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Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America “May Outturn”– Scotch Whisky News

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May Outturn Offerings 

Cask No. 72.34                               $235 

Tropical Punch Pop Rocks 

Speyside, Lossie 

The Panel was greeted by a mixture of chocolaty and nutty aromas like whole Brazil nuts covered in milk chocolate. There are also freshly crushed walnuts and split conkers next to the warm spiciness of a Jamaican Ginger cake. With time fresh mint leaves appear and overall there is the smell of a ‘special occasion perfume’ in the air. The taste neat with plenty of green, floral and woody aromas – entering a tropical green house. At the same time there is a firm and fresh green grape acidity besides crystallized sugar swizzle sticks. With water like a fresh fruit salad, grapes, melon, mango and green apples sprinkled with Demerara sugar. The taste juicy and fruity, Haribo Tropifrutti, as well as golden syrup on toast and a sweet oakiness in the finish. 

Drinking tip: Gets you in the party mood 

Colour: Sand dunes

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 30 years

Date distilled: November 1982

Alcohol: 55.6%

USA allocation: 90 bottles 

 SMWS Green Logo II

Cask No. 3.210                               $145 

Sooty and Sweet 

Islay 

The first impression is ‘sooty’: a ‘well-fired roll with melted butter and cremated bacon and smoked black pudding’; later, tide-line tar, sea-shells, beach pebbles and plastic rope, and with a dash of water (don’t add too much) coal dust and uncooked cabbage. The taste is sweet and very smoky, with some liquorice and coal dust at full strength and mixed herbs with lime marmalade and a trace of blackcurrant at reduced strength. A most unusual colour although this distillery famously bottled some ‘Black’ expressions from 1964 which now fetch around £1,600 at auction: the original RRP was £100. 

Drinking tip: A talking point late at night 

Colour: Green ginger, with black lights

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 17 years

Date distilled: May 1996

Alcohol: 58.9%

USA allocation: 120 bottles 

 SMWS Green Logo II

Cask No. 10.76                               $90 

Duelling banjos dram 

Islay 

The unreduced nose had a definite kick – burning driftwood by boat sheds, canvas and leather (like a straight-jacket) and sucking salty smoke over oyster shells in a hookah pipe; but this duelling banjos dram had a pleasant side too – cranachan, honey, pear, citrus and vanilla; lime pickle and coal-dust never far away. The palate offered big, sweet, nutty smoke, liquorice, toffee and dark chocolate – grungy for sure, but tastier than expected – fruity flavours swirling around in a briny, oily puddle and chipotle and Tabasco tingling away at the mouth, like a memory of combat. The distillery is near a wreck. 

Drinking tip: A dram for a hard road or daredevil moments – step up to the plate 

Colour: Moon pool

Cask: Refill barrel

Age: 8 years

Date distilled: May 2005

Alcohol: 60.8%

USA allocation: 120 bottles

 SMWS Green Logo II

 Cask No. 25.65                               $175 

The Whispered Kiss 

Lowland 

A whispered kiss from a ghost of a distillery. The nose tip toes around delicate peach skins, apple blossom and papaya. Sticky honey glaze on dainty cinnamon pastries. Musky notes reminded the panel of perfume departments and aromatherapy boxes. Crushed rose petals and wax candles in a dunnage warehouse. To taste they found crisp pear, mandarin, apple and mint and with water the fruits morphed into tinned peaches and cherry drops. Memories of childhood were evoked by talcum powder, allspice, citronella candle, and sandalwood. An gentle earthy warmth hovered while silky fruit syrup and honey lingered like a shadow. 

Drinking tip: A graceful aperitif. Careful with the water. 

Colour: Limpid gold

Cask: Refill barrel

Age: 22 years

Date distilled: July 1991

Alcohol: 50.0%

USA allocation: 60 bottles

 SMWS Green Logo II

 

 Cask No. 31.27                       $195 

Bold sailor’s dram 

Highland, Island 

A complex nose – sweet, salty and medicinal, with light smoke – panellists mentioned salted popcorn, gammon with pineapple, seaweed and various impressions of wood. With water, we imagined sea-breezes and bold sailors strutting along a breakwater, by oyster shells and dying barbeques; also sweet suggestions of apricot Danish and Edinburgh Rock. The palate was fascinating – maritime notes joined by citrus (including Terry’s chocolate orange), clove-studded gammon, oak, ash, white pepper and coal-dust. The reduced palate found sweet tobacco, floral flavours (lavender, Parma violets) and the dryness of heather smoke and barbecued meat and shellfish. The K Foundation burned £1,000,000 here in 1994. 

Drinking tip: Beach barbeque dram – with or without sailors 

Colour: Salvaged bullion just below the surface

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 25 years

Date distilled: September 1988

Alcohol: 52.4%

USA allocation: 108 bottles 

 SMWS Green Logo II

 

 Cask No. 35.71                       $340 

Like a hug from your mum 

Speyside, Lossie

The nose gave us happy, homely feelings – ‘like a hug from my mum’ said the Malt-meister; mellifluous sweetness of maple syrup, marzipan and heather honey – but also marmalade on toast, jaffa cakes, leather and polished wood. The palate impressed with its chewy textures, aniseed, tobacco and coconut depth – plus its minty fresh liveliness, like mint choc-chip ice-cream. The reduced nose suggested a wooden box containing rolling tobacco, Coco Pops, After Eight mints and menthol cigarettes. The reduced palate – light leather, tobacco, Arm and Hammer toothpaste and orange zest. A time-stopping dram from the Elgin distillery that was once a brewery. 

Drinking tip: An after dinner or late evening dram – but go easy on the water 

Colour: Evening sun glow

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 40 years

Date distilled: October 1971

Alcohol: 47.7%

USA allocation: 84 bottles 

 SMWS Green Logo II

 

Cask No. 44.60                               $130 

‘Growing on you’ 

Speyside, Spey 

The initial noses neat is not too inspiring, wet sand and freshly mixed cement, but give this one time. Notes of apricots, oranges and figs but also plum sauce, cedar wood, wild onions and a late summer rose emerge – intrigued? The taste is that of slightly burnt hot cross buns, black currant pastels, aniseed balls and coconut dusted chocolate truffles. With little water aromas of freshly cut wood, rosehip syrup, camp coffee and rye bread develop. The taste now is sweet and waxy with a dry grapefruit finish. This example, from the distillery situated in the village where the River Fiddich flows into the River Spey, is worth exploring. 

Drinking tip: Teaches you the virtue of patience 

Colour: Blingy brass

Cask: Refill butt

Age: 14 years

Date distilled: August 1999

Alcohol: 56.9%

USA allocation: 108 bottles

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Please visit the Scotch Malt Whisky Society at http://www.smwsa.com/


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