30/10/2026 Ardnamurchan

Ardnamurchan 8yo 2018/2026 (63.3%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Barrel, 228b): nose: it has a mineral cleanliness from the get-go, like a stone puled out from a stream, dried, yet inexorably polished by years of erosion. Shortly thereafter comes a mildly-medicinal touch (disinfectant or guaiacol), followed by a whiff of burnt wood and subtle softened butter. Finally, we find thorn-y twigs, hawthorn or brambles. The second nose has a wood stove in a rustic kitchen in the north of Italy in autumn. At some point soon, it will see a cauldron with polenta; for now, it is gaining heat. There is a tumbler of cheap red wine on the table, following the rising temperature in the room. With water, the nose turns more coastal, with sea breeze and a mist of sea spray. Eating orchard fruits on the harbour on a drizzly day. Mouth: clean and sweet on entry, very sweet, in fact, it peddles spent matches and charred hazel sticks with the most-limited chewing. Intentionally moving the liquid around the mouth ignites a fire of char -- charred twigs, a pile of matches (left behind by an arsonist, no doubt), liquid fire starter, burnt pine logs. It still has guaiacol and surgical disinfectant, some might say TCP, yet the acrid smoke and charred bits are loudest, reminiscent of a lunchtime fire on a November day's lumbering in the woods. The second sip has ashy peach slices, juicy, fruity, not fully ripe, and made a bit abrasive by a dusting of ashes. Water tones down the heat and the smoky side to focus on orchard fruits again. Only when chewing does the ashtray of a fire insert emerge, not even full of ashes. Finish: dry peat, then burnt peat. It is almost wood smoke, initially, from what seems to have been an efficient flame. Then it changes and hints at damper, smokier mosses, giving thicker, more-acrid smoke. Throughout, a pleasant sweetness hovers, strawberries or such. Retro-nasal olfaction sees lichens clinging to the sides of a vase, bone-dry, close to ash-like. The second gulp throws peach slices into a bowl of ashes and stirs them with a wooden spoon. It does not really go beyond that, but it also does not need to. It dies out with a pinch of soot, acrid and sticky. Water makes for a robust-if-juicy finish. More orchard fruits (apples, plums) and a pile of dry white-wood logs waiting to be thrown onto the fire. Perhaps it has a spoonful of lemon curd too. Pleasant, if not super challenging. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, JH)

24/10/2026 Shakespeare

The soundtrack: Various - Belgium's Finest

JH suggested the theme, who is in town just for this. Just kidding! He will, of course, attend a symposium on paper napkins at the same time.

YM, JMcD, SOB and JS join JH and myself for an afternoon of high-brow theatre, then.

Speaking of which...

tOMoH channels his inner-SOB to present Tea-tre-ninich

Teaninich 46yo 1975/2021 (47.4%, Sansibar JD’s Personal Choice No.4, Bourbon Hogshead, 158b) (tOMoH)

Nose: chamomile (JH), very floral (SOB), marygold (YM), gingerbread, Majorquese almond cake (JH), juicy orange-y cake (JH).

Mouth: super fruity, but also briny, salty and spicy (JH), pickles and jalapeños (JH).

Finish: mango (SOB), oily-rubbery (JH), tea (YM).

Comment: I do not spend nearly as much time with this stunner as I should. My full notes are here.

Score: 9/10

JH [about his recent trip to Skye]: "We were staying in an old castle -- actually McD-related."
JMcD: "You're welcome."

We talk about logos.

JS: "The Watt Whisky [logo] is weird. Every time I see it, I think: 'What were they thinking?'"
tOMoH: "Should be called the Twat Whisky logo."
[YM looks it up]
SOB: "Have you found it?"
YM: "Yeah. I don't know. The colour scheme. Usually, that means you need to go to the hospital."

The soundtrack: The Coronation Of King George II

JMcD brought something from a Danish distillery to mark The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. He adds that this is a peated version, dried with peat and heather, likely harvested on a blasted heath, the place where the witches live, in Macbeth.

Stauning Smoke (47%, OB) (JMcD): salt (JMcD), pine (JMcD), cigar smoke (JH), malted barley (YM), liquorice (JH), Salmiyakki (JH). It is roasted apples for me, and heather brush, borderline hay. Mouth: Bolder here, it has fine smoke, roasted barley, toasted cereals. It still has juicy apples, roasted, even charred in places. Some earth comes up on the late tip. Finish: grappa (YM and JH), eau-de-vie distilled from pine stuff (JH). 'Speciality smoke' (JH), scented wood chips for burning. 7/10

tOMoH introduces the next bottle: he bought it from OB, whose local pub used to be The Shakespeare.

Auchroisk 27yo 1988/2016 (48.6%, Cadenhead, Bourbon Hogshead, 258b) (tOMoH)

Nose: a fruit bomb. Strawberries, peaches, tropical fruits and candied ginger (JH).

Mouth: front-loaded, it hits bigly (JMcD). It packs quite a punch indeed, with dried ginger, dried peach slices, dried mango slices and rehydrated-dried-fruit water.

Finish: it drops (JMcD). It is indeed relatively short at first impression, until one realises a comfortable heat stays in the stomach. And then fruits shine again, wave by wave.

Comment: we took notes for the miniature version of this, when it came out. This full bottle fares considerably better.

Score: 9/10

SOB unveils Othello's character: Port Dun-Das-demona. He continues by saying this particular one was bottled for Cadenhead's Milan shop and observes that so many plays of Shakespeare's take place in Italy. In particular, he insists, Two Gentlemen of Verona, in which one of the characters, Lord Prospero Visconti, is the Duke of Milan. As if that were not enough, he notes that the Shakespeare pub in Bethnal Green has a plaque that reads "Est. 1842", the same year as Cadenhead.

Port Dundas 31yo 1988/2019 (50.8%, Cadenhead specially bottled for Cadenhead Whisky Shop Milan, Hogshead, 228b, 19/389) (SOB): nose: a Port-Dundasian metallic edge, perhaps, and oregano. We find the syrup of stem ginger lurking behind it all. Mouth: syrupy (SOB), it has lots of aromatic herbs, some candied, some fresh. It becomes chewy with minty chalk or chalky mint, though that turns into silky custard in the long run. Finish: 'me like' (JH), fruit cake (JH), apricot cake(JH), very buttery, like a vanilla cookie (JH), canelés (YM), almond croissant or lemon drizzle (JH), brown sugar (YM). It has a wonderful custard-y texture reminiscent of flan or vanilla pudding. This is something! A very strong 8/10

Food enters.

YM and SOB brought enough for a garrison:
Coppa Piacentina, Rabbit Terrine, Saucisson with Walnuts
Pinocchiona IGP, Pinocchiona Salame, Veroni Prosc. Parma
Gouda 48 Months, Fleur du Maquis, Pecorino Sardo, Pecorino Romano
Sourdough bread 

And JMcD brought the now-traditional
blueberry cheesecake and almond tart

JS introduces a Tulli-bard-ine. (If you live under a rock, Shakespeare is known as The Bard).

