02/05/2015 May outturn at the SMWS

They come and go so quick it it is hard to keep up. Nothing fancy today, not even a cheese plate, just a few drams. In-and-out in 18 seconds. Sort of. PS is here, despite a toothache that saw him announce to the world he would not attend. "Oh, but I'm not taking notes," he argues.

70.10 9yo d.2005 Teenage Shenanigans (58.5%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 242b): not only is it merely the tenth expression from distillery #70 since 1983, it is also the first we see and try. Nose: crisp apples, pear peels, caramel custard and even rose water. With water, peach becomes more prominent, accompanied by bakery scents and Virginia tobacco. Mouth: unctuous at first, yet becomes pretty acidic, almost stripping. Hot and peppery. With water, it is more tamed, giving away doughnut and ginger beer flavours. Nicer, but it still tickles. Finish: Turkish-delight sweetness, followed by an onslaught of ground pepper (pink, black and green, all mixed together). With water, a spoonful of toffee dunked into a glass of ginger beer. Finally, pine sap rears its head. Disappointing. It seems rather simple and not very balanced. Then again, it is a nine-year-old dram. My expectations were likely too high. 7/10

128.5 9yo 2006/2015 As purple as Prince! (60.2%, SMWS Society Single Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 213b): it is curious that I finally procured a bottle of 128.3 a week ago and this one comes out today. For the record, 128.3 came out three years ago. We have never seen 128.4. Nose: FRUIT! Melon, mango, a faint impression of leather topped with a spoonful of strawberry coulis. Mouth: light, floral and fruity, with further notes of melon and strawberry. Perhaps marzipan too? No! Make that frangipane. Finish: ha! Clogged sink, briefly (as in 128.3), then lots of fruit again. Melon, mango, a drop of caramel on the whole, and some custard too. The references to Prince songs in the official notes are funny to boot. 8/10

73.70 15yo d.1999 Frivolously fresh, with playful spices (56%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 215b): nose: basil and parmesan bread sticks, menthol cigarettes, pine-wood fire, Gocce Pino, chamomile infusion and yoghurt in the back. Mouth: menthol, cough pine drops again, warm tobacco (not burning) and green chilli. Finish: strange and unusual! A heap of pine needles on a soil bed in the forest. It then grows bigger, with sweet blood oranges and melted chocolate. Pretty good, though a bit unremarkable, altogether. 7/10

46.31 22yo d.1992 Sniffing a bee's knees (54.2%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 253b): nose: decaying fruit, wax, wasps on a bin full of fruit refuse in the sun. Nice notes, alongside really peculiar ones. Mouth: non-distinct. A hardly-noticeable note of plant juice, but mostly, it is silent. Finish: mature honey, wax and flower stems. A decent Glenlossie, still not fully convincing. 6/10

93.63 15yo d.1999 Unapologetic non-conformist (56.1%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 275b): nose: cured meat in a cashew and rosemary marinade. Mouth: chocolate and beef stock. Finish: yep, oxtail broth and chocolate-y satay. Funny how the independent Scotias never have the same profile as the officials (see last week's). 7/10

For a quality time
Make it Suntory time

G7.8 30yo d.1984 Sweet seduction in a car-wash (59.5%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 264b): might as well try the grain, while we are here. Nose: a light coat of varnish, blueberry muffin. Rather subtle, this. Mouth: a pleasant note of blueberry syrup emerges en force. Not too much wood or bakery action going on, but that blueberry is pretty insistent. Finish: more blueberry, in a warm coulis, this time. Sort of a one-trick pony, this one, but a nice pony all the same. 7/10

Good and reasonable afternoon. We spent a lot of time chatting to a member who is going back to Cleveland for good in a couple of weeks. He does a rather good job at marketing his city of origin. :-)