Early September 2013 Outturn Offerings
Savoury smoke and spicy sweetness
Cask No. 66.35 $90
Highland, Eastern
The nose was a happy collision between savoury smoke and spicy sweetness – bacon frazzles, aniseed, clove, cardamom and spiced fruit and nuts. The palate seemed massive – intense smoke and flavours of tar, treacle, cough medicine and honey-glazed ham; also considerable sweetness, mineral notes and some herbal hints too – ‘absolutely amazing!’ We were led by the reduced nose to a barbeque – spiced pork belly, sweet and sour prawns and even barbecued bananas. The reduced palate displayed beautiful sweetness, reminiscent of liquorice allsorts and gummi bears, but still that dry, ashy smoke underpinned the whole delicious experience. A smoky highlander from Kennethmont.
Drinking tip: For the great outdoors – especially wild places
Colour: Jacobean oak Date distilled: July 2002
Cask: Refill Sherry butt Alcohol: 58.2%
Age: 9 years USA allocation: 90 bottles
Intense explosion of taste
Cask No. 2.83 $140
Speyside, Spey
The nose really grabbed our interest – so much in it – summer fruits, cherry Bakewell, apple and berry tea; maple syrup, toffee and Fry’s Turkish Delight; mulled wine, tobacco and old books. The palate was intense, sharp and tickly – tutti-frutti bubble-gum and apple sours crashed into darker, spicy flavours (chilli pepper, gingerbread, treacle scones) resulting in an explosion of taste. The reduced nose – simply amazing – fruit-punch, black-jacks, tea chests, foamy shrimp sweets, wax and shoe polish. The palate lost some intensity but retained the sweet complexity of toffee apples, cinnamon, blackcurrant and lavender honey. The distillery was once protected by two pistols!
Drinking tip: Let the children get excited about sweets – we have this!
Colour: Marmalade Date distilled: May 1993
Cask: Refill hogshead Alcohol: 55.2%
Age: 19 years USA allocation: 90 bottles
Venus in Furs
Cask No. 30.70 $150
Speyside, Spey
The Panel drew images of a foxy silver haired lady; wearing a musty fur coat. On the nose the panel was pleasantly greeted with scents of a traditional perfume containing musk. Then with a gentle caress on our cheek with butter soft leather gloves. On the palette we found the rich flavour of well matured Dundee cake washed down with blackcurrant cordial. With water on the nose we found there was a medley of orange bitters mixed with dark chocolate’ high in cocoa content to the point of being almost gravelly in consistency. One panellist found themselves stuck in a hedge with hooves, horse shoes and fresh mud galloping away on the finish! It was almost all over too soon.
Drinking tip: Pre dinner drink whilst dressing up
Colour: Lime green Date distilled: December 1989
Cask: Refill hogshead Alcohol: 52.0%
Age: 22 years USA allocation: 60 bottles
Rite of passage
Cask No. 127.31 $95
Islay
Descriptors for the initial nose neat were nail varnish remover, window cleaner, fire lighter and gun powder. Deeper notes like the inside of a tea chest appear with time. The taste is challenging, salty and sweet – perspiration from the brow dropping into one’s eye and child hood memories of walking in brand new trainers on hot bubbling tarmac. Adding water reminiscent of a wildfire on a peatbog by the sea and freshly caught haddock seasoned with lemon and parsley. To taste like a good ‘Old Fashioned’ cocktail garnished with an orange slice and a lemon twist as well as sweet balsamic vinegar in the finish. This comes from the progressive distillers on Islay who reached the 10 year milestone this year.
Drinking tip: With or over Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream
Colour: Retsina Greek wine Date distilled: June 2002
Cask: Refill barrel Alcohol: 64.2%
Age: 10 years USA allocation: 96 bottles
Promises sweet indulgences
Cask No. G10.3 $165
Grain
The nose evoked a breakfast buffet – bran-flakes, porridge, honey, marmalade (lots of orange notes) and maple syrup on waffles. We also identified random hints of carrot cake, ginger nuts, faint perfume and laminate flooring. The palate was immediately attractive, promising sweet indulgences – butterscotch, toffee éclairs, orange creams and floral perfumes, with ginger, cinnamon and clove not far behind. The reduced nose was very sweet, just held in check by gentle spices. The palate was now a silky, velvety experience – millionaire’s shortbread, crème brûlée – liquid honey sunshine filtering through a filigree trellis of oak. This Gorbals-based distillery was built in 1927.
Drinking tip: We have a hunch this whisky would go with brunch – but it packs a punch so maybe with lunch – it could sooth away fears of the credit crunch!
Colour: Yellow gold Date distilled: June 1988
Cask: Refill barrel Alcohol: 59.6%
Age: 24 years USA allocation: 54 bottles
Please visit the Scotch Malt Whisky Society at www.smwsa.com