Tullibardine 33yo 1972/2006 (43.1%, Dewar Rattray Cask Collection, C#2597, 141b) (JS)

Nose: Austrian dessert with curd and rum (JH), Topfenstrudel (JH).

Mouth: acidic and lively, very yellow. Then, we have a vanilla custard with soaked raisins and prunes.

Finish: a yellow-fruit explosion with a note of salted caramel (SOB), bitter marmalade (JH), orange pith (JH).

Comment: JH rates this 'yes' out of ten. It is still amazing two decades after first trying it. I am glad we have it later than number one in the line-up, for once. It allows it to slap even harder. Full notes here.

Score: 9/10

The soundtrack: Various - Romeo + Juliet: Music From The Motion Picture - Volume 2

JH hits gold with a separated pair: Tobe Ardna Tobe?

Tobermory 1994/2026 (55.3%, OB Hand Filled Exclusive Edition, Oloroso Finish, C#015) (JH): nose: very elegant, nutty, it has almonds, hazelnuts, soft leather. The second nose may well offer milky coffee. Water elicits cherry liqueur and nutty cappuccino. Mouth: mincemeat pie (YM). It is dry (Oloroso, you see?), with old shoe polish and old leather, yet a leather that retains its softness, dry, not crackly. Further are tins of dried black modelling paint. It is a bit bolder at second sip, with old tyres, liquorice allsorts, spearmint (JH) and blackened cassia bark. Water makes it milky, adds diluted cherry juice and a sprinkle of mocha. Finish: dry-not-drying, it has crusty shoe polish, not rubber. Bone-dry prunes, an old bag of raisins. The sting of mint (SOB) followed by berries (SOB), candied chestnuts (YM). A fair amount of melted dark chocolate shows up in the long run, augmented with freeze-dried raspberry slices and a pinch of ground mocha. Here too, water increases the milky impression. It has a fantastic pudding-like texture and a mocha-chocolate taste. Beautiful and an excellent swimmer. Might bump my score with water. 8/10

YM tells us that A Midsummer Night's Dream has a character called Highland Puck. Lolle.

4.221 16yo 1999/2016 Light, luscious and lovely (55.9%, SMWS Society Single Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 156b) (YM): nose: lemony (YM), lemongrass (SOB), custard, vanilla-ed sugar. Later on, it has an air of freshly-cleaned corridor in a government building. Actually, there is a whiff of antiseptic, even. Mouth: lemon meringue (YM), lemon curd (SOB). It has smoked cream, custard and a beautiful freshness that is almost pine-y. Finish: torta della nonna (JH showing off his dessert knowledge). It is long, assertive, a trifle smoky, and comforting, in the long run, soothing. It has salt and crushed glass, but that is hidden underneath pine-y custard. Excellent drop. 8/10

The soundtrack: Mogwai - Zero Zero Zero

SOB brought something bottled in the Warehouse Tasting range, because his favourite productions of Shakespeare were those at the Donmar Warehouse. This is from an undisclosed Speyside distillery and he tells us that many characters in Shakespeare's plays are not (fully) disclosed. Also, this was matured in a Port cask -- for Portia, a character in The Merchant of Venice. Finally (yes, he is really inspired by this theme!), it is allegedly a Glenfarclas -- or a Glenfar-Claudius, for the main antagonist in Hamlet. Ooft.

An Undisclosed Speyside 15yo 2010/2026 (56%, Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel finished in Ruby Port Hogshead since 2019) (SOB): nose: warm wood, aromatic wood, seasoned wood chips for barbecues, plum skins. Mouth: JH finds it savoury as gravy, while YM detects walnuts. It is a blackberry paste or elderberry jelly to me, a tad bitter. Dusty uncoated frying pans show up too. The second sip pushes boiled horse's hair. Finish: fruity, it has prunes, figs, raisins. It is mahogany that shines at second gulp, though it remains fruity and juicy. Delish. 7/10

JMcD: "The burger scene in Newcastle is amazing. They have burger battles."

YM tells us Shakespeare's plays are a canon of thirty-nine plays, according to Wikipedia. This is, therefore, from distillery #39. Also, it is called Magical and Heavenly, adjectives that are often used to describe Shakespeare's work.

YM: "This was distilled on the 30th April 1990..."
JH: "Which is the anniversary of Shakespeare's circumcision!"

39.135 26yo 1990/2016 Magical and Heavenly (58.8, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 186b) (YM): nose: JH calls it funky, with soju and fermented stuff, perhaps mirin. JMcD finds shortbread. It is buttery to me, with kouign-amann, then a metallic water bottle. Maybe it is JH's suggestion, but I get shrimp crackers. JH finds it iron-y and oxidised, while YM talks about yellow Chartreuse. Mouth: not very sweet, not very fruity, it has fermented stuff (JH). This has a lot of dandelion petals, stewed and cooled. Not that this is cool -- it is fairly hot, in truth. A tad bitter and becomes very bitter as one chews. Hotter at second sip, with burning bunches of dried flowers or hay. Finish: yellow flowers, with the softness of petals and the bitterness of stems. It gets hotter and bitterer with each gulp. Not sure if it is the sequence, my preference, or what else; this does not resonate with me, today. 6/10

JH finally gets to the Ardna part of his Tobe Ardna Tobe.

We insist he has it in the dickhead glass, too

Ardnamurchan 8yo 2018/2026 (63.3%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Barrel, 228b) (JH): nose: tuna tataki (JH), barbecued miso (JH), pink pepper (JH and JMcD). It is very peaty, with mud patties and farm paths. Rice pop and popped cereals (JH), Kinder Country (JH), caramel, maple syrup (JH), sweat from a builder's armpits. Mouth: oh yeah! Caramel puff wheat (the pack with the cartoon frog, you know?) and overbearing mud. This is super earthy, with chilli flakes showing up only belatedly. The second sip stings the tip of the tongue. Finish: incredibly well-integrated peat (JH). It gives the same impression as upon eating something spicy, jalapeño or such (SOB). Water renders it sootier and spicier (YM). Scorched earth, ashes, torched wheat. The second gulp is very cereal-y. 7/10

The soundtrack: Various - Best Of Techno - Volume Four

As a nightcap, we have something of JS's. tOMoH asks when A Midsummer Night's Dream takes place. On the 21st June. It is really the end of Spring-bank.

Springbank 21yo (46.5%, Atom Supplies Darkness Limited Edition, Oloroso Sherry Octaves Finish, b#115) (JS)

Comment: stale Coca Cola (JH). No! Pepsi Cola or Red Bull cola (JH), Ricola (JH), Coca Cola Classic (in a yellow can) (JH), Cola Bottles (the sweets) (SOB). My notes are here. 9/10

SOB: "Darkness. The week before Hallowe'en, too."
tOMoH: "Did the Bard write anything about that?"
SOB: "Hallowe'en? Don't think so."
tOMoH: "Lazy git."

