Jura 30yo 1990/2020 (46.33%, Thompson Bros., Refill American Oak Hogshead, 186b): we had this one five years ago and again two years later. cavalier66 brought it again to DWequinox, but I prioritised other things on the night. Nose: it is fairly subtle and subdued, yet elegant and classy. Old lacquered pencil cases, dried plums in a wooden bowl on the buffet, oiled mahogany. Nothing shouts, nothing stands out. Shaking the glass suddenly takes us to the forest on an autumn morning (even though spring just started), with its scents of wild mushrooms and humus. It adds candied red apples peppered with ginger powder and sawdust, and follows up with bone-dry citrus zest and pink peppercorns. There remains a sweetness too that hints at marmalade slathered on a woodworm-riddled chair. The second nose is drier yet oilier. We spot oily Virginia tobacco, wood panels not dripping with oil, and even a spoonful of ash taken from the fireplace's tray. Green grapes tag along, eventually, as discreet as the dried plums were, earlier. As one tilts the glass, one may find a carpet roll as well. Mouth: the late-found sweetness is clear on the tongue, even if it comes with a certain bitterness; Seville-orange marmalade, honey and wooden planks precede a pinch of ginger powder. Chewing causes the marmalade to explode. In the fallout, we have satsuma, kumquat, pink-grapefruit peel and prickle-pear jelly augmented with a drop of plant sap. It has a juicy texture, slightly sticky, and more horsepower than one would have anticipated. The second sip feels a tad thinner. That is not a complaint; it is merely less sticky. Orange juice served in wooden goblets, augmented with a pinch of confectionary sugar and another of wood dust. Soon, it recovers its ginger powder and adds ground orange pips. The longer one keeps it in the mouth, the more intensely fruity it becomes. At the same time, it brings back the bitterness too. Perhaps we catch something more synthetic, in the long run, something akin to rubbery underlay. That gives another dimension to this. Finish: the marmalade ride continues; the oranges turn bitterer, though there is enough sweetness on display to make that palatable. Ginger powder, asafoetida, mango powder, sawdust (yes, it has its share of wood spices) rub elbows with honey and marmalade. This has a dash of wood oil to boot. The second gulp is in line: citrus-y jams and marmalades are elevated by tingling wood spices. The tongue and, especially, the roof of the mouth are left throbbing, as if hit by a decilitre of paper paste, or a sort of wood paste made of birch. That all comes back towards chewy citrus peels upon repeated quaffing, bitter, fruity and delicious. A strong 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, cavalier66)
24 March 2026
23/03/2026 Jura
23 March 2026
20/03/2026 DWequinox at 3 Greek Street
DWeaster had to move, due to another shindig. Although he has nothing to do with the organisation of the event, tOMoH makes an executive decision to rename it DWequinox, on account of the date.
In attendance are DW, SOB, MSo, CDn, DR, DC, BA, cavalier66, TS, WS, JL, JS, YM and others whose initials I fail to write down. It would also be odd to go around the room and ask point-blank -- ha! ha!
It is the now-usual affair, bottles on the tables, free pour, freestyling session with no structure whatsoever. That probably means that everyone's experience is hugely personal. It also leaves time for socialising, for those who want to do that more. As often in that setting, notes are minimalistic, and not all bottles are attributed to their kind owners.
For reference, I brought D.town 33yo d.1979 (56.3%, Cadenhead Cask Ends, 3rd Fill Bourbon Cask, 1b) (notes here) and Inver-Regal (43° Gay Lussac, J.H. Wham & Son (Largs), for testing purposes only, b. pre-1991) (notes here) JS brought Sandy Macnab’s Old Blended Scotch 5yo (40%, Macnab Distilleries, b.1980s) (notes here) and Hazelburn 9yo 2008/2018 (59.9%, OB Duty Paid Sample, Refill Bourbon Hogshead, Warehouse 15, Rotation #4) (notes here). Amusingly enough, three out of our four bottles are one-offs.
I try none of them, since I know them well and there is so much else to try.
Glenrothes 21yo d.1975 (46%, Direct Wines First Cask, C#6045, b#167) (PF)
Mouth: it is more savoury here, though it gains fruit at second sip. In fact, it is sherbet more than fruits.
Finish: fresh and fruity. We now pick up sherbet and dried raspberry slices.
