02/06/2018 June outturn at the SMWS

Let us get cracking!

51.5 16yo d.2001 Inside a confectioner's dreams (56.7%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill Barrel/ex-Bourbon, 180b): I only remember ever seeing 51.1 at the Queen Street venue in 2011, and being discouraged by the staff  to try it-- cannot remember if they said it was not all that, or if the bottle was tired (there was hardly anything left in it). In any case, one does not see a Society Bushmills every day, at least not one that does not masquerade under another number. Nose: Haribo sweets, Fraise Tagada, bubble gum, a touch of dry wood in the back, and then some herbs. Mouth: soft, sweet, fluffy -- oh! A bit of fire, now. Very hot peach compote. Finish: this is very warming, mildly metallic, fruity, but not as violently so as the nose. Milk-chocolate coulis completes the picture. 8/10

I manage to photograph 51.5 twice.
Here is a picture of cheeses instead
of 51.9.
You're welcome.

51.9 15yo d.2002 Sinful indulgence (54.2%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill Barrel/ex-Bourbon, 240b): you wait so long to see one, and two come out at once (and the numbers suggest there are three more, somewhere). Nose: drier fruits and flower petals, perfume, even. This is mellow, with powdered-sugar-sprinkled pastries. Mouth: soft, if quite warm, it has apricot nectar and caramelised compote. Finish: sweet apricot-y, with lovely apricot turnovers. 8/10

7.194 25yo d.1992 'Where the bee sucks' (53.4%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill Hogshead/ex-Bourbon, 214b): another odd one, where the name is between inverted commas. Those appear from time to time, unexplained. Nose: deep, dark peach nectar, sprinkled with rosewater, fresh mint paste and burnt rosewood. Mouth: soft, generous, fruity (a dash of cherry juice), though it has a kick too -- this is high-voltage. Finish: melted milk chocolate yellow fruit, some spices. The cherry returns briefly. Another corker. 8/10

9.146 22yo d.1995 Sweet, slightly spiced mead (52.3%, SMWS Society Cask, New Oak Hogshead/Custom Cask, 211b): nose: tobacco and rancio, brown shoe polish, barbour grease, shaving foam, hints of a rubbish lorry in the far back (and it works!), chicken tikka, too. Mouth: this one is very mellow, balanced, soft and fluffy; it has orange juice and shaving foam with a whisper of smoke. Finish: leather and dried orange rinds. 8/10

4.241 15yo d.2002 Humbrecht's cough medicine (55.8%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill Barrel/ex-Bourbon, 191b): notice the reference to Malt Maniac Olivier Humbrecht for those in-the-know? This is his favourite distillery. It seems like a lousy-placed self-accolade to me, and to those at my table, today. Michael Jackson taught me never to name-drop. Nose: honeyed-up heather, a lavender campfire, upon which a bowl of honey is melting. Lozenges and mints are also there. Mouth: nice, honeyed and warming, it has a pinch of grated ginger and other wood spices, as well as warm honey. Finish: mints and cough lozenges, warm honey again, heather sap and a slight bitterness. Lovely HP, this. 8/10

G15.3 8yo d.2009 Meet your cocktail maker (58.3%, SMWS Society Cask, 2nd Fill Barrel/ex-Bourbon, 235b): I try this one quickly in PS's glass. Nose: herbs and metal. Mouth: more herbs, dried moss and lichen on dry stone. Finish: decaying pear and lichen. Decent, yet not a patch on the 1967 official bottling, unsurprisingly. 6/10

GK is sponsored by Ardbeg Grooves

Ardbeg Grooves (46%, OB, ex-Wine Casks, b.2018): nose: charcoal, pencil lead, pencil shavings, then vindaloo curry -- this promises some heat! Mouth: it is crayons, now, softer and sweeter than the nose suggested, but it retains a pencil-y feel. Finish: crayons, pencils, dry earth, ash, ash, ash. Simple and rather nice. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, HT)

This year's Ardbeg truck

Very good outturn, based on those five -- I have not tried the rest of the drams. Frustratingly, there was no 135.1 left, not even by the dram, thanks to preview tastings, pre-preview tastings and pre-pre-preview tastings since Wednesday. Great planning, guys! On the day this comes out (today), several bottlings have sold out and are not available at the bar. What a wonderful way to piss off customers.