The oak-ageing brew masters at Innis & Gunn have turned master blenders and created a world-first barrel-aged brew using casks from each of Scotland’s five malt-whisky-producing regions. Named Malt Whisky Trail and with an ABV of 7.4%, the brewers are hyping this limited edition release as the perfect Father’s Day gift.
Using a 90/- ale as a base, Innis & Gunn then matured the beer in casks sourced from five distilleries in the Lowlands, Highlands, Speyside, Islay and Campbeltown for 30 days before blending it to produce a rich, balanced Scottish ale with layers of complex and delicate flavour.
Company Founder and CEO Dougal Sharp explained, “At Innis & Gunn we have a hard-earned reputation for innovation and ingenuity, but it turns out that the best idea had been right in front of us for years. We already use oak casks from our good friends in the Scotch whisky industry, so why wouldn’t we take it one step further? We wondered what would happen if we used barrels from all five whisky-producing territories to a mature a single beer. It took many phone calls, tasting trips and favours being called in, but we’re a pretty determined bunch.”
In finding the perfect flavour pitch for Malt Whisky Trail, Dougal Sharp, added that the biggest challenge was to create harmony between all the different component parts. “It was really important that we let the individual malts shine, but not dominate,” he said. “The whole process started with finding the right base beer, one that would be strong enough to stand up to the more powerful flavour characteristics yet gentle enough to not swallow up the more intricate ones. Then we had to let it mature for just the right amount of time in each barrel to give the whiskies enough time to make their mark but still allowing the rich malty sweetness of the brew to come through. It was a real balancing act but we’ve absolutely found the right balance of flavour with this one.”
Innis & Gunn release Malt Whisky Trail Beer
