Sometime ago I received two samples of OMC 18 year old bottlings from the W Club tasting panel to review. It took me sometime, but finally I arrived at tasting them, and although there’s nothing really similar in those two (except the fact that both are 18 yo, both IB and both are bottled at 50% ABV from the same bottler), I decided to put them H2H in one post. If you’re not familiar with the OMC (old malt cask) series of bottlings, then I should probably tell you that Old Malt Cask is one of the limited edition bottlings from Hunter Laing, independent bottlers .
I’ve tasted the OB Arran 18 quite some time ago and loved it! (review here), and this is why I started by tasting this 18 yo Arran.This Old Malt Cask Arran 18 year old was distilled in March 1996 and bottled in April 2014 from refill hogshead cask 10439. This is one of only 347 bottles.
Arran 18 OMC, 50% abv, £120 
Nose : Unripe banana and boiled sweets, coconut and icing sugar. Some pear drops too. Doesn’t feel that old add there are some youthful notes.
Palate : Lots of vanilla, more banana and pear with sweet spiced wood, coconut shreds and a touch of pepper and milk chocolate.
Finish : Medium with fried banana, brown sugar and vanilla. Drying with oak.
This is not a bad Arran, but frankly, Its not half as good as the OB 18 year old, even though it’s bottled at 50% and is a only one of 347 bottles. That’s a nice lesson in single casks, isn’t it? Just cause it’s a small batch single cask IB does not say anything about quality. and as for pricing, 120 quid is A LOT of money . not the best VFM …
Score: 83/100
Inchgower 18 yo OMC, 50%, £120
This Old Malt Cask inchgower 18 year old was distilled in July 1995 and bottled in May 2014. It is one of only 360 bottles taken from a sherry butt. So sherry but? nice. let’s see how this one fares.
Nose :lemongrass and wet hay, granny Smith apples and vanilla fudge. Damp wood, crushed pepper , quite leafy.
Palate : Sweeter with milk chocolate, and some dried fruit such as sultana and apricot, medium sweet. Nuts and wood spices ; nutmeg, Clove and Sugar.
Finish : Wood, Pepper ginger and more dried fruit.
Not a very convincing dram as well. and especially not at 120 quid.