Adelphi Glen Elgin 15yo (Cask #805296) & Adelphi Inchgower 14yo (Cask #809891)

Adelphi Glen Elgin 15yo (Cask #805296)

Region: Speyside

ABV: 55.8%

Price: £99.95

Distilled in 2008 and matured for fifteen years in a first fill Oloroso sherry hogshead, this Glen Elgin was bottled in 2023 with an outturn of 265 bottles.

Nose

The nose opens a little tight, and really needs a few minutes in the glass to open up. Patience is rewarded with notes of pencil shavings, red cola, red berries, a little warehouse must and fresh pine cones. Ribena, prunes and blackcurrant cordial also eventually make an appearance. There’s minimal alcohol spice given the strength, but the cask has pushed any spirit notes firmly into the background.

Palate

The palate has blackcurrant, leather, caramel and prunes. The mid palate has some chocolate coin sweetness we’re enjoying. Unfortunately dark chocolate bitterness and ginger spice are the dominant notes throughout the medium length finish. The mouthfeel is good, slightly oily, but we’re a little too distracted by the spice and bitterness to fully appreciate it. 

Nose (with water)

The reduced nose is fairly similar. That fresh pine note pops a little more now, and there’s now more alcohol spice, alongside a little caramel, icing sugar, Terry’s Chocolate Orange and a touch of burnt toast.

Palate (with water)

Water goes some way to balance that spice, but it’s still a little too much for us. Although, that excessive bitterness has faded. Rice corn, burnt toast and citrus has joined the pre dilution notes giving this a little more complexity. The mouthfeel is still good, but it has lost some of that oiliness. 

Conclusion

Definitely a dram where we’d recommend playing around with a little dilution. Maybe, “Sherry Bomb” lovers will be more forgiving, but we found this a bit too spicy for our liking, and even with dilution, it’s not the most complex dram we’ve every had. It’s, ok, but we were expecting better from Adelphi. 

Score: 6.5/10

Value

As usual, Adelphi is a little pricey, but in this case the whisky doesn’t feel worth it.

Adelphi Inchgower 14yo (Cask #809891)

Region: Islay

ABV: 57.7%

Price: £84.95

Distilled in 2010 and fully matured for 14 years in a first fill Palo Cortado sherry butt, this single cask Inchgower was bottled in 2025 with an outturn of 542 bottles.

Nose

The nose is initially very closed off. Our initial sniff only revealing wood shavings, hay, toffees and cold butter. As it sits in the glass fudge, coco powder, marzipan, and more traditional Sherry cask notes start to appear. It’s a little simple, and it’s really just sherry, but has good alcohol integration, and is pleasant enough to nose.

Palate

The palate has gingerbread, dark chocolate, orange juice, rice crackers, burnt brown sugar, chocolate coated coffee beans and treacle. The gingerbread note turns to ginger spice through the mid palate and into the medium length finish. Mouthfeel shows a little texture with a light oiliness, although again the spice is a touch much for us.

Nose (with water)

The reduced nose hasn’t change dramatically, though those sherry notes gain in intensity and a light meaty undertone appears as we sit with it.

Palate (with water)

With water we’re finding the spice is better balanced, and like the nose the sherry cask notes are starting to intensify. The finish is still medium length and the mouth mouthfeel has held up well. With patience we start to get more chocolate and cola, but the flavours aren’t wildly different to pre dilution.

Conclusion

Like today’s other review, this is a touch on the simple side, with the cask overshadowing the spirit. That in itself isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but we’re also finding it a little too spicy for our tastes. Still, there’s plenty to enjoy here. We’re going with a 6.5.

Score: 6.5/10

Value

£15 cheaper than today’s other review, and only a year younger.

• 10 - Perfection. One in a million
• 9 - Outstanding. Exceptional whisky.
• 8 - Great. Would seek this out.
• 7 - Good. Quality whisky.
• 6 - Above average. Happy to have a dram.
• 5 - Average. Drinkable whisky.
• 4 - Below average. Passable.
• 3 - Flawed. Noticeable negatives.
• 2 - Defective. Significant faults.
• 1 - Offensive. Pour it out.

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