That concludes tonight's enjoyment.

22/09/2026 The Creators Collection

They are making room on the shelves by hosting a tasting in which we can try entries from the various iterations of this collection. Tonight, we can taste them as part of a flight, just like any other outturn. To spice things up, the good folks at SMWS offer a few venue exclusives to try as well.

35.388 32yo b.2024 Homecoming: The essence of heritage with Shona Hardie -- Snug and toasty (53.9%, SMWS The creators collection, 2nd Fill ex-PX Hogshead Finish, 182b): nose: prunes, raisins, dried figs. Here is an archetypal PX cask at work. Sweet and elegant, it opens a jar of strawberry-and-blackberry jam, spreads said jam on plasticine, adds a spoonful of buckwheat honey, and serves that with a bowl of lychee and purple maracuja on a metal plate. The person serving is a mechanic who just applied grease to a cylinder block and wiped hands with a rag. The second nose is a pint of lukewarm chocolate milk with a dash of windscreen defroster. It is seconds until we find another fruit stash -- blueberries, purple maracujas, pink peaches, dark grapes, slightly-smoked mulberries. It has something pine-y too, and if it is not génépi, it is droplets of pine liqueur. Fruitier yet with water, it adds oranges and blush oranges to the plums. Bizarrely, something in the back feels almost butyric or akin to lactic acid. Mouth: spicier than anticipated, it has dried green-chilli flakes to impart a soft bitterness and heat. A second's chewing coats the tongue with plasticine, adds cut flowers in a vase (daffodils, tulips, irises) and brings us back to fruits, although it is almost only plums, this time. There is a hint of menthol or peppermint, rather subtle. The second sip sprays defroster onto plums and pine needles. Chewing conjures up images of the stale air trapped in a drawer one opens once a year at most, and cinnamon-flavoured cocoa. It acquires lukewarm orange juice, in the long run. With water, it ventures towards wood and plastic, with old chipboards, plastic buckets and hardened plasticine. Desiccated plums are here too. Finish: rancio, plums and prunes enhanced with a dollop of minty or mentholated toothpaste, then clay and chewy cinnamon sticks to accompany some flowers. It is really chewy -- imagine wet chamois leather. Perhaps it has ginger powder too, yet loudest are cinnamon and a peppermint paste. The second gulp gives a slap of fruits (unripe plums and nectarines) and woody notes: dried lemongrass, sawn chipboard and cinnamon yoghurt. Riper and riper plums slowly come back to prominence, however, supported by lovely mixed peel. The addition of water makes this very fruity again; plums, berries, grapes, discreet purple maracujas and a dusting of cinnamon powder. This is excellent. My score may be generous, but I love it. 9/10

149.15 9yo b.2026 Lovely lozenge (63.7%, SMWS In Celebration 28 Queen Street Exclusive Cask, ex-Bourbon Barrel, 196b): nose: sharp and strong, this nose presents eau-de-vie and industrial cleaning alcohol, if not surgical alcohol. Hot desert sand, a distant whiff of iodine, and something that promises to be earthy, but never quite delivers. Further sniffing catches incense, empty husks, bone-dry grist. That is it! It is extremely dry is what it is. The second nose takes a turn towards caramel flan served in a galvanised-iron bucket. Water fertilises the earth from earlier. It does not become muddy, but it is greasy earth alright, good for crops. Mouth: unexpectedly mellow, even juicy. We find plum juice and peach nectar, pressed cotton grapes, silky, sweet. That is quite a contrast with the nose! Chewing stirs that to bring earth to the surface, dried, crusty lumps of earth that make the whole drier again, yet especially numbing. This is one that leaves the tongue shaken as if hit with a lead pipe. Despite that, it still manages to serve some fruits -- greengages in the lead. The second sip is drier; sand, beach sand, quarry dust, shingles, crushed glass. It is not long before that is balanced with a spoonful of light-brown sugar. Water reveals wooden skewers, charred, oily, but with no food left on them. Finish: once past a heat slap on the tonsils, the finish presents comforting waves of warmth, fruity tones (baked greengages come to mind), and a blend of granite. Instead of being overly mineral and desiccating, that granite seems to add structure to the whole, which is nice. The second gulp feels more mineral. Nothing off the scale, but certainly quarry dust and residue on a flint knapper's outfit. It has virtually no fruit left; perhaps ground greengage stones is all. Adding water brings out oily prune syrup. The mineral profile turns earthier and richer. This is nice. I do not know if I prefer it with or without water. 7/10

149.21 9yo 2016/2026 The New Wave: A taste of our next-generation gems -- Machair medley (60%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st Fill ex-PX Butt, 666b): I make no notes on the night other than: "It is really good." I realise the following day that we tried this when it came out.

156.9 10yo 2015/2026 The spirit of five: An exploration of Scotland's whisky regions -- Breakfast in Seville (61%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 179b): nose: hot plastic! Oilcloth left in a conservatory on a sunny day, the yellow, corrugated-plastic container of that brand of cocoa, also left in the conservatory, plastic buckets and watering cans in the greenhouse... Until a galvanised-iron bucket appears too. Zinc gutters join rubber boots in the greenhouse, as does bird feed, a mix of sunflower seeds, peanuts, oats etc. It stays in the greenhouse, with hoses, planters and earth supplementing the cans, buckets and bird seeds. The second nose blows a whiff of cut flowers (narcissuses, crocuses, hyacinths) and minty almond lozenges. There is a hint of milk chocolate in the background, as well as gunpowder -- or paper gun caps for a toy gun, to be accurate, and that is most unexpected. Adding water renders this more breakfast-y, with lukewarm coffee or cocoa, and hot pains au chocolat, perhaps a couple of oranges not yet pressed. Mouth: hot and acidic, it peddles a heated lemon paste, turnover style. Chewing adds fudge, chewy, sweet and a little earthy, as if one had poured a spoonful of weak coffee onto vanilla custard. The second sip seems more welcoming; hot custard buns and citrus turnovers. Yes, chewing confirms the citrus in particular: it is a lovely calamansi paste in a puff pastry augmented with a generous dose of pepper. Adding water turns the palate into an earthy-fruit jam (elderberry) enhanced with smoked orange segments, which makes it a lot brighter. Finish: assertively metallic, this has a heated knife used to cut fudge into squares. The second gulp seems spicier: white pepper, ginger powder, ground mace. All the same, what dominates is hot citrus pastry and the metal tray it was baked on. Beautifully sweet with water, it has orange marmalade spread onto a pain au chocolat. This one too improves with water. Without it, it is a solid... 7/10

