17/03/2026 Member Take Over: John Peter Hughes

I bumped into JPH (PH for short) on Friday where he told me about this tasting he would be hosting. It had somehow slipped my radar, so that was pure serendipity to meet him on a day I had not planned to be there, and at an unusual time to boot.

Before the tasting starts, I am treated to a dram of 10.288 16yo d.2008 Savour the savoury (60.8%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead finished in 1st Fill ex-Oloroso Hogshead, 237b). I take no notes. The Oloroso influence is a little loud for me. It should score 6 or 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, KT)

We know the format quite well, now: an SMWS member showcases Society bottlings from their private collection to a group of people who signed up to be there. Amongst those, PS, Dr. CD, GT, YM, DW, JS and tOMoH.

PH starts by telling us how he fell into whisky (through wine and Michael Jackson) and how he became an SMWS member in 1991. He quickly points out that he is not the most-senior member -- of all, in London, or even in this room. Indeed, Dr. CD famously joined on the 29th February 1495, so he predates even Pip Hills. And Friar Cor.

As he continues his story, I start with the work. The data is given more or less as we go; we are not really tasting blind, this time.

45.8 16yo 1982/1998 (64.6%, SMWS Society Cask, finished for 16mo in ex-Sherry Gorda, 577b): nose: apple slices peppered with a pinch of ashes, super-dry hazelwood, incense. That incense grows and grows into refined ash from a fruit-tree fire. Candlewax rises, as do fruits (plums, grapes). Mouth: crisp, it has fruity dry white wine -- Riesling, then Sauvignon Blanc. It is a tad ashy, but that is balanced by green grapes and chestnut oil. There may be a drop of cider vinegar too. It is ashier at second sip, but also immensely fruity (crunchy apples). Finish: delightful ashy white wine. This is positively fruity. It develops a coat of wood polish at second gulp, but Paula Red apples dominate, roasted, yet still crunchy. What a way to start! 9/10

PH tells us the last cask of distillery 45 was filled on 16th March 1983 and he regrets that he could not do the tasting yesterday to mark the anniversary (the SMWS is closed on Mondays).

61.9 18yo 1981/1999 Crepe bandages and lavender oil (58.3%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill American Oak Barrel, 305b): from a time when the Society gave its bottlings names, but did not write them on the label. Nose: phwoar! Here are matchsticks, guaiacol, a fire of twigs and brambles. Behind that are cactuses and white-fish skewers. It is not strongly charred, but charred alright. Old burnt staves and scorched marshland plants. Mouth: another cracking old glory that has a blend of roasted fruits and ashes, incense and peach nectar (unless it is orange juice). The second sip is drier, waxy, with lots of burnt candle and incense. It is quite chalky too, but no big whoop. Finish: long not big. It is elegant, fruity, a little ashy again. Despite its provenance, it is not particularly farm-y. The second gulp has more earth, and the whole is warming and comforting. Wood dust (not sawdust) at the bottom of a log basket by a fireplace. PH finds it a citrus freshness too, but that does not hit me. 9/10

Someone near me is wearing enough perfume to distract me and lower my enjoyment. Hm.

44.35 14yo 1994/2008 Egg sandwiches and walnut cake (58.1%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill ex-Sherry Hogshead, 124b): nose: water colour, dried plasticine and daffodil petals. It also fans a roaring fire in a cast-enamel wood-burning stove, and warm metal that has been used to cut baked apples. The second nose brings cosmetic powder. Mouth: baked Paula Red apples and sugar. It then gets metallic and sees lichen forming on copper (not Verdigris). The second sip is a trifle chalky, much like a Granny Smith apple. That is augmented with a pinch of ash. Finish: medium-long, it has fermented apples (Paula Red again). The second gulp is well warming. In the long run, it takes the bitterness of mahogany shelves. 8/10

PH: "There was once an SMWS Port Ellen [maybe 43.13 Sweaty gym shoes?]; the notes said it smelled of fart, sweat, urine and decayed fruits."
PS: "For Charlie Maclean, that's a good night out!"

PH explains he and Dr. CD have large collections of SMWS publications, and are sometimes asked if they would provide original tasting notes for an old bottle.

PH: "We are not hoarders, we are archivists."

66.20 20yo 1985/2005 Sun-dried sprats and prune juice (54.1%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill Hogshead, 310b): nose: smoked plasticine, burnt cow dung, clay and cut meadow grass, thick and juicy. This is a farm-y nose. PH talks of wood, but I do not agree. The second nose is an even-farmier affair, ripe with muddy pastures and cattle droppings, followed by charred dried raspberry slices. Mouth: greasy earth and peat smoke. It has a lick of fruits too, mainly grilled grapefruits and satsumas. The second sip is a little more pine-like, fresh and acidic. Finish: charcoal, burnt wood and charred citrus slices. That turns a little greener at second gulp, reminiscent of pine needles after the rain. I could give this a higher score any other day. Tonight... 8/10

PH tells us how to reproduce the smell and taste of a certain release of distillery 19, called Peat, germolene and strawberry jam. It involves double-toasting bread on the highest setting, scraping some of the charred surface, then slathering the toast with jam.

PS: "Now I know why your psychotherapist lives in a mansion."