Comment: I cannot read the distillery name on the spot (it is written small, the Direct Wine logo obstructs the view, and the lighting is inadequate). The profile should suggest a 'rothes. A good 'rothes. 8/10
tOMoH: "Embiggening my cock."
JL: "Oh! So nothing has changed [since last time I saw you]."
tOMoH: "Nope. No success to-date either."
Ardbeg 20yo 1992/2013 (46.6%, Whiskybroker.co.uk, Refill Hogshead, C#434, 222b, b#4) (PF)
Mouth: it is decidedly inky, almost tarry -- no! not almost. Proper tarry sands, like.
Finish: big and tarry again, with wood smoke added for good measure.
Comment: competent effort. I think I hear that the father of the owner of this bottle used to own the cask. Do not quote me on that. 7/10
Glen Elgin 20yo d.1995 (51.5%, Claxton The Single Cask, Refill Hogshead, Cask Ref 1609-1671, 194b, b#40)
Mouth: woah! This has quite a bite. Mineral and acidic, it is akin to the effervescent reaction caused by acid dripped on limestone.
Finish: long, wide, acidic and mineral. It even emits a whiff of delicate smoke, in the long run.
Comment: excellent Elgin. 8/10
SOB: "2017 to 2020 were great years."
cavalier66: "And then, it just stopped. Like that."
MSo: "That's the thing with life. Things are good, then they just end."
tOMoH: "This is the most philosophical I've ever known you, MSo."
Táin 20yo 2001/2022 (56.1%, Irish Spirit Echoes of Éire, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Cask, C#4551, 66b, b#49)
Mouth: big and fluffy, the palate has peaches, mangoes and strawberry sweets. It is a notch drying at second sip, much like those sweets.
Finish: huge and hugely fruity, here are the same fruits and more strawberry sweets. I dare not say Fraises Tagada.
Comment: another cracking one. 9/10
JL reaches for something under the counter.
Johnnie Walker 12yo Black Label (43%, John Walker & Sons imported by Wax & Vitale) (JL)
Mouth: faded leather cleaned with strawberry coulis.
Finish: a blast of strawberry paste or jelly, and a dusting of old-school soot.
Comment: delicious. 8/10
DC: "Yes."
tOMoH: "May I?"
DC: "Sure. I also brought a rum. What an idiot. A rum. To a whisky tasting."
JS: "Many here like rum too."
tOMoH: "Yeah. There is so much whisky already, though. That's why it's not getting much love."
Dornoch 5yo 2018/2023 (55.9%, OB, 1st Fill Bourbon Octave, C#80, 82b, b#20) (DC)
Mouth: it is weird, here. Maybe it has glue? Yes, there is a lot of that upon chewing. Then, it has linoleum strips and wood.
Finish: it is balanced, but what it balances is glue and linoleum strips. It works in an odd way. Then, suddenly, nut spread and chocolate kick in.
Comment: interesting. 7/10
DR has me try the last drops of a sample he brought. I try to guess what it is.
DR: "Well, you got the vintage right."
tOMoH: "Did I? Well, that narrows it down! How old is it?"
DR: "It is seven. It is the first organic whisky."
tOMoH: "Ah! Springbank Dà Mhìle."
DR: "Spot on!"
Springbank 7yo 1992/1999 Organic (46%, OB for Dà Mhìle, 1000b)
Mouth: similar fresh-and-floral character.
Finish: it ends with a modest blast of soot.
Comment: lovely to try this again. The first time was in 2017 and I took no notes. 7/10
Tobermory (Ledaig) 24yo 2001/2025 (52.2%, Thompson Bros. specially bottled for Dornoch Castle 25th Anniversary, Refill Hogshead, C#201, 158b) (DW)
Mouth: sweetened sea water, petrol and ink, as well as crushed seashells.
Finish: more petrol and ink are balanced by a slightly-sweeter touch.
Comment: this is excellent. 8/10
Dalmunach 10yo 2015/2025 (58.5%, Cadenhead Club, Oak Casks + 3 x Oloroso Hogsheads since 2024, 1032b)
Mouth: it is seriously woody, which comes as a surprise, considering the age, perhaps less when seeing the colour. Teak and mahogany are the loudest.
Finish: oiled wood, chestnut spread, walnut dashboards.