3.364 21yo 2004/2026 The spirit of five: An exploration of Scotland's whisky regions -- Smoked lavender (56%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st Fill ex-Oloroso Hogshead, 217b): nose: I want to say smoke, but it could just as well be old cardboard boxes in a dry basement. Past that (thirty seconds in), we spot crayons, chewy dried fruits (raisins). Oh! there is smoke, alright, coming up a few minutes later; the smoke of a thyme-twig fire next to which someone left a suede pouch. A minuscule amount of shoe polish becomes notionally perceptible, as does the recently-polished plastic dashboard of a newish vehicle. The second nose is less defined. We have dusty old glass bottles, empty for yonks, and musty warehouses, which is to say damp clay and stale air. Deeper nosing brings back some smoke. Mouth: shoe polish is a little more identifiable on the palate. Next to it is waterproofing spray. It is upon chewing that things change for the better: tropical fruits tumble out of a cornucopia, smoked mango, baked plantain, papaya cubes, and even timid yellow maracuja. The second sip has grilled and roasted fruits (mango, pineapple, plum, nectarine), a pinch of ash, charred-wood gratings (hazel) and the soft bitterness of unripe plums. There are smoked brambles too, but, again, the smoke factor is low on this one. Finish: although still fruity, it is cardboard boxes in the basement that catch one's attention. That clings to the tongue and the throat until the taste buds realise some of the fruits have not gone anywhere: papaya and plantain are still here, but not baked, now. The second gulp has crystallised berries and chewy sweets of the dark variety: blackberry, blackcurrant, elderberry in sweet format. It stops short of liquorice, thankfully, and only tickles cough drops. Perhaps it offers mango skins, yet the fleeting lush tropicality of the palate is nowhere to be seen. All the same, this is very good. 8/10

3.365 21yo 2004/2026 The spirit of five: An exploration of Scotland's whisky regions -- Sweet seduction (55.2%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st Fill ex-Oloroso Hogshead, 211b): is it not crazy that one could try a different SMWS Bowmore every day of a non-leap year? They are wildly different too, so there would never be a dull day (although trends would undoubtedly surface). Nose: generous, greasy peat, fertile soil, dark earth. There is a (cattle-)farm-y aspect too, cow stables or pastures, that almost entirely hides juicy fruits. Indeed, we have plums and peaches trying hard to punch through a wall of leather and cattle hair. Cow dung has a small part too, and it is tempting to picture a horned ruminant taking a dump on a basket of fruits. Unless the cow ate the fruits, then shat them. But cows do not eat fruits, do they? The more we sniff, the closer we come to suede and shoe polish, which is odd, as no-one in their right mind would put shoe polish on suede. The second nose displays aromas of clay beads, crayons and a distant barbecue grille. A marsh-like note appears, lush vegetation growing in suffocating humidity. Mouth: silky and lukewarm, it is very comforting on entry. Warm honey, then the faint smoke of a gas stove, a jam or another, still warm from the cauldron it simmered in. Half-a-chew slaps one in the teeth with cut papaya, even if that pulls a discreet note of violet in its wake. Not to worry! Smoked comes to the rescue and turns the palate into a herbs marinade of the kind they sometimes put on lamb burgers and that holds mostly rosemary. The second sip is fruity, a little smoky and softly bitter. The smoke is reduced to that of a bramble fire, whereas dark wild berries now dominate. Finish: warm and comforting here too, this gives several waves of flavours. First is smoke; then come crayons, borderline waxy; finally, a mix of smashed berries settles, then becomes smoked berries -- smoked on a herbs fire, that is. Tropical fruits do a fleeting dance, for a tenth of a second. The second gulp has blackberry sweets, elderberry drops or liquorice-flavoured Haribo sweets. 8/10

156.7 10yo 2015/2026 The spirit of five: An exploration of Scotland's whisky regions -- No mean confection (61.2%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 198b): nose: powerful and metallic, the nose quickly opens up to reveal a mix of spring flowers (daffodils), cut yellow fruits (peach, apricot, nectarine) and plain crackers. It is the aromas that become loudest, fragrant and promise bitterness, which takes us back to metal. That swiftly makes way for sherbet and the smell of straw bales in a barn in a place with a cool and humid climate. The second nose is a wonderful mix of sherbet, flour and chalk or talcum powder. Perhaps it has cosmetic powder too -- it is powdery, at any rate. Adding water evokes a freshly-cleaned bedroom, with soft pot-pourri from the vacuuming, and clean sheets. A minute later, dark chocolate turns into mocha, then chocolate pudding. Mouth: fresh and indistinct at first, it is only seconds before it adopts the bitterness and sharpness of a stainless-steel blade -- pencil-sharpener blade, kitchen knives, that sort of things. Chewing immediately adds a note of milk chocolate and a drop of ink. It is noticeably powerful, without surprise. Straw is in the background, merely a backing dancer, while little of the fruits appear, other than that freshness, which could be associated with unripe nectarines. The second sip is drier. Straw comes back, backed by sherbet and candy necklaces. In other words, it develops a chalky touch, before pouring grenadine syrup on top. Soft and custard-y with water, it has the bitter-sweet taste of Seville-orange marmalade. Finish: it kicks bouteille without aggression. Cut unripe nectarines, flower stems and tons of metal. Cold steel, to be precise. It leaves the mouth throbbing and applies dried orange zest on the taste buds. The second gulp is softer, warm not hot, and peddles gingerbread-y flavours. Sourdough comes out albeit one slathered with apricot jam and a spoonful of marmalade. Water underlines orange marmalade spread on toasted sourdough. It improves with water, in this taster's opinion. Neat, it is... 7/10

Nice wee sesh.

05/09/2026 September outturn at the SMWS

Only a couple, today.

167.6 7yo 2018/2026 Tropical treat (61.6%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 205b)

Nose: sweet and flowery, this has sherbet, yellow-flower petals, but also coffee grounds. What follows is unexpected: climbing chalk and leather. A couple of minutes in, that chalky touch turns into dried lemon zest. There may be dolmas too. A clean woodiness appears at second nose, with cut thuja logs and other pine-bark slices. And whiffs of tobacco. Or is that weed?

Mouth: it is lively! It sparkles and stings. Peppery lemonade, pomelo soda augmented with green-chilli slices, Chewing adds a mild vegetal bitterness, a dandelion-stem stew or similar. The second sip adds a dried strawberry paste, for a second, then cherry-wood splinters.

Finish: big, long, explosive. It sees lime zest, then lime leaves, well bitter. It clearly has a nice fruitiness, but it is leafy and numbing. The second gulp is even bitterer and extremely leafy.

Score: 6/10

YM: "It smells really woody on the nose!"
PS: "Well, that's my Tinder profile."

149.27 8yo 2018/2026 Popcorn by the old pier (60.5%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 220b)

Nose: oh! this has 'cattle farm' written all over it. Cow stables, pastures, hay bales opening to unveil sweet tobacco, then turning to custard. It retains a farm-y profile, earthy, ashy. A campfire in the middle of a field, shrubs on the fringe of said field, and a whisper of burnt mint. Warm corduroy sofas emerge at second nose, as does a straw infusion sprinkled with ashes. Water makes the nose smokier, without making it smoky. After a second, it acquires sweaty-Gouda rind, which is unlikely. Some citrus peels appear as one tilts the glass.