The two guys at the next table have not stopped talking for the whole dram and story -- roughly twenty minutes. They are showing pictures of their family on their phones, debating the merit of phone models etc. It is starting to lower my enjoyment too.

33.76 10yo d.1998 A civilised scout camp (56.3%, SMWS Society Single Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 242b): nose: a big slap of peat smoke, without surprise. Embers, charred wood, tarry sands and dark ink, spent incense, spent wick. Suddenly, it comes up with sea spray and briny air, then wood-fire smoke. The second nose brings out guaiacol and smoked plasticine to supplement the incense. Mouth: dark ink it is, a pinch of sugar, then a raging bracken fire and burnt tyres. The second sip is juicy, thick, with apricot nectar in terms of texture, and apples roasted on a wood fire in terms of taste. Finish: it is well balanced, here. Oh! it is smoky alright, this time with petrol fumes, but also some fruits, such as smoked roasted apples. It also has a lot of ink. The second gulp serves tarry sands and crude oil in unbaked pottery made of smoked clay in a smoky boat shed. It may be the least convincing dram tonight, yet it is excellent nevertheless. 8/10

Very good tasting. I managed to overlook the talkers and the perfume, in the end. It was hard. PH somehow selected only things we had never tried before -- yay!

16/09/2025 Phil Storry x SMWS

Tonight, PS does another sold-out member takeover at the SMWS. JS and I thought we would turn up on the off chance that someone would call off, in which case, we would take their seats. I had food poisoning last night, so, at the last minute, I decide not to go. It will take me another two weeks to feel well enough to try whisky again, but that is another story. JS, on the other hand, does go to the room. Only to realise she had tickets all along. Lolle.

Thanks to PS, JS and JP, samples will later find their way to tOMoH. Woo.

Dram #1

Nose: it is enticing from the off, with physalis, Mirabelle plums and a spoonful of honey. It is sweeter with each sniff, flirting with Lyle's Golden Syrup, then yellow cherry tomatoes seared in a pan and rightly caramelising, peach jelly, melon jam -- lots of melon, in fact: canary and Galia, cubed and coated in agar-agar. The second nose has generous pastry, namely mille-feuille, croissant filled with pineapple jam, and grapefruit vanilla custard, all served on limestone plates laid on a pile of birch logs overtaken by mosses and decay. Mouth: it stings more than expected and has a certain bitterness that tries (and fails) to compete with similar notes to what we found on the nose: melon jam, sweet gelatine, agar-agar, and even chopped mint, here, which imparts a green freshness that works a treat. Chewing adds a dose of honey, perhaps crunchy digestive biscuits, and increases the leafy bitterness to bring it close to rubber levels. Chewy dried fruits, maybe? The second sip is just as punchy, acidic, if not stripping, and a little green. We find yellow tomatoes and Mirabelle plums sprinkled with pine sap. Finish: it reclaims an unabashed sweetness, one that is closer to candied angelica than to honey, though. Melon jam still prevails, stewed rhubarb augmented with liquorice allsorts, apricot jam, yellow cherry tomatoes on the vine. The second gulp unleashes honey at first, then pine sap. It is as if bees has started making honey out of pine flowers, then, halfway through, had decided to do away with the honey business and started putting the pine sap in jars instead. It dies out with a puff of candied angelica and a drop of Mirto Verde. Comment: this one works, but the nose elevates it to a higher score. I reckon a grain, or a Littlemill.

G10.2 35yo d.1977 Sweet and substantial (57.8%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 136b) 8/10 (I finally try this on 29/09/2025)

Dram #2

Nose: green, green, green. For some reason, I want to say "jellied eels", which makes no sense, because it does not smell fishy at all. However, it is green and jellied alright. Let us imagine some kind of jellied vegetable (spinach or watercress), or a particular brand of ambrosia salad, one that is mostly mayonnaise and green marshmallows. The nose shakes that up to focus on salad leaves with a nice oily tarragon dressing and a vague sweetness. I recognise this profile, although I cannot place it. The second nose seems bolder and fruitier, with pomelo peels and dried grapefruit zest liberally sprinkled on vanilla custard, crushed bergamot leaves, stewed clementine segments and, maybe, just maybe, rhubarb shavings. Mouth: delicate, a little leafy and remotely sweet, it unfolds on the tongue like a mint jelly, sweet, fresh, meltingly chewy, and pleasant, more of a backing singer than anything that commands much attention. Chewing injects crystallised oranges, which, surprisingly enough, quickly overtakes the above. With time, wood becomes apparent too, slices of sappy conifer. The second sip doubles down on green, with jellied citrus foliage and the candied (mint) leaf bakers use to top a Rum Baba. That is all splashed with lukewarm citrus juice. Finish: it is more-easily recognisable as pine driven, here, to a point I wonder if it could be a Benrinnes. Nothing invasive again; just a lovely freshness that is tempting to associate with pine, and a lingering sappy bitterness. It is a tad numbing too. It leaves the gob coated in a sweet pine paste, comparable to what one feels after eating baklava. The second gulp too seems sweeter and fruitier, adding citrus segments to what remains a pine-sap-oriented number, all in all. Comment: I shall guess Benrinnes. Incorrectly.

