Tag Archives: SMWS

Whisky Ladies SMWS Duo: 10.284 “Ginger Rollmop Sushi Phantasmagoria” and 44.128 “Fit for an Emperor”

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As the temperature rises, the temptation to escape to somewhere cooler grows… So how lucky were we to have a Whisky Ladies weekend getaway to Satara Mahabaleshwar! Our most amazing hostess spoiled us with brilliant meals, experiences, and more.

Her A, B, C whisky theme was inspired! However, when her hubby pulled out a duo from the previous year that I missed – how could I resist?

Last year featured a trio of SMWS;

  • SMWS 10.284 Bunnahabhain “Ginger Rollmop Sushi Phantasmagoria” 11 year (17 Oct 2013) 1st fill American Oak PX hogshead and 2nd fill oloroso hogshead (Islay) 59.1% (Two to One range)
  • SMWS 44.128 Craigellachie “Fit for an Emperor” 17 years (d. 25 April 2006) 1st fill ex-oloroso hogshead (Speyside) 58.2%
  • SMWS 73.173 Aultmore “Malt and Tonic” 13 year 55.2% – The other ladies tried this in 2024. Alas, it was no longer available as I suspect this would have been up my preferred profile

Whilst I missed the experience with the ladies, I sat down to consider the two on offer! Interestingly, the first was part of SMWS’s new “Two for One” range. What is it all about? Here’s how the folks at SMWS describe it:

Two to One is the combination of two casks of single malt from the same distillery that are married before bottling. Each one of the Two to One bottlings demonstrates the Whisky Team’s skills in experimentation, flavour creation and innovation, with the whisky in each bottle coming from a different maturation journey through a range of cask types to create something unique and delicious.

What did I find?

SMWS 10.284 “Ginger Rollmop Sushi Phantasmagoria” 11 year (17 Oct 2013) 1st fill American Oak PX hogshead and 2nd fill oloroso hogshead (Islay) 59.1% (Two to One range)

  • Nose – What fun! Ginger is very much there, together with peat. Sweet too – like teriyaki salmon bake, joined by a lovely seaweed and seabreeze, then quite mineral, roasted sesame and dry wood sauna
  • Palate – Peaty cinnamon burst, lots of ginger too, yet has some umami also, smoked almonds, unique and engaging
  • Finish – Lovely lingering, truly quite fabulous
  • Water – Is it possible? Even better! The delicious aromas and savoury palate simply kept rewarding

What a whisky! I absolutely loved this one. It was distinct, different, and delightful. I’m not always a Bunnahabhain fan, but this one was spot on. Perhaps it was the Oloroso sherry or something else in their “Two for One” approach, but this just worked.

As for the inventive SMWS official tasting notes? Here you go!

Treacle scone topped with hot-smoked salmon: that was the first impression of the Panel! This quickly evolved to include raw ginger cake batter, sauna wood, smoked almonds and shellfish broiled with seaweed. Water brought pickled sushi ginger, smoked sea salt and a sharp, mineral edge, plus lots of Asian vibes such as soy sauce, eel sushi, bonito flakes and wasabi. The neat palate detonated with wakame, balsamic, smoked prawns, ginger biscuits, barbecue-charred plums and seared beef. Water made it really fantastic, with brined herring, toasted sesame and a lovely, drying waxiness. The starting point for this small batch was two bourbon hogsheads of single malt Scotch whisky. They were each transferred to new casks at five years old. One cask was a first fill American oak PX hogshead, while the other was a second fill oloroso hogshead. The casks were then married together before bottling.

The notes absolutely rang true. Yes to the Asian vibes and even the balsamic. It was not your typical whisky, which is exactly what made it so interesting!

Next up was a rather fancifully named whisky – “Fit for an Emperor” harkens something rich, indulgent, a bit over the top. What did I find?

