Highland Cask Ale
Innis & Gunn
- From:
- Innis & Gunn
- Scotland, United Kingdom
- Style:
- Scottish Ale
- ABV:
- 7.7%
- Score:
- +3 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 3.61 | pDev: 9.97%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 5
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jan 31, 2026
- Added:
- Jan 10, 2025
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
-
-
This special bottling of Innis & Gunn has been matured in oak barrels which had previously been used to mature 18 year old single malt Scotch Whisky from the famed Highlands region of Scotland.
The result of this unique maturation is a smooth, complex and warming beer with notes of vanilla and toffee.
The result of this unique maturation is a smooth, complex and warming beer with notes of vanilla and toffee.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by talisen-crw from Canada (ON)
4/5 rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
At my lady Pamela's house; bottled and chilled, 330mL in a pint glass. From their Cask Matured Discovery Pack at the University Ave. West LCBO in nearby downtown Windsor. Best before June 30/27. My 6th beer from the Edinburgh, Scotland brewery; 1st of '26. Adamantly appreciated by Gracie the cat...
Jan 31, 2026
Rated by Pmicdee from Canada (ON)
3.67/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.67/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
March 5 2026
Jan 06, 2026
Reviewed by willelw from Sweden
3.85/5 rDev +6.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.85/5 rDev +6.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Dark amber brownish colour with a creamy head.
Aroma: smoke, whisky, some oak, red wine, blackberries, caramel, some roasted malt and some spices.
Taste: caramel, malt, chocolate, light whisky, some oak, some light berries.
Medium body.
Sep 29, 2025Aroma: smoke, whisky, some oak, red wine, blackberries, caramel, some roasted malt and some spices.
Taste: caramel, malt, chocolate, light whisky, some oak, some light berries.
Medium body.
Reviewed by thehyperduck from Canada (ON)
3.72/5 rDev +3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.72/5 rDev +3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
330 mL bottle from the LCBO, included in an Innis & Gunn mixed pack. Best before Jun 2026, listed at 7.1% and served slightly chilled.
Pours a clear orange-amber colour, kicking up one finger of foamy white suds that collapses within two minutes. A frothy collar lives on, with respectable lace deposition after a few sips - looks alright so far. Caramel apples, oak and vanilla on the nose, with hints of plum, whisky and honey biscuits; maybe a trace of smoke.
The flavour profile is sweet, mellow and fairly unchallenging. I'm getting bruised apples, caramel and honey, with vanilla coming on strong by mid-sip. Toasted malts, toffee and oak on the back end, with hints of dried fruit and smoke dissipating into an aftertaste of whisky and vanilla. The alcohol is discernible, but otherwise not a huge factor. Medium in body, with average carbonation that provides some prickliness; smooth, slick mouthfeel. Good drinkability for the style.
Final Grade: 3.72, a B grade. Highland Cask Ale is a little too sweet for my tastes - and frankly, it's also lacking in depth. Sorry to say it, but this is one of the weaker Innis & Gunn beers I've had in a number of years. That's doubly disappointing, because I&G has released a couple of "Highland Cask" ales in the past, and at least one of those iterations was excellent. Don't get me wrong, this is still a pretty good brew - I'd rank it in the same vicinity as their flagship Oak Aged Beer - but it's a limited edition brew, so you're kind of expecting a little more than that, y'know? If they're going to brew another Highland Cask in the future, they should either find some better casks, or age it for considerably longer.
Sep 04, 2025Pours a clear orange-amber colour, kicking up one finger of foamy white suds that collapses within two minutes. A frothy collar lives on, with respectable lace deposition after a few sips - looks alright so far. Caramel apples, oak and vanilla on the nose, with hints of plum, whisky and honey biscuits; maybe a trace of smoke.
The flavour profile is sweet, mellow and fairly unchallenging. I'm getting bruised apples, caramel and honey, with vanilla coming on strong by mid-sip. Toasted malts, toffee and oak on the back end, with hints of dried fruit and smoke dissipating into an aftertaste of whisky and vanilla. The alcohol is discernible, but otherwise not a huge factor. Medium in body, with average carbonation that provides some prickliness; smooth, slick mouthfeel. Good drinkability for the style.