58.7 27yo 1977/2005 A fruity explosion (45.8%, SMWS Society Cask) 8/10 (I finally try this on 29/09/2025)

Dram #3

Nose: here is a different beast that presents drinks cabinets made of mahogany, and lacquered jewel boxes. That opens up to reveal a bold, fruity profile, one ripe with cured apples, plums, nectarines and blueberries, all so ripe they are about to start fermenting. Unless there is a glass of wine nearby. With some imagination, we may even spot lychee liqueur. And then, an interesting modelling paint joins (Revell, either RAL 5022 Night blue, or RAL 5013 Lufthansa blue), augmented with stale plaster glue. How quaint! The second nose is dustier, a mix of sawdust (birch, acacia), confectionary sugar and bone-dry lemon zest. Then, without warning, we pull back in on waxy nectarines, plums and unripe berries with a glass of Manzanilla. It becomes gradually earthier too, which is a welcome progression. Mouth: ooh! Bitter! We find plastic grapes, clear varnish, unripe fruits sprinkled with a pinch of chalk. It retains a distant blueish fruitiness, yet it is quite the departure from the nose, all in all. Chewing adds a tart jam-like quality, with enough acidity to counteract the bitterness, but this is not easy on the palate. Green hazelwood coated in date syrup shows up. The second sip is sweeter and waxier, close to nectarine skins and blackcurrants soaked in a liqueur of sorts. The earlier bitterness, though more controlled, resurfaces, and we find ourselves with unripe blueberries, albeit dunked in the wax of a purple candle. Indeed, there is even a whiff of wick, here. Finish: unripe berries, bitter and acidic. One can sense a lot of yellow fruits at play (plum, Mirabelle plum, greengage), but they simply are not ripe enough to succeed. Instead, we are subjected to green hazelwood. The second gulp is a little riper. One gets the impression that, given a few months' breathing, this would offer a basket of fruits. As it stands, it is the lacquered wicker basket that talks over said fruits. Perhaps it has herbs in jelly. By now, it no longer seems to matter all that much. Comment: lovely nose. The rest does not live up to it. A Glencadam? It is probably not metallic enough for that.

21.25 27yo 1976/2004 Peaches and soft toffee (49.2%, Society Cask, Refill Hogshead) 7/10 (I finally try this on 03/10/2025)

Dram #4

Nose: a suede jacket and tan moccasins. That suggests an earthy outlook, one that is swiftly submerged by yellow-fruit flesh (no skin) and a dollop of a sticky liquid (part syrup, part varnish). It takes seconds for that to fall under the attack of Turkish delights, however, served with desert dirt. That earthy note never disappears: it just watches as the other aromas fight for the second place, in full knowledge that it will forever be the dominant constant of this evolving nose. Earthy desert dirt sticks to a horse's hair after a day's galloping. The second nose confirms all of the above, yet shuffles them and presents them in a random order. The horse is doused in pressed fruits (mostly berries, now) and tramples a suede jacket on the desert-dirt floor of a wine cellar. There is a puff of cigarette smoke too, which is rather unexpected. Mouth: ooft! this is varnishy. To some extent, it reminds of a shoemaker's workshop, though it is not heady or aggressive. It does present a blend of glues, varnishes, leathers, even rubber (without the overwhelming bitterness). We find some waxy fruits too, namely nectarines and fresh figs soaked in red wine. It has a whiff of horse's sweat, but it is a far cry from the nose's cavalcade. The focus is clearly on fruits, here -- fruits that come close to berries with time. The second sip introduces a berry-flavoured cigarette too, which is to say oily tobacco and smoked berries. Well, it even has grilled peaches, now. Finish: long, bold and fruity, this has the quality one would expect of a grand-cru wine. Fruity, dry, a tad earthy, leathery as a polished sofa, it has just enough tannins to pique one's interest, not enough for anyone to complain. Blush-orange segments, ripe elderberry and a glass of Burgundy (Gevrey-Chambertin 1995 to say something and appear knowledgeable). Barbecued fruits rock up at second gulp, peaches, apricots, pineapple rings, all sprinkled with red wine before being grilled. It turns out to be pretty drying upon repeated quaffing -- the desert dirt without a doubt. It has less leather and horse character, now, and cigarettes are less vivid than on the palate, reduced to a lingering smoke that is hard to fully apprehend. Comment: this is excellent. Parts of it hint at Glen Elgin, but then it could also be a Clynelish, or even an ancient Longrow.

26.89 27yo d.1984 An exotic tearoom experience (56.6%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill Sherry Butt, 485b) 8/10 (I finally try this on 03/10/2025)

We had this when it came out.
I liked it then and I like it now.