SMWS 44.128 Craigellachie “Fit for an Emperor” 17 years (d. 25 April 2006) 1st fill ex-oloroso hogshead (Speyside) 58.2%

  • Nose – Curious – it had spice, toast, roasted meats, something a bit off or peculiar
  • Palate – Leather, strangely flat and a bit unbalanced
  • Finish – There…. but nothing that really stood out

It was a bit disappointing. Not a bad dram, however, after the remarkable Bunnahabhain, the Craigellachie just didn’t even come close.

SMWS Official Tasting notes for this expression:

We Panellists came face to face with a powerful nose featuring olives with chilli and black pepper, roasted chestnuts and crispy-skinned chicken. The taste was even more powerful; a wasabi spiciness tickling our noses, with tannins to the fore, as we licked a charred stave. Water rode to the rescue, releasing a warming scent of sunshine on leather, a smoking jacket in a humidor and granola bars with fruits and nuts. And what a change on the palate as we enjoyed a kaiserschmarrn: caramelised fluffy shredded pancakes with rum-soaked raisins, sprinkled with icing sugar and served with apple sauce and raspberry compote. Following 13 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, we transferred this whisky into a first fill Spanish oak oloroso hogshead.

And there you have it! Totally worth taking a wee taste – one was brilliant, the other not – however that is all part of the experience!

Curious about other Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) tasting experiences? Read on….

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2024 Dream Dram – SMWS’s 72.3 Miltonduff 1977 49.6%

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For the 2nd year in a row, my “Dream Dram” at London’s Whisky Show was a Miltonduff. Last year it was a 40-year-old expression bottled by Adelphi. This year it was a Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) dram from 1977.

The only challenge was tracking it down… the folks at the right stand were not so clear on what exactly was or was not available. Searching through all the bottles, I pointed out this one. However to be fair not everyone knows that 72 = Miltonduff and .3 = the 3rd Miltonduff bottling by the SMWS… right? 

It also did not have the distinctive and fanciful titles that SMWS is now known for like “Busy buzzing bees” or “Long conversations by the crackling log fire“… Nope! This bottle was clearly from an earlier period. 

SMWS 72.3 18 year (Sep 1977 / May 1996) 49.6% 

  • Nose – Delicate, citrus, floral, fruits – especially white peach 
  • Palate – Sharp at first then settled down into caramel candy
  • Water – Yes, please! The palate became softer, and fruitier with cream, and even some subtle nuttiness crept in
  • Finish – Long and lovely

This was not the kind of whisky you want to have at a Whisky Show. Instead, you need to give it time to open. A bit shy on the nose and sharp on the palate, it needs time to warm up. 

So what exactly is it about Miltonduff? There is something about its lighter fruity sometimes even elegant character.

It may also have something to do with the fact that I’ve only had special bottles carefully selected by different independent bottlers – from Chorlton to Gordon & Macphail with a few others too! Curious to explore more? Check out these beauties!

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Scotch Malt Whisky Society

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In whisky circles, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) stands out as one of those special groups spread around the world with local societies. For forty years, the Society has encouraged whisky aficionados to explore the world of whisky through SMWS releases with their inventive and humorous descriptions! 

Nowhere on the label is the distillery disclosed, however, their numerical codes are an “open secret” with fans knowing what each represents or… cheating by looking them up! 

During our Schottland Whisky Forum weekend getaway in October, there were several SMWS bottles brought to share. Over the course of two days, I splashed small samples of each into a nosing glass and glimpsed their character. 

95.64 (Auchriosk) “Sweet and Rummy, Good for the Tummy” 11 year (2 Aug 2006) 62.9% 213 Bottles Approx Eur 83

There is a danger in starting off with something spectacular… everything else that follows pales by comparison. That was exactly my experience with this Auchriosk. Matured for eight years in ex-Bourbon casks, followed by three years refill Trinidad rum, launched for SMWS France members. What was the result?

