Innis & Gunn Cask Matured Beer Range
After a long day, there’s no finer feeling than kicking back, putting your feet up, watching the big match on the TV, and pouring yourself a nice cold beer.
Beer is a beverage steeped in history, that has been enjoyed for centuries, all over the globe. Here in the UK particularly, it is a universal language. It’s something that brings us together and brings great joy to so many of our lives.
But hold on, we’re called Great Drams and we deal in whisky. So why on earth are we talking about beer? Well, because thanks to Innis & Gunn, we now have all the deliciousness of whisky, in the form of a beer.
Now, whisky and beer may sound like a recipe for the ultimate hangover, but don’t worry, the guys over at Innis & Gunn know exactly what they’re doing, and have created something truly remarkable.
Based in Edinburgh, and having been founded back in 2003, Innis & Gunn is a brewery and beer brand who have been doing great things in the alcohol industry.
Founded by Dougal Gunn Sharp, the company brews in Glasgow, in Tennent’s Wellpark Brewery, and have done by contract since 2014. Tennent’s is Scotland’s leading brand of pale lager, and has been since 1885.
Having sold millions upon millions of cases of beer, in more than 35 countries, Innis & Gunn are somewhat innovators in the world of beer, in that they barrel age their beer at the Innis & Gunn brewery in Perth.
An Undeniably Scottish Beverage
Innis & Gunn set out to create a truly Scottish beer and decided to draw influences from another of the nation’s most popular drinks. No, not Irn Bru, we’re talking about Scotch.
Think of Scotland, and you no doubt think of whisky, and rightly so. The nation’s pride and joy, whisky is undeniably Scottish. Innis & Gunn, however, are a company unafraid to push boundaries and try new things. They decided to create a beer with many of the characteristics you’d find in whisky/whiskey, and the results are astounding.
Their Cask Matured range of beers are aged in a selection of different barrels, including Scotch, Bourbon, Irish Whiskey, and even Caribbean Rum. The end results are like nothing you will have ever sampled before.
Innis & Gunn ‘The Original’ Beer
Innis & Gunn ‘The Original’ beer is the one that started it all. It is a golden Scottish beer that is velvet smooth, aged in single-malt Scotch whisky casks, and is incredibly moreish.
This was their flagship beer and was the one in which the company was founded back in 2003. Sensing that the beer market was missing a certain something, they decided to go ahead and age their beer in casks which once housed single-malt Scotch whisky.
The beer has a gorgeous honey colour, offering plenty of malty notes. It is matured in the finest single-malt whisky casks the company can source. This process imparts an added depth of flavour and a velvety rich smoothness.
The award-winning beer has an ABV of 6.6% so it’s not exactly a “session” beer, but that’s perfectly fine because this one you should savour.
On the nose you get aromas of roasted malt and caramel with a touch of honey.
On the palate you should taste plenty of rich hops, sweet malt, toffee, and a touch of vanilla.
The finish offers wonderful mouthfeel, with a smooth and creamy finish that Guinness would be envious of.
Innis & Gunn Irish Whiskey Cask Beer
Speaking of stout, up next, we have a creamy Scottish stout, that combines perfectly with the smoothness and richness of Irish Whiskey.
Innis & Gunn’s Irish Whiskey Cask beer has a stunning jet-black colour (not ruby red!) that instantly grabs the eye. It is matured in ex-Irish whiskey casks to offer plenty of rich roasted malt notes, coupled with the typical chocolate and coffee you’d expect from a stout, with the added influence of smooth Irish whiskey.
This beer is 6.1% ABV, so again it is quite punchy.
On the nose you should get plenty of coffee and espresso aromas, rich malty notes, vanilla, and a hint of cocoa powder.
On the palate, your first sip should again present you with coffee and dark chocolate, rich malt, toasted oatmeal, a touch of vanilla and sweet oak, and a spicy whisper of warm Irish whiskey.
The finish provides the perfect balance of bitterness and smoothness, giving way to a creamy dark chocolate finish.
Innis & Gunn Caribbean Rum Cask Beer
A far cry from the rugged and weather-beaten Highlands and Islands of Scotland, Innis & Gunn are next taking you across the globe, to the warm and sunny climes of the Caribbean of all places.
Known formerly as Blood Red Sky, due to the gorgeous pale ruby colour of the beer, this beverage has been aged in Caribbean Rum casks for an unforgettably sweet and spicy finish.
Taking the best that Scotland has to offer, along with the best that the Caribbean has to offer, this red 6.8% ABV Scottish beer is a must for rum-lovers and beer lovers alike.
On the nose, the aromas you get are immediately reminiscent of Caribbean rum. You get rich fruity notes, sticky molasses, chocolate, spiced rum, and vanilla.
On the palate, you should again pick up plenty of vanilla and mixed spices, not too dissimilar from what you might expect at Christmas time. These give way to yet more chocolate notes with ripe mixed fruit and malt notes coming through.
The finish is mild, warming, and surprisingly mellow for a beer pushing 7% ABV. It slides down your throat far too easily, and you’ll be desperate for another sip before you’ve even swallowed the first.
If you’re looking for the perfect gift this Christmas time, here at GreatDrams.com we have a huge selection of whiskies, primarily Scotch, to suit all budgets, palates, and preferences.
Whether you’re looking for smooth and creamy, harsh and peaty, blended, or anything else, here at Great Drams we’ve a vast assortment of whiskies from all across the nation, and plenty more besides.
Head on over to our website and take a look at the whiskies we have in stock, or check out our blog to learn about some of your favourite tipples instead.
Greg
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