Dram #5

Nose: this is another earthy one, with rich-soil fields crisped by the summer sun, mud patties drying on a griddle, and a cow's behind on a dry late-summer day. That is suddenly supplemented with a more-maritime feel, dried kelp, fishing nets and salted Brighton Rock. Huh? Shaking the glass vigorously will reveal tarry sands and a whisper of diesel in otherwise-brisk sea air. It may well come back to dry earth, after a few minutes, and brings in burnt hazel sticks. The second nose seems smokier, with smoked roots of some kind, smoked banana peels, cooling embers. Gone is the earth, vanished has the sea air. Odd. There is a whisper of fruity windscreen defroster, far in the back. Mouth: very maritime on the tongue, it has sandy mussels, smoked cockles and a shovelful of tarry sands. Next to them are black rubber soles, camphor, liquorice bootlaces, and a type of bark or another -- eucalyptus? Liquorice sticks? It is fresh and bitter, rubbery. It is bitterer yet at second sip, now showcasing windscreen defroster indeed, in a bright-blue taint. Chewing adds a gentle sweetness to balance out the bitterness, part caster sugar, part natural sugars of fruits (Golden apple, greengage), and even buttery croissant. Finish: assertive rather than bold, it seems to do away with the earthy elements, as well as the maritime ones. Instead, it focuses on camphor and liquorice-y rubber. We find dolmas or vine leaves, blackberry cough drops, liquorice and tar. Tarry it is too, as the finish sticks to the gob like a menthol cigarette: fresh, slightly smoky and tarry. The second gulp dials down all that and allows burnt hazel and smoked Golden Delicious apples to express themselves intelligibly. Comment: knowing PS, I should guess Croftengea. This tastes more like a Caol Ila or a Staoisha to me, though. Or is it a Springbank? In any case, it is pretty good, even if the tar is a bit loud for me.

93.19 14yo 1991/2006 Honey sweet Arbroath smokie (60.3%, SMWS Society Cask, 288b) 7/10 (I finally try this on 06/10/2025)

Dram #6

Nose: here is a leafy-fruity nose, with the foliage of produce such as grapefruit, yellow-green apple and maracuja. Indeed, it becomes rather tropical. Buddha's hand, oroblanco, salted calamansi, even grilled dragon fruit. Now, all that is tame, mind. All the same, we have a mixture of citrus, tropical fruits and salt. A margarita, in other words. Further on, we detect sweet, juicy peach. The second nose confirms a depth that only long ageing can offer, still with fruits of the citrus and tropical varieties, and a whiff of old-school mineral smoke; gunpowder and matchbox strikers alongside boiler-room heat and smoked citrus. Mouth: salty! It is at once sharp as salted vinegar and soft as peach flesh dusted with confectionary sugar. Chewing unlocks an intense fruitiness that is difficult to identify with precision. It also has a gentle metallic side that goes well with the salt. I am somehow reminded of ancient aged bottlings, the likes of which Gordon & MacPhail or Cadenhead have released -- and not for decades. What is this!? The second sip has this unmistakable old-school profile, with smoked grapefruits, preserved lemons, peach slices warmed on a dusty boiler, sooty marmalade (not an overtly-bitter one), and heated tinned mango slices. Phwoar! Finish: warm peach flesh alright, cut with a hot knife, sprinkled with droplets of citrus juice (grapefruit, Shaddock pomelo, blush orange). Only the bite of alcohol clears suspicions this could be an ancient Gordon & MacPhail or Cadenhead offering. As the finish unfolds, mint crumbles become discernible, fresh and sweet. There is a lick of liquorice allsorts too (lick-o-rish) that supply a mild toasted bitterness. The second gulp has physalis in syrup, smoked peach slices on a hot zinc plate, and the heat and dust one would expect to come out of an old boiler room. The stones of those peaches are there too, now, hand in hand with preserved lemons, which make for a race between calm bitterness, tame acidity and brine. Warming, comforting, with that magical balance of dusty-briny smoke and juicy fruits. Comment: head and shoulder above the others. Perhaps my score is overly generous, but I really like this. Later, I will discover that PS chose this, a second 26, because he suspects it is actually a mislabelled cask of 61. He may well be right. [Correction to the above: PS does not think that it was a mislabelled cask. This was peated malt distilled at Clynelish, after the closure of Brora. His theory is that DCL had ordered the peated malt for Brora, then closed the distillery. When the malt turned up, they probably wanted to use it, rather than waste it.]

26.45 22yo 1983//2005 Sweets and peats (54.7%, SMWS Society Cask, 255b) 9/10 (I finally try this on 06/10/2025)

With thanks to JS, PS and JP. The big reveal comes on 10/10/2025.

09/09/2025 Member Take Over: Ian Hunter aka Mr. Closed Distillery

When this event was announced, I could not remember meeting or hearing about Ian Hunter. When PS underlined he was nicknamed Mr. Closed Distillery, my curiosity was obviously piqued. I also thought it was a little weird that we had never crossed paths.

Tonight is the night, then, when we verify if this Mr. Closed Distillery is whom he claims to be.

I join JS, DW, PS, GT, Dr. CD, YM and others on the top deck. One look at the host, and I realise we have met -- at DW's Easter bash. Phew! That bodes well.

Despite tube strikes, most people made it. We start on time.

Hunter wastes no time. He tells us briefly when he became a Society member (2002), not how or why, then dives straight into the whiskies and the memorabilia he brought along, documents from yesteryear, some frankly depressing when one compares prices and selection with today's.

Take this 2002 outturn brochure, for example.
The Lowland page advertises an Inverleven,
a Rosebank and a St Magdalene.
One could buy all three for... £159

I take scant notes. The pace does not allow it and I want to enjoy the company. We try everything blind.