  • Nose – Very merry, rummy, nummy, starts with heavy dates, and raisins, then shifts into juicy fruits and mashed bananas, some cinnamon, a touch of coffee, and nuts joining the rum raisins
  • Palate – Needs time to open up, then becomes absolutely delicious, sweet rum raisins, then shifts into a sweet treat, delightful! 
  • Finish – Cinnamon candy

I absolutely loved this one! Take your time… as I sat in the autumn outdoors, was happy to just sniff my near-empty glass, lingering over this one…

However, my tasting companions were raving about another dram so I found myself wandering back into our main room to select my next dram.  

112.59 (Inchmurrin) “Kaffeepause in der Möbelfabrik” 13 year (27 Dec 2006) 63.2% 251 Bottles Approx. Eur 75.

From the name alone, you know this expression was released specifically for Germany! It translates into “Coffee break in the furniture factory” and is exactly the kind of dram you want to slow down and have a break. From Loch Lomond, it began its journey in ex-Bourbon Hogshead then was finished in Heavy Char new oak Hogshead. 

  • Nose – Instant coffee, then opens to a fresh rich mocha, as it further opened, took on a lovely perfume with fresh herbs and honey – lovely! Underneath, there was apple sauce and toffee… over time even a bit of hot chocolate with marshmallows!
  • Palate – Shy at first, sober, thick chocolate, wood, spice, syrupy sweet… weighty and balanced, great mouthfeel… like silk rolling around the palate, delicious
  • Finish – Yum! Mocha joined by lebkuchen with a distinctly ginger  
  • Water – The initial reaction was hmm…. it dampened the delicious aromas. However on the palate? A delicious coffee spice – like an indulgent frothy decadent coffee dessert

Again – a remarkably good dram. One that made you want to slow down and simply enjoy. So I did just that… kicked back and relaxed. 

68.20 (Blair Athol) “Ginger Beer in a Champagne Flute” 11 year (2 Aug 2006) 54.7% 305 Bottles 

Blair Athol tends to use sherry casks, however, in this case, the whisky was matured solely in refill ex-bourbon Hogshead. So what did we think?

  • Nose – Sour, stewed fruits – maybe apricots?
  • Palate – Also a bit odd – had expected a bit of sparkle and spice, instead it was a bit nondescript…. so what there ginger beer? Yes… with some dry cookies too. What about champagne? Nope.

To be honest, this one didn’t quite catch my fancy. Nothing wrong, but nothing that really stood out. You can tell just from my scant-tasting notes alone that it didn’t really leave much of an impression. So, I stopped at a few drops and moved on…

1.237 (Glenfarclas) “Suave & Plush” 7 year (26 Feb 2013) 60.7% 228 Bottles Was originally released for £55 (now out of stock)

So I decided to shift gears to where the SMWS journey all began – with Glenfarclas – hence its #1 status! In this case, the bottle details share that it began maturing in an ex-bourbon, then it was finished with a 1st fill ex-oloroso sherry hogshead.

  • Nose – Initially a bit muted, then opened to raisins or figs, a dash of green pepper
  • Palate – Some spice, plums, young yet flavourful
  • Finish – Long with a hint of coffee

 

4.286  (Highland Park) “Kirkwall Skink” 11 year (29 Oct 2009) 62.8% 258 bottles

What was unusual about this Highland Park is no ex-sherry cask – either for the main maturation or finish. Instead, it lived initially in an ex-bourbon barrel followed by finishing in a 1st Fill ex-bourbon. This led to some confusion in my tasting companion – who found none of the expected Highland Park elements… So what did I find?

  • Nose – Initially tinned peaches, some apple, missing the typical HP heather, yet still had a fresh meadow element, more than that was the maritime ocean spray chassed by a twist of citrus
  • Palate – Some power here – clear it is cask strength! Again – different than expected til we realized there were no sherry influences. Instead, it had some lovely mineral qualities, more maritime, with some sweetness joining some herbal elements too
  • Finish – Was that a puff of smoke at the close?
  • Water – initially adds a waxy character, and starts to reveal a lovely herbal honey, with something deeper – especially on the palate. The closest I could come to describe it was olives – a combination of the olive brine and umami elements.

