Inchmurrin 17 (1996) (Signatory)

Rating: 15/23 This 1996 vintage is number 1996 on my count-up to my 2000th alcohol review! I bought this a while back from a retailer who advertised it with a picture of a 23 year old cask strength Inchmurrin. They did have a disclaimer that the proof might not match what was shown in the picture, but they didn't say anything about the age. When it arrived, I was disappointed to discover that I'd be shorted 7 years and it was only 43% ABV. Still, the price was decent for what I'd received and I didn't want to fight over it considering that the best case scenario would be the retailer taking it back and refunding me, so I kept it. Then I finally opened it and the cork shattered. I wasn't the most careful I've ever been when opening a bottle, but I was pretty careful. This was the driest, most fragile cork I've ever encountered. I've had plenty of corks split into two or even three pisces, but this one split into half a dozen large pieces and a lot of smaller ones. Mercifully, it was almost the same dimensions as a Càrn Mòr cork that I wasn't using, so I was able to replace it easily. All of this behind me now, I'm looking forward to trying an Inchmurrin! N: Immediately funky with dirty dish rags, but not wholly in a bad way. It's vegetal and grassy and I don't know what else. I definitely get Loch Lomond 12 (obviously) and Deanston vibes from this. There's some definite sweetness here, but it's a bit lighter than I'd expected. It's also a bit out of balance and certainly challenging. I gradually get some light baked chicken and very faint tangerine. P: This is light like the nose suggests, with grassiness coming right out. There's a nice sweetness and it moves into dry grass with a light toastiness to it. I get light tangerine and lemon coming out of it, with the faintest lime and orange. There's definitely a dishwater funk going on, but it's not too obtrusive. It's a challenging palate, but I'm enjoying it. There are definite Loch Lomond vibes going on here (again, really not surprisingly). I do get some nice spicy flavors, with white pepper and black pepper leading, but not being overly punchy. The dishwater has a bit of waxiness to it, but it's not quite the driving flavor. There's a light nuttiness coming out of the oily and toasty flavor here as well. F: A faded version of the dishwater comes out as the main character here. There's not a lot going on here, but there is that bold backing. This is kind of a disappointing finish. - Conclusion - This is fine, but it's kind of underwhelming. Loch Lomond 12 (16/23) has a more aggressive profile, but it's also more fun with some tropical notes. There's a real argument to be made that this is more mature in how it's restrained and integrated - and it's an argument that I largely buy. This is more subtle with fewer flavors that really stand out. At the same time, There are spice, fruit, and coffee flavors in the Loch Lomond that are quite nice and that this is lacking. The two are competitive, but what I think is worth pointing out is that Loch Lomond 12 is already a very challenging dram and I think that this is more challenging. I'm leaning toward a 15 for this one. Cadenhead's Deanston 19 (15/23) also seems in a competitive range with this, so I don't think that this is at all likely to surpass a 16. The Deanston is surprisingly sweeter and maltier than this is - though it still takes just the right amount of water to keep it from burning far too much without losing the flavor. Side by side, the Deanston's flavor strikes me as a bit better than what this offers. It's not a big gap though. I'm now thinking of a 14 or 15 for this. Coming back to this the next day, I'm getting largely the same notes as before, but they're more nuanced and enjoyable. This really does taste like a more mature, less bold Loch Lomond 12 now. I'm thinking that the sort of bitter, muddled dishwater character (still present) that is putting me off is a result of the low 43% ABV (versus Loch Lomond 12's 46%). I think that 43% ABV was a real mistake. I'm still liking this, but I think I'd love it at around 47% ABV. It's now obvious to me that Loch Lomond 12 is less mature and nuanced, but it also has a bolder flavor with fewer flaws and some really decadent fruits. The two are much closer in quality now. I think I'm ruling out a 14 for this and it might be a 16. I could possibly be convinced of a 17, but that would be tougher. The Deanston is still pretty competitive with this, aside from its intense burn. Actually, maybe this really is a 14. Yeah, I'm not sure that this is better than the Deanston. I'm definitely ruling out a 17 and going with a 15. One could do worse for this price, but I definitely wouldn't be buying this again for more than $40.