A Brief Overview of the King’s Inch Range of Whisky

Because of what we do here at Great Drams, I find myself in the highly privileged position of getting to sample all manner of different drams from all over the world. One thing I do really love, is when a fairly small company smashes it out of the park and produces an exceptional dram. That’s precisely what Glaswegian company Courageous Spirits achieved with their King’s Inch range of whisky.

Originally specialising in gin, Courageous Spirits entered the whisky category in the early 2020s, producing an exceptional expression which was named after the old imperial measurement of one inch, as well as a long-forgotten island located on the Clyde.

King’s Inch was created by Jack Mayo, and the late Jim Swan, who was an incredibly talented whisky consultant. In fact, it was one of Jim’s final projects, and what a legacy to leave behind. This Lowlands single malt may not have been on the scene for long, but it’s already turning heads for all the right reasons.

Here’s a look at the King’s Inch range.

King’s Inch Glasgow Single Malt

First up, we have the dram that started it all, King’s Inch Single Malt.

As well as being named after an old island situated on the Clyde, the origins of the whisky’s name also lies in the exceptional grain that was used to produce it. A King’s Inch was an old imperial measurement of an inch. It was measured by laying three fat barleycorns end to end. Three of these barleycorns made up a King’s inch.

Made from waters drawn from Loch Katrine, the whisky was aged in a combination of ex-Bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks. Non-chill filtered, and bottled at 46% ABV, it has a very appealing honey amber colour to it.

On the nose you get strong orchard fruits, toasted oats, vanilla, and caramel sugar with a suggestion of lightly toasted oak. Very crisp and fresh this one.

On the palate those orchard fruits shine through once more. There’s also ripe pineapple, toffee apple, honey, sweet malt, and espresso coffee. These are quickly joined by creamy cocoa nibs, black treacle, and winter baking spices.

The finish is warming and lingers. Quite spicy, with black pepper and cloves, ginger, and buttery toffee. A tad more oak? Maybe.

King’s Inch 8 Year Old Single Malt

Up next we have King’s Inch 8 Year Old Glaswegian Single Malt.

This is a prime example of the wonderful things you can do when you combine Bourbon and Sherry casks together.

Also bottled at an ABV of 46%, this dram will definitely give you a wee glow. It also has a very pleasant golden amber colour that’s a tad darker than its predecessor.

On the nose there are distinctly rich notes of heather honey, lemon and lime peel, spicy oak, and golden syrup.

On the palate, the flavours of this dram evoke those of a fine rum. There are tropical fruits, caramelized sugar, ginger, spiced oak, cloves, sticky dates, and rum and raisin fudge flavours.

The finish is long and drawn out. Spicy ginger notes linger, combined with spicy peppery notes, hot honey, and a hint of tropical fruit. You can almost picture yourself reclining on a beach in the Caribbean while sipping this delight.

King’s Inch 8 Year Old Single Bourbon Cask

Here we have King’s Inch 8 Year Old Single Bourbon Cask.

For those who are partial to a single malt as well as a fine Bourbon whiskey now and then, this is the perfect dram for you.

Aged in ex-Bourbon casks, this whisky showcases characteristics you’d expect to find in a whisky twice its age. That in itself, is testament to the exceptional whisky produced and the power of a fine Bourbon cask. It’s King’s Inch whisky, taken to a whole other dimension.

Bottled at 55.8% ABV, and limited to just 222 bottles globally, it’s much darker in colour than other whiskies in the range, showcasing a gorgeous golden amber honeycomb colour.

On the nose you get the sweet and spicy notes from the Bourbon cask right away. There’s vanilla, black peppercorns, nutmeg, honey, and lightly toasted oak.

On the palate, you initially get the sweetness, which quickly tapers off into spicy territory. There are strong oak and vanilla notes again here, combined with apricot jam, black and pink peppercorns, cinnamon sugar, maple syrup, treacle tart, and a touch of citrus peel.

The finish is long and sweet. There’re sweet toffee apple notes here, married with cracked pepper, lightly toasted oak, and vanilla ice cream. That’s the power of Bourbon!

If you’d like to learn more about your favourite whiskies, or treat yourself to a wee dram or two over the festive period, head on over to GreatDrams.com and take a look at what we have to offer.

With an impressive selection of limited-edition, rare, and award-winning whisky, as well as heaps of whisky info on our blog, it’s the perfect spot for any whisky lovers out there.

Tags: King's

Greg

My name is Greg, and I’m a brand strategy consultant, writer, speaker, host and judge specialising in premium spirits. My mission is to experience, share and inspire with everything great about whisky, whiskey, gin, beer and fine dining through my writing, my brand building and my whisky tastings.