Not such a bad way to wind things up. For me, the Auchriosk and Inchmurrin were the real highlights – very happy to have an opportunity to try them!

I’ve had a few SMWS experiences previously:

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Drammers Club is in Mumbai!!!

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Another malty memory from 2019 was my first Drammers Club tasting in April… which was a practical cornucopia of whiskies!

For those not familiar, the Drammers Club started in New York and has been opening chapters around the world. For Mumbai, co-president Charlie Prince teamed up with Rohan Mirchandani.

In the session I joined, Charlie shared the intent to anchor Mumbai sessions with an Indian whisky and American  plus other interesting bottles picked up around the world.

The focus for India was Paul John with Yash Bhamre, Brand Ambassador:

  • Brilliance & Edited– I’ll admit, seeing 10 odd whiskies, skipped this pair to focus on sampling those not yet tasted
  • Nirvana 40% – An opportunity to try even before its official launch! It was friendly, approachable, fruity, caramel, easy going
  • Select Cask Peated from Yash’s personal collection, while it didn’t have the pronounced ‘bacon‘ of some editions, it was still a great example of their cask strength peated avatar
  • SMWS 134.3 “Hello Flavour” 56.9% ex bourbon cask, 189 bottles, released 2017… had tropical fruits like mango, pineapple, intense flavours, and a delightful finish

And for the American side of the equation?
  • Barterhouse 20 year 45.1% – Easy going creamy and one I’d love to try again in more optimal tasting circumstances
  • Old Commonwealth Postage Stamps of Ireland – A very unique dram that deserves specific attention. I hurriedly jotted down a few tasting notes – Tight black currents and dark berries, black vanilla pods, rich creamy caramel coffee on the nose… Smooth flavorful tea leaf on the palate, a bit queer with the finish initially but harkened back to the nose
  • Heaven Hill Marsala Hogshead Finish (2001/2017) Cask 17074, 46.5% Bottle 13 or 199 bottles – I wasn’t sure about this one, it started off as very musty, nail polish, definitely different funky. However it tasted much better – smooth and sweet, wet fall leaves, berries with spice, finishing with tannin merlot

To round things out, we also explored from Japan:

  • Ichiro’s Double Distillery 46% – Not bad with lots of cantaloupe, honey dew melon, musk melon
  • Ichiro’s Single Grain – I skipped this one – too much of a good thing is, well… too much!

Now I will admit both my pics and tasting notes are rubbish. A crowded, noisy bar – no matter how fabulous it is for sociable occasions – just isn’t my way of savouring a single malt. So you will have to forgive my scant impressions. It also cemented my preference for humble, low-key tasting evenings with a small group of friends over a trio, or at most a quartet of whiskies, not over 10!

Don’t get me wrong – I’m delighted Mumbai has a Drammers Club chapter and wish the team all the best. Charlie and the gang are definitely bringing a greater variety of whiskies to a larger audience – and that surely is a good thing!

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Dubai Dream Drams – SMWS “Harmonious Balance” 19 year 55.2%

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We almost didn’t open this bottle… after sampling a quintet of “Dream Drams” in Dubai early 2019, we stopped to enjoy a delicious dinner, socialize with our better halves until someone somehow came to the conclusion that we simply had to open just one more bottle!

So out came this Laphroaig, bottled by the folks over at Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS), fancifully dubbed “Harmonious Balance.” Matured for 19 years in refill ex-bourbon hogshead cask, this whisky truly turned out to be the “show stopper” of the night!

SMWS 29.229 “Harmonious balance” 19 year (13 May 1988) 55.2% (Laphroaig)

  • Nose – A floral perfume, hand spun candies, a hint of tobacco leaf peaking through  honey
  • Palate – A delicious spice, peat yet more nuanced and balanced than expected from a Laphroaig, think a mild sweet cigar not a brash bold bad boy, chased by a bit of sweet salted toffee
  • Finish – What an absolutely glorious finish! By far the longest, lingering and lovely finish of the evening… much after sipping, one could still enjoy the sweet peat and touch of spice with a chocolate minty freshness too

For many, this was the favourite of the evening… even those who purport to not care for peat were won over and we must admit it was aptly named “Harmonious balance” as all the elements came together in the most beautiful way.