Dram #1

Nose: powerful nose, with marzipan soon overtaken by honeysuckle. This is bright, lively, and a tad minty, perhaps. The second nose brings honey.
Mouth: punchy, it has a mix of peach and red chilli pepper.
Finish: long, wide, fruity, it delivers peaches and peach stones, as well as a tame lick of chocolate.
Comment: with a few vague clues, I guess Coleburn, then Convalmore, even if it is clearly not the profile of the latter. We struggle to pinpoint it until the reveal. Then, it becomes embarrassingly obvious. Caperdonich is not really a rare sight at the SMWS, even these days. That said, no-one has had this older bottling. And it is very good.

38.13 24yo 1980/2005 Eiswein and red peppercorns (57.9%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill Hogshead, 268b) 8/10

Dram #2

Nose: mint crumbles, sherbet, it is rather sweet, then develops a soft citrus-peel profile and adds cosmetic powder.
Mouth: it has quite a bite, acidic and citric. It is also powdery without being chalky. The second sip is spicier, with a good dose of chilli.
Finish: chocolate rolled in rose petals. The second gulp presents dandelion stems, which is to say: plant bitterness.
Comment: Ian tells us it is a divisive distillery, which PS confirms by staring at me. I conclude that it is Cambus and dare not touch it. The man said Speyside, though, and it does not smell like a grain. Good thing I do not say anything, because it is, in fact, Pittyvaich. A Pittyvaich we have already tried in this very room, actually! More than a decade ago, granted.

90.5 10yo 1992/2002 Kola Kubes and Lilt (59.4%, SMWS Society Cask, 248b) 8/10

IH: "It has a cult following."
PS: "It's spelled with an 'n', not an 'l'."

Dram #3

Nose: this is bursting with jelly capsules, followed by fruits. It is like pulling peaches out of a plastic medicine jar. It probably smells much better than it reads.
Mouth: it has citrus foliage, but it is mostly lovely  fruits. Strawberries, rosehips, Damson plums, apricots and the softest puff of blond tobacco.
Finish: juicy Mirabelle plums and apricots.
Comment: this is excellent and my favourite, so far. I liken it in my head to 45.19. That was good, but this one is even better.

45.9 27yo 1975/2003 Cherry on top (50%, SMWS Society Cask) 9/10

Dram #4

Nose: a little brimstone mixed with juicy fruits (kumquat, calamondin, tangelo). It is also mineral and gives a whisper of Hardois the dog, wet or not.
Mouth: mosses on slate, corroded metal, fresh fruits and dried orange.
Finish: long, it is a steamroller, assertive, not aggressive. It has stewed orange segments simmering in a cast-iron pot.
Comment: some guesses, including Brora, which this obviously is not. I silently think Glenlochy, but we are told it is an Invernessian distillery. The crowd narrows it down to Millburn. It is even one we have tried before. I like it better today. Crazy how much more approachable it seems, tonight. The magic of a well-crafted sequence, eh?

87.6 16yo 1983/2000 (57%, SMWS Society Cask) 9/10

Dram #5

Nose: phwoar! Behind the obvious shoe polish from the no-less-obvious Sherry cask, it is absurdly fruity, with exploding lychee, dragon fruit, mangosteen and rambutan. Coffee pops in and out too, waving like a line-drying leather belt flapping in the wind.
Mouth: it is very powerful, even now, numbing and clearly fruity. Here are lychee, kumquat, mandarine, apricot.
Finish: long, warming, it rolls out the chocolate carpet, which is quickly trampled on by fresh citrus and cut plums, with shy lychee now in the background.
Comment: what a way to finish! The colour worried me, but this turned out to be precisely my kind of dram. Colloquially known as Mandarins in a well seasoned roasting tin, a name that appears nowhere on the label, it is remarkably different from 92.7, which shared the ABV and the cask type, though from another vintage. That one was sadly smothered by the Sherry.

92.9 20yo 1981/2001 (61.2%, SMWS Society Cask, Sherry Butt) 9/10

There. We just finished five drams in exactly one hour.

And what drams!

Beside the pace, which was too fast for me, it was a great tasting. Unpretentious, factual. I liked that Ian did not bring the obvious or more-prestigious closed distilleries. I was also glad the venue did not crowbar a current bottling into the line-up: seeing the calibre on display, that may have degraded the experience, as JS says.

I did regret that IH read tasting notes from the outturn brochures of the time, or notes he found online. For the one instance where he did not find any note (the Dallas Dhu), he even had Co-Pilot produce tasting notes for him, which I thought bizarre. Now, notes can be a useful guideline, but I find it a pity to read us those notes before we can try the drams and make our own opinion.

Off tasting, we have...