Mouth: it has a twist of the pepper mill onto a leafy custard. Chewing makes it thinner -- no longer custard, rather milk and ivy leaves. Oh! It is leafy, now, if not as strongly so as the the 167 we just had. Spicy, a tad numbing, it never gets rid of flower petals entirely. The second sip puts on an orange-juice texture (no pulp). Follows a growing heat -- ashy embers take over the tongue. Water makes it softer and sweeter, it swaps the numbing, leafy vibe for sweet pomelo peels.

Finish: mint, menthol and pomelo zest. Most of the leafy character has disappeared, leaving but a mild bitterness on the sides of the tongue. Mint crumbles, with the chalky texture that implies. It is dolmades with an earth filling instead of rice. The second gulp brings the freshness of bathroom detergent hand in hand with ashes and chilli flakes. It suffers from the addition of water, which renders it woody and bitter.

Score: 7/10

Mission accomplished.

16/03/2026 The Creators Collection

The Society released a sextet of bottles in The Creators Collection, all of them from young distilleries, three of which are new to the Society. The launch was hyped up quite a bit to boot. It is time to see what the fuss is about. A quintet of those were available online as a set, with the sixth only available from SMWS venues.

149.21 9yo 2016/2026 The New Wave: A taste of our next-generation gems -- Machair medley (60%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st Fill ex-PX Butt, 666b): nose: it is light and discreet. Probably, the cold of the day is muting this; let us give it a moment... There! Dark, greasy earth, a pinch of cocoa powder, then crates and crates of mushrooms: button, portabella, boletus, armillaria. Those pave the way for wood oil (iroko, maple, walnut) and, increasingly, moss on cobblestones. That is right: it acquires a gentle mineral touch that complements the above nicely. Hazelwood comes next, about to ignite. The second nose has honey and propolis spread onto wooden shelves, followed by a chicory infusion. Mouth: surprisingly soft and a tad wine-y (white Port). Chewing adds liqueur pralines (Mon Chéri comes to mind, yet it is not cherry liqueur) and booze-soaked pineapple chunks, before a lick of wood oil joins, augmented with a drop of turpentine. It becomes vibrantly woody with time, which is staggering, at that young age, yet it it never loses the volatile, ester-y components -- pineapple and wood oil. The second sip has a vegetal nectar, yellow tulips or daffodils, plump and soft as petals, yet sweet as fruit juice. It has little of the bitterness of plant sap, thankfully. It is also fresh, and chewing some more helps discover mint crumbles, sweet at first, then chalky and rather bitter -- the bitterness of chalk, not of plant sap. Finish: remarkably balanced, it continues the pineapple-and-wood-oil trip. Wood oil ends up a bit louder than the fruits, which translates into a clear bitterness. In the long run, we have leather saddles, quickly replaced by untreated wooden shelves and a pinch of sawdust. Retro-nasal olfaction reveals more pineapple, albeit dried, this time. The second gulp seems fresher, a mix of mint crumbles and pouring honey, not to say dried plum slices in syrup. It dies with a faint note of caramelised puff wheat. Very good. 7/10

162.8 6yo 2019/2026 The New Wave: A taste of our next-generation gems -- Cruising on custard (58.8%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 204b): nose: this is more expressive from the off. A medicinal number, with TCP, guaiacol, ether or hydrogen peroxide. That turns into ashes and hardened embrocation and bandages. Behind that are timid orchard fruits (Golden Delicious apples, Comice pears, quinces, hardly ripe) and a later blast of tame oregano reminiscent of a traybake pizza slice. It also reminds me of a specific pack of paper tissues I used recently that had notes of cold tobacco smoke, hay, old carpet and leather boots stored for too long in a musty basement. Long story. However, this is elevated by slices of dried fruits (apricot, pineapple, papaya). The second nose is strangely closer to pastry, with a sweet shortcrust, confectionary sugar and a shy dried-pineapple filling. Mind you, all that is served in a green-rubber boot. Mouth: a tad medicinal again, it has more ether and TCP, surgical alcohol and a modest dose of dried fruits. Keeping it on the tongue promotes ashes to the top job, while chewing adds a green-rubber-glove feel on the palate. Sure, that means a slight bitterness, but it has more of an impact on the mouthfeel. Further chewing stirs ashes and throws a fistful of fruits in the midst, such as torched cherries and clementines. It is pretty hot, yet, behind the heat, we have a lick of inflatable party balloons (blue). The second sip brings back the rubber boot and fills it with ash and unsweetened pineapple juice. It has boiled ink too, and a drop of ether again. Finish: there seems to be less medicinal influence, at this stage, and more unripe orchard fruits and windscreen-defroster spray. The bitterness on display is well pronounced without being a bother. Probably it is the youth talking. The second gulp is a notch sweeter, a cocktail of pineapple juice and tequila served in a sugar-frosted coupe with a dusting of ashes. Via retro-nasal olfaction, we identify a runny chocolate cake in which the egg is underbaked, or a sticky toffee pudding in which the core contains so much alcohol it stubbornly remains sloppy. Lastly, hazelnut praliné shows up. This one has some novelty value for sure. 7/10

166.2 7yo 2018/2026 The New Wave: A taste of our next-generation gems -- Hawaiian skewers (61.9%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 226b): nose: although warmly welcoming, this is immensely peaty. Peat briquettes, toasted cereals, tincture of iodine, Merbromin followed by dried cow dung and smoked-strawbales, to finally land in an empty vase, which spells dried algae and lichens. There is a lingering impression of the interior of a smoker's car in the 1980s -- without the smoker in it. That was atrocious in a car, but brings all sorts of confusing memories when it comes out of a glass. With time, we catch seal wax, spent matches, matchbox strikers and lighter fluid. The second nose has potting soil and sacks of dark, natural fertiliser (more soil than manure). A vague fruitiness is at play, maybe kiwi peels, as are old branches decaying in a forest clearing. Mouth: ooft! What a non-subtle entry! It starts out similar to licking a lighter, with that mix of metal, flint and what comes across as gunpowder. It is strangely soft and velvety in texture, though that could prove hard to tell, behind that lighter action -- ha! Chewing shovels a tonne of dark, greasy earth and earthy peat onto the tongue, rich, welcoming and comforting, a bit farm-y, soon joined by the afore-mentioned notes of lighter (including lighter fluid, this time). Thick earth rises from a ploughed field, not quite mud, but certainly in that general direction, then charred fruits (pineapple slices, grapefruits) and a generous splash of xylene. The second sip is brighter and fresher. It seems fruity at first (apple and pineapple), then it becomes clear we are dealing with xylene again, or some kind of anaesthetic in liquid form (xylocaine? I do not know what that smells like, honestly). It is also hot. The earthy profile is not far behind, though. Finish: more of that greasy earth. It is very, very thick, reminiscent of an impenetrable black smoke from an open fireplace in a bothy. It is pleasant, if one likes that, even though one knows it causes all kinds of cancers in three sips. The second gulp has dead leaves, hardened mulch, mushrooms powder doused in Merbromin, and garam masala. Torched cherries and dark chocolate emerge from the rubble. Call it dark chocolate melted in too powerful a microwave oven and that consequently caramelised in places, forming crunchy, charry crystals. It is bad for chocolate, but it works in this dram. A perhaps-generous note. I like this a lot. 8/10