Comment: interesting whisky. My first Dalmunach. SOB chose it after checking this blog to verify I had never tried any. Is that not considerate? 7/10
tOMoH: "You did lose some weight."
MSo: "Yeah. If my wife were a better cook, we'd be having a different conversation, right now."
Linkwood 28yo 1994/2023 (51.7%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice Cask Strength, Refill Sherry Butt, C#12601202, B#23/208, 656b, 230085) (MSo)
Mouth: ooft! Green-grape skins, cured fruits, a lick of stainless-steel metal.
Finish: surprisingly soft, it has chocolate and a minute smoke.
Comment: good. 7/10
tOMoH: "I can write easily. Re-reading myself is the problem. But then, that's a problem even when I'm sober."
MSo: "The thing with tOMoH is he's in a consistent level of drunkenness. His handwriting is always immaculate."
Ardbeg 10yo b.2025 Cask Strength (61.7%, OB Committee Exclusive 2026, Bourbon Casks)
Mouth: woah! This is inky, salty and smoky. Tarry sands drenched in sea water.
Finish: it kicks like a mule. There is a smidge of barley and salt water, augmented with petrol and crushed seashells.
Comment: funny to see the similarities with the Whiskybroker bottling from earlier. There has been a lot of hype around this bottling. It is not bad, but the hype is disproportionate to the quality, in my opinion. 7/10
We disband and, after spending a good while chatting with SW, disappear into the night.
21 March 2026
20/03/2026 St Patrick's Day delayed
We were doing other thing on the actual day.
Bushmills 21yo b.2004 (40%, OB, Madeira Wood Finish, b#16296): nine years, one month and two days have passed since we latest had this. Unfathomable. Nose: a musty cellar. And that does not mean fruity dunnage warehouse, in this case, but a musty cellar. It has a blend of damp clay, woodworm and cured meat, which is unexpected. Further onward, we find glue and wallpaper, as if someone had wallpapered the wooden shelves of a larder (if you lived through the 1970s or 1980s, you know). It gains more and more wood with time; oaken shelves so old they are starting to crumble, nuts kept in a basket for years, if not decades. Very slowly and gradually, that morphs into charred-chestnut spread wet with pressed-prune juice and a drop of nail varnish. Tilting the glass brings synthetic scents such as linoleum and flooring glue, but also a drop of urine. We swiftly go back to prunes, now served in a lacquered-ebony case. The second nose is screaming CURRANTS and PRUNES, RAISINS and SULTANAS. That comes with the Madeira finish, presumably, yet it is still a bit surprising, following that musty first impression. Okay, there are fortified-wine-glazed button mushrooms to prolong the cellar-y theme going, but it is not the same... until we dig up potting soil, which comes much closer to the damp clay from before. Ha! Ha! Mouth: a soft -- I dare not call it 'bite' -- introduces a silky mouthfeel. Following an initially-woody taste (oiled mahogany), it becomes fresh and presents pressed Mirabelle plums and physalis. There may even be filtered lychee juice in it. Chewing catches one off guard, however: a tide of tropical fruits floods the palate, with lychee indeed, rambutan, mangosteen and dragon fruit gracing the roof of the mouth. It has a tame wine-y touch too, somewhere between rosé, vin jaune and sangria. That could spell a catastrophe, but it works rather well. The second sip has a tame chocolate-y touch, augmented with a drop of cherry liqueur. Moving the liquid around the mouth revives the fruit -- the same as before, in the same order. Astonishing! Finish: it only has a modest kick, at the legal minimum of 40%, yet that is more than enough to trigger an incredibly-long finish that sticks to the gob like a good cough drop. We find as much wine (rosé, jaune, orange) and much less fruit, although that grows in intensity. Once again, we are talking about Mirabelle plum and physalis, rambutan, dragon fruit, perhaps even mangosteen, yet also dried cranberries and sultanas, some of them coated in yoghurt. The second gulp adds a pinch of cinnamon powder and one of mango powder, as well as chewy dried mango slices. Surprisingly, considering the low strength, the whole leaves the tongue and gums a bit numb. Finally, as the taste buds come back to life, they pick up sirop de Liège, or a berry paste out of a tube, thick, concentrated, sweet. This is good. 8/10 (Thanks, OB)
18 March 2026
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
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!
17 March 2026
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!