When I compared our impressions with the full version of their tasting notes found online, there was a clear resonance in experience. Here is what the SMWS folks had to say

Imaging waking up, looking out the tent door pitched on the beach and seeing a glorious sunrise over the sea. We then made breakfast on a driftwood campfire by toasting bread and having it with salted butter and thick set honey. To taste, cigar smoke sweetness at the start, ashy with a hint of tar in the mid palate and a slightly herbal/peppermint finish – all in perfect balance and harmony. When we reluctantly added a drop of water the sun continued getting higher in the sky and the scent of fresh salty sea air made us feel ready for whatever the day had in store for us.

It was one of only 234 bottles produced from the cask, last seen online selling for approx EUR 200.

Our Dubai host put together a remarkable collection of “Dream Drams“:

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Dubai Dream Drams – SMWS “Busy buzzing bees” 38 years (1977) 49.6%

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In our special “Dream Drams” evening in Dubai early 2019, we went from a lively and most enjoyable Irish whiskey to a completely different direction with a single grain.

And no ordinary grain, it was a Strathclyde bottled by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) from 1977, matured for 38 years, producing only 72 bottles from a refill ex-bourbon cask…

And in their trademark way, it was creatively dubbed “Busy Buzzing Bees” by the SMWS folks.

What did our merry tasting group in Dubai have to say about it?

SMWS G10.10 “Busy buzzing bees” 38 years (23 Nov 1977) 49.6%

  • Nose – It greeted us with fresh pepper, then mellowed in vanilla, nougat, eucalyptus, emerging a distinctive farm-like quality, cedar wood, light lavender
  • Palate – Honey and caramel, a few found it “buttery”, delightfully sweet
  • Finish – Bitter almond
  • Water – Beautiful and silky

How rare it is to have a grain whisky that has matured nearly 40 years… we were honoured to have such an opportunity.

What did the SMWS folks have to say about this whisky?

A light, sweet and floral aroma greeted the Panel. Sugar dusted fruit flavoured bonbons and candy corn were mentioned before a picture full of promise emerged; sitting in the garden sipping on a Lemon Drop Martini and listening to the bees buzzing in the laurel hedge.

The taste had honey-roasted peaches with lavender ice cream whilst the overall impression was one of an almost perfect balance between delicate, perfumed sweetness and dry wood spice.

A drop of water and a plate of seafood pasta in a creamy marinara sauce and a glass of chilled, slightly mineralic, Riesling Auslese was being served.

DRINKING TIP: Perfect to replace a dessert wine

For those curious to try, it is still showing as available through the SMWS for £278.40.

Here are a few more whiskies we sampled in our Dubai Dream Drams evening:

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SMWS “Moonlight night at the beach” 20 year 51.9%

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Last in our Bombay Malt & Cigar Scotch Malt Whisky Society evening was “Moonlight night at the beach” where we finally, firmly entered into the land of peat – Islay style!

29.216 “Moonlight night at the beach” 20 year (26 Nov 1996) 51.9%

Islay, Virgin Oak Hogsead 293 bottles

  • Nose – Well hello peat! Then as it settled in, revealed citrus, summer meadow, bitter ash, sweet then sour, chocolate cinnamon, bitter almond,  then back to ash, shifting between sweet and smoke
  • Palate – First hit of ash, the 2nd sip was pure sweet, further sips found it to be quite chewy, curiously soft and became increasingly gorgeous as it opened, nice, heavy and almost oily
  • Finish – Sweet cinnamon, long and satisfying

The whisky was wonderfully complex. Peaty but not in an overly forceful way – clearly a mature dram.

