- Grist Weight (t) i
- 8.36
-
- Heat Source i
- Steam
-
- Malt Specification i
- Non peated
-
- Malt Supplier i
- Mainly in house
-
- Mash Tun Type i
- Lauter
-
- New-make Phenol Level i
- Non peaty
-
- New-make Strength i
- 65-66%
-
- Spirit Still Charge (l) i
- 8,000
-
- Spirit Still Shape i
- Plain
-
- Stills i
- 4
-
- Wash Still Charge (l) i
- 12,900
-
- Wash Still Shape i
- Plain
-
- Washback Type i
- Lauter
-
- Washbacks i
- 6
-
- Water Source i
- Minduff Burn
-
- Wort Clarity i
- Cloudy
-
- Yeast Type i
- Creamed
Owners
Current owner
- Diageo 1997 - present
Previous owners
- United Distillers 1987 - 1997
- Guinness UDV 1985 - 1987
- Arthur Bell & Sons 1938 - 1985
- Buckie Town Council 1936 - 1938
- Alexander Wilson & Co 1871 - 1936
Contact
- Address
-
Inchgower Distillery
Buckie
Moray
AB56 5AB
United Kingdom - Phone
- +44 1542 836700
- Visitor Opening Hours
- Not open to the public
Map
See also
-
Distillery & brand