167.1 7yo 2018/2026 The New Wave: A taste of our next-generation gems -- Well-fired and mouthwatering (61.2%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st Fill ex-Oloroso Hogshead, 257b): how sneaky (or cunning) to release a .1 as part of a set collection! Nose: even though the colour suggests a strong Sherry maturation, it is fairly mute, after the massive 166. Let us give it a minute to breathe. There. Sweet-and-a-half, this presents boatloads of pressed currants, prunes and dried figs, followed by lichen-covered plum-tree branches. We then have membrillo, apricot compote, peach jelly and caster sugar blended with limestone dust. The sweet, syrupy note prevails, however. The second nose has caramel coulis ready to be poured on flan, stewed fruits removed from the pan, some of which have stuck to the side of said pan a bit. Mouth: and syrupy it is! Marmalade, jelly, compote. Yuzu marmalade comes to mind, but apricot jam is on its tail, as are Conference pears in syrup, rose-petal jelly and melon jam (with a few crumbled mint leaves). The growing acidity signals citrus, and we witness kumquat, bergamot and satsuma marmalades enter the scene, with some of their foliage on the side to give a leafy bitter boost. The second sip cranks up the citrus, especially their peels, which become almost rubbery. Nae bother, though: half a chew is enough to inject some citrus oil into that -- that spray that results from folding and pinching citrus peel, bitter, but ultimately fruity. Finish: hugely sweet again, while retaining a gentle bitterness, we have, once again, marmalades of various kind (kumquat, satsuma, bergamot, tangerine), mixed peel ground into a powder, honey-glazed citrus peels. In truth, there is not much else than citrus going on (a pinch of menthol, probably), yet what it does, it does so convincingly there is hardly a need for more. The second gulp doubles down on candied or honey-glazed citrus peel, which provides an optimal blend of sweetness, acidity and bitterness. Fruity, faintly mineral, win. Another cracking dram from Glasgae. 8/10

168.3 8yo 2017/2026 The New Wave: A taste of our next-generation gems -- Barbecue cure (58%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st fill American Oak ex-Oloroso Hogshead, 215b): of course, SMWS! Release .3 before .2 or .1. One can see why releasing three .1 at the same time would not be a terrific idea, naturally. Better to stagger the excitement. Nose: this is even peatier than 166.2, believe it or not. Turf, peat bogs, sphagnum moss, ploughed fields. It is an agricultural type of nose and we find ourselves driving a tractor on farm paths after the rain. Freshwater algae are there, somewhere, but earthy is what this is. Big, bold, earthy scents (and burnt wood, as one tilts the glass). The second nose is earthier yet, muddy, and adds wood gratings -- not quite sawdust, more the mulch that comes from a garden shredder: dead and felled branches becoming compost, if we dare say. In parallel, cattle dung grows in intensity. Mouth: initially mellow and a little fruity (apple compote), it does not take much chewing for it to reveal as much earth as the nose did. Dark, greasy earth from a fertile field, albeit bathing in apple compote, which is original. The smoke is impossible to miss, even if it is a particular kind of smoke that comes from burning mud cakes rather than anything else. In that, it feels unique, at least today. We have a spent fire in an empty vase, which suggests torched algae. Then, apples roasted for so long that they burnt, and orchard-soil embers. The second sip is more drying, and that comes from a blend of caster sugar, sawdust and dried earth. Only via retro-nasal olfaction do we rekindle with the algae (they are less dry, now) and moist dark earth. Finish: huge. Of the lot, this is probably the most bombastic finish. It has plenty of dried freshwater algae, pressed orchard fruits spilled onto dark, greasy earth then set alight, and a fistful of dead leaves -- from orchard trees too, of course. The second gulp drops a few apples into the orchard earth and incinerates it all with a flamethrower. That gives charred fruit, scorched earth and a few drops of juice that painstakingly manage to escape evaporation. This is impressive. 8/10

166.1 7yo 2018/2026 The New Wave: A taste of our next-generation gems -- Toasted almond fruit tea (61.4%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 227b): what do you know? This venue-exclusive bottling is also available. It would be rude not to try it at the same time, especially considering it has the same label as its sister cask 166.2. Nose: it is initially as mute as 149.21 was, with just a whiff of cardboard or crumpled newspapers to keep it standing. A fine smoke rises slowly, more meek flames of aromatic herbs than a raging fire, really. Smoked cucumber, lukewarm tarry sands, still humid, grilled chipolatas, a drop of sea water and another of ink. It is very distant a nose, playing hard to get. Maybe a dollop of (blue) plasticine? Putty? The second nose is more talkative and pushes smoke from a fruit-tree fire, a little acrid, mostly warming and welcoming like a bothy on a dreich day. Tilting the glass adds a ganja aroma, albeit subdued. Mouth: sharp and incisive (not rough), it confirms blue plasticine, somehow -- plasticine that would have been sunk in surgical alcohol , then scooped out with metallic pliers. Chewing unlocks a gentle profile and swaps the surgical alcohol for raspberry jelly and candlewax. Hot and chewy, it slowly rolls out its appeal. We see hot plums, physalis (leaves included) and clay, all cloaked in smoke so thin one would easily miss it. The second sip sees more medicinal notes -- TCP, guaiacol, tincture of iodine, clear disinfectant of one kind or another, old bandages or gauze. Finish: well, the smoky tone is less discreet, now! Along with fruits (plums, physalis, dark grapes), we have soot and ashes from a fireplace riding a charred chipolata to the bottom of an ashtray. It somehow still manages to feel creamy, despite (or thanks to) a mouthful of smoked tiger prawns -- first the flesh, then the shells. How unusual! The second gulp throws roasted chestnuts onto that, smoky and sweet -- as well as nutty, obviously. Someone has sprayed droplets of orange juice onto those chestnuts, then mashed them into a purée. Speaking of purée, we also find the charred skin of jacket potatoes, most of the flesh of which was removed to mash into a purée too. What stands out is that skin, blistered and charred, bubonic. This is astonishingly different from 166.2. It is also very good and seems better with each sip. If I had more, it may end up with a higher score. 7/10

Well done, SMWS!

Happy birthday, FD!

13/03/2026 A few drams at the SMWS

At the SMWS for a reason that will become obvious in the next article, tOMoH takes advantage to try a few things.