76.157 18yo 2006/2025 Tales of the Worm Tub: Behold the beast (54.3%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st Fill ex-Oloroso Butt, 534b)

Nose: thick leather boots, rancio, smoked ham. Then, it shifts towards hair lacquer. The second nose adds cracked black pepper and shaved wine-soaked cork.
Mouth: wine-soaked orange segments, pressed, and most of the moisture removed. Chewing injects sangria and soaked citrus peels. The second sip is drier, full of dusty elderberry and blueberry skins.
Finish: long, wine-y and fruity with a bitter orange-peel aftertaste -- in a good way.
Comment: DW tried to impress us with a recent Caperdonich and came back with this Mortlach. Woops! It is good all the same. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, DW)

38.43 32yo 1992/2024 Homecoming: The essence of heritage -- Bar-room buzz (49.6%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st Fill ex-PX Barrique, 213b)

Nose: coconut wood shavings (JS), an avalanche of candied papaya, dried peach cubes and mint crumbles in the back. There is also a bunch of flowers in there, somewhere -- carnations, tulips, chamomile, canola. The second nose is more leisurely, with soft leather sofas and many cushions. It stays floral, almost hay-like.
Mouth: initially chewy, it becomes unctuous, milky, if not custard-y. We have mushy peach flesh, timid maracuja, a pinch of mint, plum, white peach, mango, palak.
Finish: mellow and custardy, it peddles white-peach flesh before expiring in a puff of mango pulp. The second gulp is in line. Maybe, we imagine vanilla-filled milk chocolate?
Comment: what did I say about recent Caperdonich, at the beginning of the tasting? This is stupendous. Simply beautiful. I like it much more than the first time we had it. 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, DW)

Well, that set us back an hour, ha! ha!

Good night out again.

18/02/2020 Love x Notz

Another member's takeover, which is really a members' takeover. The SMWS was very secretive about who was doing this one, and started selling tickets without announcing the host. And then, as sales were stagnating and attention was drifting, GL spilled the beans: he had been approached a few days earlier (after ticket sales started) to do it with RN. Tickets this way, please. Boom.

For the record, GL and RN are the masterminds behind this.

I am a little early at the venue. PS refuses a dram that GK offers him. GK hands it to me instead. Who am I to say no?

Yet another new livery

39.191 13yo d.2006 The lightness of being (58.4%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 219b): nose: some vanilla custard, sweet green grapes, soft and fluffy, then a stream of melted sweets, peppered with crushed eggshells. Finish: sweet, syrupy, grenadine-like. Further, it unveils a broth of honeysuckle, confirming the impression of sugary nectar. The palate becomes a little acidic, after a bit -- plant-stem sap. Finish: warming, with honey-coated plant stems and green freshness. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, GK)

We are ushered upstairs, where MSo and I secure a table. JS and MJ join us shortly afterwards.
CD gives a brief introduction, then joins the tasting -- a rare thing.

CD: "Everyone expected grain whiskies for Phil Storry's. What should we expect from GL tonight?"
tOMoH: "Glenflagler!"

SE the wombat is also there

RN: "The Society was kind enough to let us raid their special shelf..."
CD: "Yeah, a couple of words on that!..."

CD and GL explain the running order: from bottom left to top right. RN points out that glass #5 is empty. The guidelines from SMWS were: six drams. GL and RN, being the way they are, could not quite decide which six. So they brought another dozen bottles, and everyone will get to choose which one of those bottles they want to try.

tOMoH: "117.3, thank you very much!"

We try everything blind.

Dram #1
Nose: floral and full of pollen, it has honeysuckle pistils, orchids... It is extremely floral, flowery, not unlike walking into a florist's or a botanical garden. Mouth: mellow and floral on the tongue too, it has the freshness of mint sauce, blended with sweet mango chutney, soft and velvety. Meow! Finish: mild, soft, bursting with confectionery sugar, cut mangoes (timid, but present) and custard. This is sweet bakery galore, sprinkled with yellow-flower petals. I love it. I am tempted to score it higher, but I decide to remain calm. Lots of guesses, none of them right. 95.3 20yo 1977/1998 (53.5%, SMWS Society Cask) 8/10

Dram #2
Nose: super sweet from the start, with melted sugar (not quite caramel; it is still sugar white), icing sugar and shredded dried apples. It is slightly acidic, rather fruity, and packs quite a dose of wax too. Mouth: mellow, soft, silky and a tad thin. Red chilli grows in intensity, but it remains a hint, hidden behind buttery fruit. Finish: lovely cut fruit, almost mango, definitely papaya, and a touch of fruit-stone bitterness. It even has whispers of lemon in the very end. 50.96 27yo d.1990 A day trip to heaven (53.7%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 95b) 8/10

RN: "GL has a huge collection of Bladnochs."
tOMoH: "GL cannot afford Rosebank anymore!"

Dram #3
Nose: earthy, ashy -- it grows very ashy, in fact. Varnish, wax, even new wick, surrounded by lots and lots of earth, sprinkled with lychee. Mouth: more dried earth, tractor-tyre mud cakes, but it is also well behaved. Sure, it has lots of ash, yet it never becomes drying. On the contrary, it remains remarkably juicy, in a way. Finish: bone-dry peat and ash, spent wick, which makes no sense at all, seeing as the finish is also juicy as fook. The balance is outstanding. Long, the finish oscillates between ashes and lovely fruit. Wow. SL guesses a Clynelish. 26.38 21yo 1983/2005 High Church Jerusalem artichokes (59.1%, SMWS Society Cask) 9/10

MSo: "I'm not going to Campbeltown, this year. It's at least two grand, if I do."
JS: "The school-bus fare is a killer!"