And with water….

  • Nose – Citrus, lemon drops, orange, embers rather than a raging fire, sweetness, spice
  • Palate – Young cigar, bitter, wet…
  • Finish – More linear but still most enjoyable

And as it continued to open up, took on a delicious maple bacon. Mmm…. bacon…

Of all the whiskies we sampled in our SMWS evening, this one was unmistakable – a clear Laphroaig! Not of the current mass market “hit me over the head peat” but a mature, much more nuanced older style  Laphroaig. And yes – our guess was spot on.

Here is what the SMWS folks have to say:

The scent made us all feel very cosy and warm; baked chocolate marshmallow apples, a steaming creamy bowl of porridge and gingery plum cake. To taste, crunchy, chewy and crispy skin salmon crackling at first before sweet flavours arrived in the form of honey cured hickory smoked bacon. With water we made a campfire on the beach out of driftwood under a moonlit sky and ate sugar coated fennel seeds and chocolate covered coffee beans both infused with a gentle sweet peat smoke. Nineteen years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, finished in a virgin oak hogshead with a heavy toast and a medium char.

DRINKING TIP: For a walk on the beach at night

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SMWS “Riding a duck bareback up Mount Etna” 9 year 64.5%

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Next in our Bombay Malt & Cigar Scotch Malt Whisky Society evening was “Riding a duck bareback up Mount Etna”. Aside from a wee bit of eye rolling at the name, we settled immediately into sampling…

What did we find?

30.94 “Riding a duck bareback up Mount Etna” 9 year (6 June 2007) 64.5%

Speyside, 1st fill Spanish Oak ex-sherry butt, 666 bottles

  • Nose – Coconut, leather saddle, thick honey, 70% bitter chocolate, plums, chocolate covered acai berries, marshmallow, biscuits, toffee
  • Palate – Sweet cinnamon spice, bursting with character, quite dry almost like a PX or Madeira, roasted salty nuts, rich, creamy with a bit of chocolate
  • Finish – Holds…. bitter, a bit woody with more of the cinnamon spice

This is a BIG bold whisky with tremendous complexity. Remarkable to have so much going on after only 9 years. It was also incredibly smooth and balanced for such a powerful alcohol strength – hard to imagine we were sipping 64.5%?!?

In short – we loved this one! It hit all the right elements for complexity…. even after opening for over a hour, the nose still held its own with big toffee sweetness, nicely rounded on the palate and a finish with staying power.

As for guessing? Names such as Glendronach, Glenrothes and a few others were tossed about. With the reveal, delighted to discover it was indeed a Glenrothes.

Here is what the SMWS folks have to say:

We stood at the foot of the volcano; a towering eminence of tightly packed fruitcake and sticky toffee pudding, and gazed up towards the bellowing clouds of pork crackling infused smoke. Climbing onto the back of a giant duck and gripping the leather reins we began our ascent with the spicy smell of nutmeg, clove and cinnamon becoming heavier as we advanced. The ground shook as figs, dates and roasted chestnuts were blasted high into the sky and rivers of molten toffee passed nearby. Sipping export strength navy rum to steady our nerves we bravely continued further towards the summit passing boulders of macadamia nuts, honeycomb and salted chocolate.

DRINKING TIP: Drink whilst reading Tolkien stories to the devil.

What else did we sample in our SMWS evening?

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SMWS “Totally Tastylicious” 15 year 57.8%

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Next in our Bombay Malt & Cigar Scotch Malt Whisky Society evening was “Totally Tastylicious” from Speyside. Naturally it was a full cask strength with the distillery not directly disclosed – known only through its code number.

So did we find it totally tasty??