72.129 11yo 2013/2025 Sip Sherry in a cigar smokeasy (58.1%, SMWS Two to One, ex-Bourbon Hogsheads finished in 1st Fill Spanish Oak ex-PX Butt, 580b): nose: a nostril-stripper, very pungent, it combines stale roast beef and cigar smoke, followed by limestone gratings, terribly mineral. We are back with bloody roast beef soon enough. Mouth: sweeter and more pastry-like than expected. Burnt-cake crust, burnt caramel -- no! toffee. Water makes it thick as Marmite, perhaps punctuated with smoked blackberries. Finish: beautifully balanced in the finish, which is unexpected. Custard-filled waffles, slightly burnt. Then, it turns metallic, bitter at second sip. Water gives it an acidic edge, which takes us back to blackberries and blackcurrants. The nose had me on the fence (6/10), but the rest is fine. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, KT)

29.305 11yo 2013/2025 Seaweed and smokies (58.3%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead finished in 2nd Fill ex-Oloroso Hogshead, 262b): nose: smoky, peppery black pudding and smoked seaweed, medicine, jelly capsules, then the stones that circle a camp fire. The second nose has shiny metal and chalk broken into small pieces. Mouth: cobblestones wet with plum juice and sprinkled with smoked confectionary sugar. Finish: smoky, but also a chunk sweeter than anticipated. The seaweed and smoke settle in gently and comfortably at second gulp. Clean, simple, it does the trick. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, KT)

Port Charlotte 6yo 2001/2007 PC6 Cuairt-Beatha (61.6%, OB, Bourbon / Madeira Casks, 18,000b, b#10998, 07/018): nose: some bacon, but the overwhelming dominant is baked mud cakes. It is extremely farm-y, this one. It has a haze of blurry fruits behind that, but it is mostly farmyard. Then, all of a sudden, it slaps one with dried strawberry slices in a chocolate-and-cream cake topped with strawberry coulis. The second nose is pure smoky mud. Mouth: mud, strawberry and, all of a sudden, a tide of ink. This is akin to biting into a squid, tentacles and all. The second sip has clay, slowly baking in the oven. Finish: tarry earth, inky mud patties and tyres after a race. This is a firm favourite of some people (WhiskyLovingPianist, amongst others). I am much less enthused. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, JN and PS)

Port Charlotte 10yo 2013/2024 Syc: 01 2013 (54.4%, OB Cask Exploration Series, 1st + 2nd Fill Bourbon + 1st Fill Syrah, L166641 24/002): nose: mud, Cologne, dried strawberry slices in yoghurt. It is not that smoky on the nose, funnily enough. Mouth: wide, inky and surprisingly bitter. Ink and dried strawberry slices laid to rest on a tyre. A pot of strawberry yoghurt was spilled on the inner tube too. There is a dusting of chalk on that at second sip, rather desiccating. Finish: big, it keeps the smoked mud and strawberry yoghurt going, yet there is a bitter, rubbery kick that will stop it scoring higher, tonight. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, JN)

149.17 9yo 2016/2025 To sup by starlight (61.7%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill Spanish Oak ex-PX Butt, 638b): nose: well, that is a lot of Cologne here too! Or has someone in the room bathed in the stuff? I have sparkling red wine, then pink candyfloss and marshmallow. Mouth: mellow, it has berry-flavoured marshmallow covered in chocolate, followed by quarry gratings that feel rather desiccating. It has got hot metal and tar as well. Finish: warm sparkling red wine gone flat, hot pink candyfloss and chewy sweets of a dark-pink colour. It is fairly wine-y, not over the top. Finally, we spot red chewy sweets and cotton candy. This is OK. I remember not liking it much when it came out; I do not necessarily like it more today, but it is decent, in passing. 6/10 (Thanks for the dram, KT)

Time to decamp, before it turns dangerous.

27/12/2025 Ardnamurchan

Ardnamurchan 5yo b.2022 Second Release (53.2%, The Whisky Exchange April Fool, First Fill Bourbon Casks, 1575b): nose: strangely enough, this has something reminiscent of an old blend, tonight, somewhere between cardboard and stale pickle brine. That passes, and we are treated to cured apricots and a drinks cabinet, augmented with a pinch of earth and chopped peppers (green capsicum moving to red chilli). It then progresses towards walnut stain and polished chestnut shells. Cola and plasticine-y shoe polish team up to smother the brine, which is a good thing; surely, one would not want a repeat of Ardnagherkin. Instead, they lead the way for fortified wine spilled on earth. And it is earthier by the minute, too. The second nose juxtaposes that earth with dark-grape skins and a minute amount of juice. That seems to increase the impression of plasticine, and that is always a good thing, in tOMoH's opinion. We find a discreet whiff of hard-boiled eggs, almost not worth mentioning, and pencil shavings, followed by discreet pu'er. Mouth: woah! It is a lot peatier than the first time, with dry, crusty earth, mud patties turned into dusty briquettes, and the whole has its lot of spices too: grated cinnamon bark, ground cloves, chilli powder, spearmint, grated ginger. It is both heavy and refreshing, which illustrates the interplay of earth and spices, I suppose. There is a bunch of grapes in the background, but it is easy to miss, behind the earth and spices, really. The second sip is sharp and bitter; it combines bay leaves and cloves, and splashes them with a dash of fortified wine. It remains a spicy, earthy mouth, yet it has more to unveil than just that. Cedar-wood sheets, pencil shavings, crushed bay leaves, and a spoonful of blackberry jam to sweeten a cup of tea -- with milk at first, though that dissipates. Finish: velvety as a dark-berry jam, but also earthy and spicy. We have smoked-blackberry jam, pips and all, peat set alight, bay leaves fallen into dusty earth, peppermint and ginger. As was the case in the mouth, the finish has an interesting battle of fresh, lively notes of spices and the heaviness of dry earth and dark fruit, although the latter spells jams rather than wine, here. The second gulp is very much in line. It seems to shake off the sharpest outliers and corral all flavours towards a balanced middle ground. It keeps but a mild bitterness, likely berry stems or vines, to support the much-louder jams (blackberry, blackcurrant). Yet another delicious Ardnamurchan. 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, OB)

Happy birthday, LS.

04/12/2025 December outturn preview at the SMWS

Once again, we join Tm, PS, DW and JS to try the new outturn. It is a quietish night for a preview night, and tOMoH is not complaining.

149.18 9yo 2015/2025 La vida es sueño (61.7%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 218b): nose: lamb marinated in herbs and oil, then grilled. It also has smoked haystacks. There are brambles behind those, a bunch of flowers from a smoky environment, and plasticine. Perhaps there is a hovering scent of laundry detergent, in a nice way. Mouth: sweet wax, lots of wax, actually. Chewing releases more and more smoke, reminiscent of dried-out Christmas-tree branches thrown on the fire in early January. It does not lose the waxiness, though. The second sip sees grilled carambola with a dusting of grated chalk. Finish: hot, this has barbecue and lots of hot wax. It has a bitter side too, cucumber-peel style. The second gulp has a strong note of silt, augmented with tart Comice pears. Pretty good. 7/10

PS [to tOMoH, about DW's Christmas shindig]: "We'll need to co-ordinate."
tOMoH: "I'll be there at 18:30, gone by 21:00. You can arrive at 21:30."

