10/01/2015 January outturn at the SMWS

The date that works for most for a January gathering is the same day the SMWS presents its new outturn. Let us kill two birds with one stone.
I am upset, because the new grain (G14) is sold out online, sold out in the assorted parcels, sold out in Edinburgh, sold out in London. In fact, the London venue only ever had two bottles of it for the bar. And one they sold to PS and he rubbed in my face. Argh.

Suspects: JS, KB, MJ, KidJ (who calls himself J-Dawg, today -- gangsta!) and myself. Naturally, PS is here, and SMcD has a couple of cameos as well.

G14.1 28yo 1986/2014 'East meets West' (49.2%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 163b): second Dumbarton for me, first for everyone else. Excited yet? Nose: custard and delicate wood, almond croissants and beautiful bakery scents. Mouth: tofu texture, banana bread taste (JS), then the woody tones come out -- pine wood, pine needles and vanilla, toasted coconut and spices. Finish: warming, though delicate, with more bakery stuff and silky cream. Lovely. Sad it is all gone. 9/10

This.

46.27 d.2002 Italian chestnut cake (50.5%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Sherry Butt, 567b) (J-Dawg): nose: coffee and thyme infusion, as well as burnt dough. Mouth: those German pralines filled with liqueur -- walnut liqueur with cheap milk chocolate. Finish: yes, definitely those pralines, including the mouthfeel, which leaves a thin taste of not-enough. Mon Chéri is the closest name we can think of, though the brand whose name I cannot find on the spot is Trumpf Edle Tropfen In Nuss. This is more interesting than good, but interesting it is. 6/10

55.26 14yo d.2000 Outdoor, masculine dram (57.3%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 313b): nose: herbaceous, with fern, tarragon, sage, bay leaves. J-Dawg finds it close to absinth. With water, jam comes forward. Mouth: more herbal impressions, with green tea. With water, orange and apricot jams. Finish: a spoonful of jam dunked in green tea and sprinkled with herbs. Water, once again, helps the jam become more prominent. 7/10

41.62 11yo d.2003 A picnic at harvest time (61.4%, SMWS Society Single Cask, 1st fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 225b) (KB): nose: colone, a garden in spring, yellow flowers and pine wood. Mouth: slightly drying, with more pine wood and another dash of colone (the sort that is illegal in 9 countries). Finish: Finish: quinces, cut pears with a marmalade glazing. Lovely. Dram of the day, after the grain. 8/10

39.105 14yo d.2000 Pirates pudding on the deck (58.2%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 290b): this one comes recommended by the whole staff. Nose: I find the backside of a cow, which amuses everyone else. Butterscotch, say JS and KB. A Highland coo's backside, then (boom-tschhh!) Leather and sherry influence. Notes of stable and eau-de-vie. It becomes thinner overtime. Mouth: mud, dark fruit, though it remains dry -- is that rancio? Strangely enough, it finishes in a burst of liquorice. 7/10

We take turns impersonating 'Merkin tourists. I am shocked to realise the three boys do not seem to have seen this video (starts at 1:25):

9.82 25yo d.1988 Breathe in long! (52.1%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Sherry Butt, 416b) (KB): the staff unanimously declared this one not all that. It is part of the parcel that contains G14.1, so we have to try it (to decide whether to buy the parcel -- no point, as we find out later it is not available any longer). To the point. Nose: fruit, but which one? Baked apples? Yes, Braeburn apples. Mouth: red chilli, wood dust. Finish: warm and pleasant, with hints of yellow fruit. The staff are full of rubbish. 7/10

G14.1 again :-)

27.108 14yo d.2000 A savoury experience! (53.2%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 174b) (MJ): nose: peach pit, polished dashboards, wax, encaustic, as well as a few farmyard scents. Mouth: walnut flesh and hardly-ripe peach. Finish: dark chocolate overpowers everything else. Being from the land of chocolate, I love it. 8/10

35.115 17yo d.1996 The private gentleman's club (53.5%, SMWS Society Single Cask, 1st fill Designer Barrel, 179b) (KB): nose: grape juice, plant sap, green chilli. This is pretty hot. Mouth: beef-stock cubes; spicy again. Finish: pencils (KB, taking notes with his tongue out) and milk chocolate. 7/10

3.235 26yo d.1988 The happy camping holiday (50.9%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 202b): nose: dried mud, haystacks, farmyard, sun-drenched fields, then citrus -- grapefruit and lemon. Mouth: delicate (J-Dawg) and elegant, with hints of lavender. Finish: warm and comforting, on the subtle side again. 8/10

24.128 29yo d.1985 Posh ladies on the prom! (51.1%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 209b): I try this very quickly in KB's glass. It is good, but not £255 good.

53.218 14yo d.2000 Philadelphia cigar 'perfection' (64.4%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 242b) (J-Dawg): nose: dark plums and farmyard, mud, grease (J-Dawg). KB reckons it smells like old people. Mouth: brutal -- it tastes like a troll: mud and testosterone. Finish: more of the same -- peach and mud. It is actually rather well made, but a bit... MASSIVE! 7/10

Massive!

J-Dawg also has 48.53 (and finds it 'massive'), then finishes with 41.61 (see here). MJ tries 123.12. I do not get to taste those.

Care to try a sample from my personal pharmacy?

Good session and good outturn. Great to see a few chaps I had not seen for ages. The only low point is the fact G14.1 is not available, really.