Single Cask Nation Inchgower 10 Year Old Scotch Whisky 2011
Single Cask Nation Inchgower 10 Year Old Scotch Whisky 2011 is a 54.5% ABV (109 proof), 750mL cask-strength Speyside single malt Scotch whisky — a marriage of two casks distilled in late 2011 and bottled in October 2022, just 430 bottles — available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 54.5% (109 proof), cask strength, non-chill filtered
- Age: 10 years — distilled Nov/Dec 2011, bottled Oct 2022
- Casks: #813820 (refill bourbon barrel) + #813822 (1st-fill Oloroso hogshead), married
- Bottles: 430
- Size: 750mL
- Distillery: Inchgower, Speyside, Scotland — the backbone of Bell's blended Scotch
The Bell's Backbone, Unblended
Most whisky drinkers have tasted Inchgower — it's the muscular heart of Bell's, one of the world's best-selling blends — but almost nobody has tasted it alone. Single Cask Nation, the independent bottler founded by Joshua Hatton and Jason Johnstone-Yellin, exists to fix exactly that: single-cask spirits that would otherwise never reach a glass. This 2011 vintage marries two casks — a refill bourbon barrel and a first-fill Oloroso hogshead — bottled at cask strength with no chill filtration. The result shows a different side of the distillery: earthier and spicier than the blend ever suggests, with the Oloroso adding dried-fruit depth to Inchgower's signature weight.
Tasting Notes
Nose: soft yet focused — barley sugar, dried apricot, golden raisins, orange blossom honey, and dried tobacco leaf. Palate: oily and full — licorice and fondant sweetness opening into cigar box and ground ginger spice. Finish: drying oak and earthiness, with lingering spice and subtle licorice undertones.
How to Enjoy
Neat at cask strength for the full experience; a few drops of water open the fruit. Pair it with roasted lamb or aged cheddar — this is a whisky's whisky, built for the enthusiast who likes their Speyside with some muscle.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Single Cask Nation? An American independent bottler founded in 2011 (now part of the Artisanal Spirits Company family), bottling unique single-cask whiskies and spirits at cask strength.
How many bottles were made? Approximately 430, from the marriage of casks 813820 and 813822.
Is Inchgower a well-known distillery? Rarely as a single malt — its whisky is best known as the primary component of Bell's blended Scotch, making independent bottlings like this the main way to taste it solo.
A rare solo turn for a blend's backbone — order Single Cask Nation Inchgower 10 Year online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.