Dram #4
Nose: precious and tropical wood oils; teak oil, mahogany oil, but also cotton candy, raspberry jam on scones, roasted pineapple, caramelised on the grill. Mouth: über-syrupy, with elderberry, strawberry, blackberry jam. I find it a bit astringent and hot, though nothing over the top. Finish: oh! Dark fruit, sweet and lush. Mellow, it has berry-flavoured Gummibärchen. This is very fruity and the jamometer is turned to 11. I am gutted to discover it is a Glendronach, as it is a distillery I am usually not so fond of. 96.30 10yo d.2008 Thor's slippers (59.5%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Hogshead + PX Finish, 265b) 8/10

RN: "When it doesn't quite make sense, it's a finish."
CD: "We like to say: additional maturation!"

Geekiest bottle of Monkey Shoulder ever

The moment arrives when everyone has to choose what they want as dram #5. RN comes up to me and pours me... 117.3. I said that as a joke, but am delighted that they did indeed bring it. :-)
PP and MJ split the remaining three drams between them (RN's pours are huge), and I pour some to MSo, as well as share my glass with JS.

RN [paraphrasing]: "This was the first bottle I bought at the Society. I stared at a wall full of bottles for a long time and picked it up. I liked the name; that was the one coming with me. Then, at the checkout, they said: '£350,' I thought: 'alriiiiiiight!'"

Dram #5
117.3 25yo 1988/2013 Hubba-bubba, mango and monstera (58.5%, SMWS Society Single Cask, 2nd Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 199b)
Nose: mango. Even after six or eight drams, it is amazing. Mango, a drop of chocolate, and little of the metal that we sometimes found in the past. Mouth: fruit juice through and through, this time with a touch of metal alright. Finish: milk chocolate and lots of fruits again -- mango and mangosteen. Short notes, as I have had this many times. 10/10

Plaid-shirt face-off between MJ and PP

Dram #6
Nose: this one exudes a colossal earthiness and lots of barbecue sauce. Later, it is full-on watercolour, pencils, dried muck. Oh! boy, is this dry. Plasticine, fox skin (the literal one, not the vomit puddle, for which that can be a metaphor), maybe chocolate. Mouth: spicy, with lots of wood varnish, it has crayons and dried mud. This is big, wide and full of watercolour -- and perhaps a tad bitter. Finish: it starts off varnish-y, before turning into a proper farmyard, with mud, dried mud, as well as dry staves -- and I mean Arizona dry. Unsurprisingly, it is a Laphroaig. "The only Laphroaig I have ever bought," says GL, to which CD replies with the exact reference. 29.260 19yo 1999/2019 A visceral, elemental experience (56.9%, SMWS Society Cask in celebration of Islay Festival 2019, First Fill Spanish Oak Oloroso Cask, 507b) 8/10

MJ [uttering my favourite quote of his about the Laphie]: "If you're gonna smoke, smoke."
MSo: "In Hindi, the say is: Punishment for a murder is death by hanging. Punishment for one hundred murders is death by hanging."

JS kindly lets me try her own take on dram #5.

3.312 19yo d.1998 Takes you back in time (54.5%, SMWS Society Cask, 2nd Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 65b)
Nose: lots of mud in this one too, alongside smoked mussels and fruit, peat bogs, wet and spongy, fresh papaya slices, mango peels -- ooft! Mouth: more muddy, boggy action, with lemon rinds and papaya cubes. Maybe even pineapple cubes, Finish: wow! That mix of peat and tropical fruits that made the distillery so famous is back -- mango, carambola, dragon fruit... This is excellent. 9/10

CD: "If you look under your mat, there is something special."
tOMoH: "Nothing."
JS: "I've got it!"
tOMoH [hums the Top Gun theme]

MSo lets me try this. No notes. I like .312 better

Oscar Wilde or solid white shirt, we said!

What a night!

15/01/2020 SMWS x Phil Storry

As part of a series of events which see members "take over" the SMWS and host a tasting (remember BA did it not too long ago), PS has assembled a series of bottles for us to try. Some are from the manager's shelf, and we will be told what they are. Others are from PS's collection and we will try them blind. A semi-blind tasting, then.

tOMoH: "Who's speaking?"

The loose theme for the night is odd casks. It is not clear from the get-go, but PS will remind us as we go.
PS peruses the room and observes the many familiar faces. Considering he lives here, he gets no credit.

PS: "Anyone here I don't know?"

PS: "Now, do you know me?"

Dram #1
Nose: vanilla and baked apricot, soon joined by subtle pine needles. The apricot grows in intensity and turns quite waxy -- a Clynelish, perhaps? Pine cones arrive, later on, though it does not resemble a Benrinnes. Mouth: warm and velvety, it has gently-bitter apricot nectar. The second sip brings more acidity forward, with grapefruit and lemon. Finish: some acidity in the finish too, even if it is never unpleasant. Lots of chocolate as well, a drop of lemon juice, and growing grapefruit. Much later on (at the end of the tasting), it is full-on flowers -- not acidic, or anything: just beautiful. PS explains this was his joining bottle (the bottle he received as part of his membership pack). Well, the bottling, to be accurate. The bottle, we drank many years ago. With the power of teh Inturnettz, I call bullshit, however: that was 25.31. 25.47 19yo 1989/2008 Wakens the taste buds (56.7%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 256b) 8/10

tOMoH: "What do you think about this, SL?"
SL: "I like it better, now I know it is a Rosebank."

