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.

22/09/2022 Phil Storry x SMWS: Overlooked and under-appreciated

Our good friend PS is hosting a shindig at the SMWS again. This time, he will explore overlooked drams and under-appreciated distilleries. I guess no Brora tonight, then.

It is a strange feeling to see so many of the old faces, after more than a couple of years.

But enough about that.

It goes almost without saying that everything is served blind, with the reveal coming halfway into the dram. I do a first pass on all the drams, and come back to each of them in my own time.

Dram #1

For whatever reason,
we were asked not to post
pictures of the actual bottle

Nose: acetone, new-car interior (MSo), wood oil (some kind of pine essence), and a bit of leather polish too. From the first second, all identify a grain. PS is quick to put everyone right: he did not bring any grain tonight. Clearly, this is from the bar, rather than his collection, then.
Mouth: minty and peppery, fresh, woody, incisive. It has a slight bitterness too, but it is especially strong.
Finish: sharp, narrow and long, it has pine lacquer, wood glue (JS) and unripe-orange peelings.
Comment: I venture it could be a Girvan. As soon as the reveal comes, I bet it gives me a headache (it does not, but I will not be 100% functional tomorrow morning).

G8.10 29yo d.1989 A trumpet blast in a barrel (57.5%, Angus Dundee for SMWS Society Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 217b) 6/10

PS apologises to me profusely: he considered a Cambus of his own, then decided against it, because of me (how sweet, eh?), only for the staff to offer him another Cambus as a starter. Sincerely, I am glad to try something I have never had, be it a dram that gives me a headache.

Dram #2

Nose: well, it has a small notch of Sherry, but especially loads of flowers (jasmine, cherry blossom, lilac, magnolia), tinned peach (JS), and a pinch of earth, as well as confectionary sugar. Phwoarrrrr! Later on, we have white grapefruit, a lick of light pomelo, chlorophyll, and even blonde tobacco.

Mouth: mellow and welcoming, we have similar velvety flower petals, but also a pronounced bitterness (tulip stems). The texture is that of whole milk, or even milkshake, very pleasant. That bitterness will prevent a higher score, yet it is bearable.
Finish: long, sweet, this is teeming with confectionary sugar, peach nectar and apricot juice. 
Comment: amazeboulanger. The pinch of earth on the nose should have been a dead give-away, but I managed to not recognise the distillery all the same. PS explains he had earmarked it for a tasting in June, but brought something else in the end, a certain Girvan, because I enquired about it. Ah, well.

85.18 34yo 1971/2005 Oranges and blossoms (41.2%, SMWS Society Cask) 9/10

Dram #3

Nose: dark forest floor (DH), Cadenhead's tasting room (JS), which is to say black mould on walls. DH finds it does not have much of a nose, just dirty dishwater, or stagnant pool water... in a good way, he is quick to point out. It evokes rubber gloves in said dishwater to me. After a while, pine resin rocks up, as does white spirit. Later on, cardboard, papier mâché, and eggshells.
Mouth: woodworm, and lichen on tree bark, sprinkled with fierce chilli powder. This is hot and lively, yet also rather austere. Mushroom spores, Verdigris-eaten copper, unwashed laundry (JS). It certainly has some funk! Later sips are more floral, perhaps even a tad fruity.
Finish: long, riddled with woodworm, lichen on bark and more Verdigris than on the palate. The second sip has tons of sugar, which is surprising. Later on, it feels much more velvety, with fudge and caramelised squashed apricot. It turns more approachable with time, and ends up tasting like a nice curry (dhansak).
Comment: again, the reveals is a facepalm moment: how did I not see it coming? "The last Pittyvaich bottled by the Society," our host tell us. The smart-arse in me cannot shut the f*ck up and has to tell PS (and the room) that there was one after this, that seems to be exclusive to Switzerland. Anyway, I like this very much. It is divisive, as Pittyvaich tends to be. Once it is all over, DH will declare it his favourite dram of the night.

90.10 14yo 1990/2004 A game of two halves (57.8%, SMWS Society Cask) 8/10

Dram #4

Nose: now, this is very earthy, in a forest-floor way. Humus, dead leaves, pine needles, and fire-roasted red hard candy (could it be Brighton Rock?) Time reveals cocoa powder, and minty toothpaste. A strange combination made even stranger by the presence of a drop of vinegar. Later nosing gives a tiny dust, and bone-dry citrus peels.
Mouth: hot turnover filling (apple or apricot), with a minute drying bitterness. This is well fruity on the palate, with also honey (JS), and a pinch of herbs -- sausage seasoning mix. It turns milky, over time.
Finish: wow! This has chocolate milk, regular milk tainted by chocolate cereals, and a serving of pillow-y flower petals.
Comment: lovely!