Final Grade: 3.72, a B grade. Highland Cask Ale is a little too sweet for my tastes - and frankly, it's also lacking in depth. Sorry to say it, but this is one of the weaker Innis & Gunn beers I've had in a number of years. That's doubly disappointing, because I&G has released a couple of "Highland Cask" ales in the past, and at least one of those iterations was excellent. Don't get me wrong, this is still a pretty good brew - I'd rank it in the same vicinity as their flagship Oak Aged Beer - but it's a limited edition brew, so you're kind of expecting a little more than that, y'know? If they're going to brew another Highland Cask in the future, they should either find some better casks, or age it for considerably longer.
Reviewed by taxandbeerguy from Canada (ON)
3.43/5 rDev -5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.43/5 rDev -5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
330 ml bottle served cold into a pint glass. Best before June 2026. Listed at 7.1% ABV
Appearance - Mostly clear orange / amber color with a small half finger of head that fizzles out in a minute. Plenty of bubbles rise to the surface.
Smell - Caramel with some vanilla, trace of smoke. Not the most robust nose.
Taste - Very sweet, vanilla forward with some oak. A trace smokiness. Too sweet.
Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with low carbonation. Good sipper.
Overall - The sweetness is cloying and overdone, otherwise pretty much what you'd expect from Innis&Gunn.
Mar 15, 2025Appearance - Mostly clear orange / amber color with a small half finger of head that fizzles out in a minute. Plenty of bubbles rise to the surface.
Smell - Caramel with some vanilla, trace of smoke. Not the most robust nose.
Taste - Very sweet, vanilla forward with some oak. A trace smokiness. Too sweet.
Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with low carbonation. Good sipper.
Overall - The sweetness is cloying and overdone, otherwise pretty much what you'd expect from Innis&Gunn.
Reviewed by JonnoWillsteed from England
2.82/5 rDev -21.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
2.82/5 rDev -21.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
Bind-tasted excl Brewer/Name/ABV
L- Quite deep amber, clear, with a lively 12-15mm small-bubble head and rising CO2 into it. Holds up well.
S- Timber and whisky.
T- Unexpected, almost a creamy vanilla [!?] note right on the front. Only c5 minutes. 10-12 sips, later do I suddenly notice a slight hint of whisky. Some hops but rather lost in the roundedness of the 'cream soda' aspect.
F- It feels rather unsure what it is trying to be.
O- A curious beer. I&G produce some quality hefty brews. Being frank/JustMHO, this comes over as a bit adjuncty. I'm not suggesting it is, but that sense of artifice is present [for me]. The creamy roundedness is unusual and seems odd. As it warms the timber note rises, as does the creaminess. I wish I hadn't bought two bottles of this now.
Bought from B+M, 330ml bottle £2.50. A cynic might wonder is this was a pound-shop stocking-filler. The bottle comes in a 'fancy box'. BBE: June/2026. The labelling talks of Famous Highland Single Malt Whisky; just not which one - really!
p.s. All JMHO - I hope others find more in this than I managed to.
Jan 11, 2025L- Quite deep amber, clear, with a lively 12-15mm small-bubble head and rising CO2 into it. Holds up well.
S- Timber and whisky.
T- Unexpected, almost a creamy vanilla [!?] note right on the front. Only c5 minutes. 10-12 sips, later do I suddenly notice a slight hint of whisky. Some hops but rather lost in the roundedness of the 'cream soda' aspect.
F- It feels rather unsure what it is trying to be.
O- A curious beer. I&G produce some quality hefty brews. Being frank/JustMHO, this comes over as a bit adjuncty. I'm not suggesting it is, but that sense of artifice is present [for me]. The creamy roundedness is unusual and seems odd. As it warms the timber note rises, as does the creaminess. I wish I hadn't bought two bottles of this now.
Bought from B+M, 330ml bottle £2.50. A cynic might wonder is this was a pound-shop stocking-filler. The bottle comes in a 'fancy box'. BBE: June/2026. The labelling talks of Famous Highland Single Malt Whisky; just not which one - really!
p.s. All JMHO - I hope others find more in this than I managed to.
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