76.131 “Totally Tastylicious” 15 year (30 Sep 2001) 57.8% 268 bottles

  • Nose – Lots of ripe fruits, figs, citrus lime, mandarin orange, black peppercorns, pine, vanilla and cream, cherries, sweet spices, berries, toffee, egg nog, oak…
  • Palate – Salt water taffy, toffee, coffee and caramel, rich fruits and full-bodied
  • Finish – Spice, nice and long – delicious!
  • Water – Not even tempted to try

The nose was fabulous – it simply kept evolving, shifting and revealing different elements. Initially came across as a juicy sherry, it kept morphing eventually settling into a sweet toffee. And the promise on the nose followed through on the palate – really quite gorgeous which continued to a superb finish.

In short, we found this whisky rather wonderful. And yes… tasty!

Our guess? Perhaps an Aberlour but… when we found out it was Mortlach, made perfect sense!

Here is what the SMWS folks have to say:

The nose had truckloads of wood and fruit – we identified orange boxes, orange muscat, Madeira molasses cake, Demerara and dried fruits (figs, dates) on polished wood. The palate was just Wow! – juicy, chewy, tangy, fruity, woody and winey – wine gums, plum stones, grilled almond-stuffed dates wrapped in bacon – and a vigorous nod towards Calvados; liquorice Imps to finish.

Water enhanced the complexity of the nose – orange chocolates, punch-bowl, empty cigar tubes, herbal hedgerows, sherbet, pomanders… The palate – plum, Kirsch, charred wood, toasted cumin seeds – totally tastylicious.

After 14 years in ex-bourbon wood we moved this to a first-fill French oak hogshead.

DRINKING TIP: This is quite different – something to turn to when you need a change.
What else did we sample in our SMWS evening?

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SMWS “Eastern Promise” 14 year 56.8%

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First in our Bombay Malt & Cigar Club Scotch Malt Whisky Society evening was “Eastern Promise”. This whisky was selected as a lighter start to our quartet, something to tease the palate awake… and get us in the mood for further delights.

What did we find?

37.85 “Eastern Promise” 14 year (1 Oct 2002) 56.8%

Speyside, Ex-Bourbon Hogsead, 234 bottles

  • Nose – Apple juice, lots of white fruits like pear, a light perfume, talcum powder, gripe water, soft, pink marshmallows, a bit of light heather.. after time was almost chalky with the aromas nearly disappearing. After more time, a bit of lime cordial…
  • Palate – Spice, lightly malty, liquorice, chalk, perhaps a hint of smoke? Quite thin without much weight
  • Finish – Nothing memorable

There was something oddly ‘closed’ or muted about this whisky… resisting opening up hence leaving the impression there should be more to it but we simply couldn’t access.

So we tried adding water…

  • Nose – Initially brought out a light spice, cooked oats almost like a porridge but slightly sour… perhaps more like rice congee? With a drop or two of soya sauce?
  • Palate – A bit of wet mud, almost like compost – like leaves decomposing in a forest after a heavy rain, again that fleeting hint of smoke but quite faint
  • Finish – Still nothing memorable

We tried leaving it to open up further for nearly an hour… and were rewarded with wet mop aromas, sugar water on the palate and a whiff of smoke. Hmmm…

Nope. Sorry. This one didn’t do it for us.

As for guessing? We made a few lacklustre attempts but nothing with any degree of confidence. Turns out it is from the Cragganmore distillery.

As a starter, it certainly succeeded in calibrating our palates to cask strength whiskies. But as a dram, our quest tends towards more complex, weightier whiskies.

But that’s half the fun of whisky explorations – discovering what appeals to your personal palate and what doesn’t.

Here is what the SMWS folks have to say:

We were transported to a Thai street food market with a never-ending variety of fruits as well as a wide selection of dishes on offer all smelling of exotic spices being cooked right in front of us. The stall we stopped at served barbequed spice-rubbed chicken with a kumquat-lemongrass dressing. We decided to have a plateful of it and the mouthfeel was a delicate balance between sweet and spice with a light smoky finish. After some water we were drawn to aromas of rice noodles, shrimp and scallion rolls which we dipped in a soy and oyster sauce – weird but wonderful!

DRINKING TIP: Open your mind and you open your life
 

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