106.16 20yo 1984/2005 Intense and moreish (57.9%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill Hogshead, 174b) 8/10

PS [replying to a comment about his booming voice]: "Yes, I have a voice for radio. I have a voice for silent movies too!"

Dram #5

Nose: dusty hay, farm-y tools, coal dust, says DH, who swiftly explains how rural New Zealand, where he grew up, was twenty or thirty years behind everyone else, and how he therefore had to go fetch coal in the basement, for heating purposes, which made him well acquainted with that smell of coal dust. I detect some porridge too, then oilskins, white-wood shavings, and... bile (in a good way). One could probably call it butyric, I suppose. Further nosing displays cosmetic powders of sorts.
Mouth: non-descript, for a second, before it releases pickled onions and carrots, pickled brioche (I know!) with the texture of cranberry seeds. The next sip is more mellow, with confectionary sugar, green-leaf salad and pickled beetroot.
Finish: somewhat drying, like oats, grape stems, and peach stone. Dried pineapple-cube shavings, grapefruit peels, ground into a dust.
Comment: a nice Braes, since that is what it is.

113.38 22yo d.1997 Welcomed with open arms (57%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 215b) 7/10

DW shares a dram from the bar, though he is not able to give us the exact reference. If only they could come up with a simple way to distinguish all their bottlings, the SMWS. I don't know, something like a unique number, you know?

Fortunately, I am resourceful and found it.

70.44 31yo d.1989 The loom of time (50.3%, SMWS Vaults Collection, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 128b)

Nose: fruit-infused beer. This is overflowing with berries, rosehip, ripe strawberries and raspberries, even banana and overripe pineapple chunks. What? To some extent, it might even have after-shave balm, or children's toothpaste. At any rate, it is amazing. Rhubarb compote, warm fruit yoghurt, warm vanilla custard all feature too.
Mouth: it is an entirely different story, here, with soft plastic, oilskins, warmed by the sun, and half-baked chou dough. The second sip is both creamy and gently wine-y.
Finish: very grain-like, this has plenty of fruit (grapefruit segments, pineapple chunks, satsumas) and a pinch of grated chalk. Further sips have warm custard, augmented with squashed berries.
Comment: love it. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, DW)

Dram #6

Nose: ashy and a bit animal, in a cured-meat way. It is influenced by wine for sure, yet it is closer to pan-seared-mushroom juice than to actual wine. This has an intense umami vibe, with red-bean paste and miso sauce. The second nose is very earthy, sprinkled with hay dust.
Mouth: Ovaltine and chocolate milk on the palate, milky chicory infusion, and a drop of hazelnut liqueur to boot. The second sip seems stronger in alcohol. PS keeps mentioning lavender, but I cannot see that. I find it faintly fruity instead.
Finish: it has the gentle bitterness of milk coffee, or milky chicory infusion, with berries slowly added to the mix.
Comment: a smoky, sherried Tomatin is always a bit of a curiosity. This is good too.

11.29 7yo 2000/2008 Lavender smoky surprise (59.4%, SMWS Society Cask, 214b) 7/10

DH: "I'm passionate about hobbies."

GL and JMcG appear. We were talking about JMcG a second ago, so my incredulity reaches ridiculous levels. I try to summon heaps of cash, though that does not make it appear.

At the same time, one of our co-tasters (whose name I did not catch) offers a round.

42.82 14yo The Thing (58.2%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 272b)

Nose: farm-y, this has tractor tyres, farm paths, pastures. In other words: diesel, earth, leather saddle. It also evokes a smoky bothy on a rainy, muddy day.
Mouth: silt, vase water, mud, smoked turnips. This is a bit monolithic, and certainly uncompromising.
Finish: long, full of black tide, dark earth, cork, petrolic sand, and petrol-stained soil.
Comment: not really my style of drams, but I can see others loving it. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, generous donor)

A nightcap once all is done and dusted.

Springbank 26yo 1995/2022 Edition No. 60b (51.1%, Decadent Drinks for Whisky Sponge, Plain Oak Refill Hogshead, 249b)

Nose: a fruity number. After the Ledaig, of course, any smoke will seem subdued. We have lemon skins, grapefruit peels, and some warm paper.
Mouth: soft, fruity to an extent, though not mind-blowingly so. We have melon first, satsuma and persimmon, then pink grapefruit, loud and clear, even if they are not shouting.
Finish: pomelo and grapefruit. That grapefruit is a bit of a slap in the face.
Comment: I have too much whisky in me to take good notes, of course, yet this is amazeballs, I hate to say. 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, DW)

What a great tasting! Fast-paced, loud, exciting and disorienting in equal measures. Thankfully, it does not happen every day!

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.