01/11/2013 November outturn at the SMWS

It is that time of the month again. Fixou drops out, as he is called back at work. We meet PS there, though.

76.108 11yo 2002/2013 Raspberry Ruffles (57.9%, SMWS Society Single Cask, ex-Bourbon Barrel, 235b) (JS): nose: vanilla, butter biscuit, a vague hint of coffee and some flowers. Mouth: lively, hot (green chilli) and slightly bitter (grape seeds). Finish: warming and powerful, coating, with bakery flavours. A nice, non-meaty Mortlach (tried it blind and only guessed it after five attempts), but I preferred last month's. 7/10

55.22 14yo 1998 Backstage at a burlesque (54.3%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 113b) (me): my first Society Brackla, an opportunity that cannot be passed. Nose: flowery and perfumey, then varnish, plum eau-de-vie and a touch of pine wood, which becomes really rather powerful. Water makes it a lot jammier and more herbaceous. 'Well brackish,' says PS, committed to providing the bad pun of the day. Mouth: fiery pepper, then fruit -- dried apricot, dates and quince. Yep, it is jammy alright. Finish: long and heart-warming, still, rather fruity. Water renders it fruitier, with some bitterness from the wood. Not an extraordinary dram, but very pleasant. 7/10

46.22 20yo 1992 An Italian kitchen (50.6%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 219b) (me): nose: fruity sweets (pear drops) and honeysuckle. Some rather impressive strength too: it burns my nostrils. Mouth: hot, packed with red chilli, hot paprika. The texture is pretty oily. Finish: it becomes very bitter, all of a sudden. Lots of plant-stem juice as well as fruit (apple?) A rare distillery here, but this is not a great success. 6/10

36.68 21yo 1991 Sweet and salty combo (50.7%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Second-fill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 229b) (JS): nose: green hazelnut, cut apples. An amazing nose, in fact. Mouth: honey, flower broth left to soak in a decanter. Finish: crisp and sharp, though a bit bitter again. 7/10

The food we have with that (fish & chips, lamburgherini) is so great that I suspect they have followed a training on how to fry chips in Belgium (i.e. not Belgian standards, but close). The tasting is less good. Entertaining, but the place is too crowded, noisy and hot to be perfectly enjoyable. We are right next to the roaring fire place and I have to ask to turn it down once I have stripped down to my undies, as I am boiling. Ah well.