Dram #2
G6.9 38yo d.1980 Listening to the frog chorus (46.5%, SMWS Society Cask, 2nd Fill Toasted Hogshead, 147b): nose: a grain, without a doubt, this one has buttery flapjacks and fruity turnovers all over it. Peach, a pinch of dried herbs (oregano) tiny whiffs of metal, hawthorn, laurel... and very soft rubber, not unlike a stress ball. Mouth: satin-like, with peach skins and woolly jumpers (I know). The second sip is more bitter, with oregano, sprinkled on top of apple turnovers. Finish: mellow and grain-like, warming, with peach nectar and drops of melted chocolate. Well, with this undeniable grain-like character and those bitter herbs, it had to be a Port Dundas. 8/10

Dram #3
Nose: another grain, though this one is much more "austere" -- herbaceous, almost metallic. Behind that "austerity," though, is a cast-iron cauldron full of jam, simmering away. Later yet, industrial glue comes up, hinting at some of the SMWS rums that I have tried. We confirm it is a grain whisky. Mouth: sticky, rubbery, glue-y, it develops some rubbery pastry dough, but it is not really as I remembered it (by now, the identity has been revealed). Finish: at last, some proper dough-y turnovers. Blackcurrant shows up late and will not leave, of course -- and it is lovely. Nice, yet also interesting to try it blind, as I remembered it being better. Perhaps a sequence mistake? G5.2 17yo 1993/2011 Strumming the strings of the soul (65.3%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Virgin Toasted Oak Hogshead, 248b) 8/10

PS [about BA]: "Very early in our friendship... if we can call it a friendship..."

N from Brighton: "I'm really enjoying the ABV."

It is 65.3, N from Brighton. Not sure what that says about you. ;-)

Dram #4
84.21 14yo d.2001 Satisfyingly sweet, silky and smooth (55.6%, SMWS Society Single Cask, 2nd Fill Sauternes Hogshead, 186b): Nose: back to malt, and this one has lots of candied citrus -- waxy satsuma peels and candied tangerine segments. It only plays one note, this one (the waxy citrus, innit), but does so very well. Much later, scented talcum powder and baby lotion appear, with a and gentle citrus twist. A bit of hay and more and more custard join in, as time passes. Mouth: with peach flesh and stones, it has lots of acidity and a generous dose of wood. The heat (slightly green) is impressive, with green chilli and ginger. Finish: the acidity is well pronounced in the finish too, with lemon juice and grapefruit juice. Some wood spices here too, ginger, mostly. Interesting. After being told what it is, I catch myself finding it similar to my bottle of Glendullan 16yo Centenary. JS's favourite, tonight. 7/10

PS: "2nd Fill Sauternes cask!? Who would use a Sauternes cask twice?"
tOMoH: "Still watertight? Let's use it again!"

Dram #5
Nose: a rich sherry maturation, with prunes, pressed dates, pressed figs, though very little leather or shoe polish -- it is a fruity number. Bramble, blackberry, blackcurrant and, later, pot-pourri. Mouth: lots of prune juice, diluted pressed dates, frangipane -- yes! A great sherry maturation (what? It is virgin oak?), but the distillery character is nowhere to be seen. Finish: long, warming and prune-y, mellow and full of soaked sultanas, re-hydrated dried figs and dates, perhaps soaked cork too. 26.118 16yo d.2000 Happiness is a warm hug! (52.4%, SMWS Society Cask, Virgin Oak Hogshead, 180b) 8/10

Good drop, but a perfect illustration of why virgin oak is not more widely used: it completely overrides the distillate.

PS: "I toyed with Madeira. I toyed with other things, but..."
tOMoH: "Please, don't tell us!"

JS: "How many virgin oaks did you have in mind, PS?"
tOMoH: "Seventy-two! Seventy-two virgin oaks!"

Dram #6
Nose: urgh! Meaty, full of gravy, sauce grand'veneur and smoked lingonberry compote, this is game-y and -- I suppose -- seasonal. Mouth: meaty again, it has wine sauce, apricot liqueur (WhiskyLovingPianist), rancid meat gone off (JS), rancio, elderberry compote and elderberry cordial. I find it drying. Finish: long, wine-y, with some heady spirit (liqueur praline). Mostly wine-y chocolate, in fact. I can see the merit of this, but it is not my thing much. Still, I am feeling generous, tonight. 10.60 8yo 1997/2006 Spicy Sevilla oranges (58.4%, SMWS Society Cask, 892b) 7/10

Probably from a Sherry gorda, judging by the huge outturn. Funnily enough, those are no longer allowed by the SWA, says PS, as they contain more than 750l.

PS: "I brought this, because it's not something you would associate with me."
PP: "You mean: good taste?"

PS [paraphrasing]: "The Society insisted there couldn't be a seventh dram. I asked about an eighth or a ninth, but that's not happening. But I don't like being told what the fuck I can and cannot do, so have some samples!"

WhiskyLovingPianist [after I winked at him]: "There's no point talking. I'll see you online."

PS: "Sorry for not coming to your tasting, tomorrow."
JS: "What happened to the PS we knew?"

The portions were huge and no nibbles. Drinking those high-strengths whiskies on an empty stomach make me tipsy, as expected. Pity. Otherwise, great night out.