9.312 32yo 1992/2025 When orchards dream (48.8%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 102b): nose: flowery, it is teeming with cosmetic powders. Then, we have Turkish delights, face paint and beads of dried resin. The second nose welcomes moist papier mâché, strangely combined with chewy fruit sweets. Mouth: fresh, juicy, it has lots of plasticine and dental-plaster, which gives a clear bitterness, on top of being chewy. The second sip is sharper: plant sap, a pinch of quarry dust and green plants, with just a handful of timid berries in the back. Finish: long, coating, it feels like biting into a hot pastie. The second gulp is as warm and a tad greener, with succulent plants (sedum, sempervivum). It is only at the death that we perceive fleeting unripe Mirabelle plums and physalis. This is good. At £345 a bottle, it is hard to relate the quality to the price, however. 8/10

3.359 21yo 2004/2025 Jelly in a limestone sauna (56%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead finished in 1st Fill ex-Bodega PX Barrique, 262b): nose: smoke, shoe polish and blackcurrants, then dark earth. There are hints of purple passion fruits, chewy blackcurrant cough drops and a nostril-singeing heat akin to sticking one's nose on the corroded bonnet of a blue tractor whose engine has been overheating. The second nose draws cut mango, some slices of which have fallen in the mud. Mouth: Chinese food, with soy sauce, sesame oil and chilli crisp. Chewing unleashes a relentless wave of dark berries -- blue-, black-, currants, maybe elder-. The second sip brings up a hot radiator, though no dust. Finish: long, purple, it has a little earth and lots of fruits: dark grapes, blueberries, blackberries, myrtles, dark cherries. The second gulp is a tad warmer. This is excellent. My favourite, so far. 8/10

DW: "Are you a Stranger Things person?"
tOMoH: "No."

DW: "You should. It's really good."

tOMoH: "I try to avoid things I may find addictive."
PS: "And yet he talks to us!"

19.104 22yo 2003/2025 Something for the sweet-toothed (54.3%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 147b): nose: a punch of leather and fruit paste (membrillo or fruit jellies). Then, it is a black- and blueberry paste augmented with fragrant rosemary. How strange! The second nose goes further and unveils purple-tulip petals. Mouth: yes, this is a slightly-chalky fruit paste, with blueberry and blackcurrant shining brightest, followed by bright-red Montmorency cherries. It is another chalky number that presents a discreet metallic bitterness too. The second sip stings a little more and announces a spicier profile. Finish: warm, it has plant stems and lots of waxy fruit paste. Again, we are talking about membrillo or blackcurrant paste. Strangely, the second gulp seems softer, lush as dark-flower petals, this time accompanied by yellow petals too, and a dash of fruit juice (part grapefruit, part apricot). Solid. 8/10

Tm and PS scan PS's collection for distillery 69.

PS: "69.14 Complex and delightful. Oh! They named it after me."

89.24 17yo 2008/2025 Hip hip hooray! (60.4%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead finished in 1st Fill ex-Oloroso Hogshead, 252b): nose: a slap of animal scent that hints at a Sherry maturation (and, indeed). Rabbit pelt, soaking hides, and maybe a cigar dunked in the same preparation. A minute later, we get cured fruits, apples in a leather pouch, then suede and cured plums. Water increases the leather impression and adds a wood-panelled room. Tilting the glass adds hints of scarlet cherries. Mouth: pickled fruits, tawed hides, and, finally, berries rise -- cranberries, lingonberries, bilberries, blackcurrants... and wine. The second sip is like licking sheepskin, roughness and all. Water rubs very-dry leather that comes close to smoke. It is a wineskin made of camel leather that someone is drinking from while smoking a hookah. Finish: long and fruity with a touch of wood. Cloves macerating in red wine, prunes and blackcurrant. Water improves this one: it makes it noticeably fruitier, with both cherries and berries parading on the back of a camel. tOMoH's first SMWS Tomintoul, he reckons. It is a bit of a vulgar Sherry maturation, in his opinion. Not really a success. Then again, others like it. It just about reached 7, but the second sip is less interesting -- the novelty value wears off, probably. 6/10

70.67 17yo 2008/2025 Through the window, brambles (57.7%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead finished in 1st Fill Toasted-Oak Barrique Finish, 181b): nose: herbs and lamb burgers, incredibly-seamlessly integrated. It then offers pears poached in wine. All of those are presented on a zinc plate. The nose opens up to reveal a waxy, marzipan-y fruit paste sprayed with droplets of wine. Mouth: thick, rich and rancio-y. Here are elderberry, lichen forming on dark grapes, grape skins (implying a soft bitterness) and a ball of compressed resin. It has a few tree-bark shavings too, hazel or similar. The second sip has grape paste -- nay! raisin paste, with cassia bark to spice it up. And it is brilliant! Finish: dark grapes, elderberries, currants and a pinch of dark-porcini powder to keep things interesting. The wood is subtle in this finish, while the emphasis is firmly on fruits turning mouldy in a dunnage warehouse. The second gulp introduces ground cassia bark and cloves to support raisins, dark grapes and blueberries. We even spot a whiff of cigarette smoke at the death. This is good. 8/10

PS talks about auctions.

tOMoH: "Well, before you auction anything, send a list, will you?"
PS: "There won't be any Glen Albyn in it, let's face it. It wouldn't the first 69 you get from me, though..."

115.37 15yo 2009/2025 It's a knockout! (57.6%, SMWS Society Cask, 2nd Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 194b): nose: sweet, it has flour and confectionary sugar in equal measures. It develops to unveil pastry, with fruit syrup caramelised on the baking parchment. That morphs into some kind of leather belt, which is unexpected. The second nose brings a nut paste taken over by lichen (itself turning dry). There are peach skins and tobacco too. Mouth: preserved cucumber, jellied pistachios and a savagely-drying dusty wind. It is as desiccating as lichen on the sides of an empty vase, without the taste of stagnant water and sphagnum moss. Perhaps we have a drop of ink too? The second sip is soft and velvety, with hints of baked apricots or tinned peaches. It keeps a healthy kick, peppered with red-chilli flakes. Finish: yes, ink. It is no 1960s Ardbeg, but is has a drop of ink indeed that wets marzipan or kaju katli. It is quickly drying as a red wine spilled on a lichen-covered stone. The second gulp is more traditional, perhaps, warm with apricot turnovers and a spoonful of confectionary sugar on top of a hot metal plate. 7/10

tOMoH: "Hey! Is that an octopus, or is it Cthulhu?"
him: "It's Cthulhu."

JN: "Tm! Here is the IPA you ordered. Oh! You didn't order an IPA? My mistake!" [takes a swig]

I try a droplet of 58.62 14yo 2010/2025 Honey hi! (53.5%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 214b) -- not enough for notes, but a score will do. 8/10

Solid outturn. And we have only scratched the surface.

Aight, we found ourselves the Loveraft Überfan!
\(;,;)/