07/09/2013 September outturn at the SMWS

Another month another outturn. The regulars are there and have been at it for a while, by the looks of the tables (covered in all sorts of snacks). As always, we go for the cheese and whisky formula (five drams and a plate of cheese that we share).

26.94 22yo 1990 Bubble Bath & Champagne (50.2%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill Bourbon Barrel, 147b): the staff recommends this one and, since we have had many good Clynelishes, lately, we go for it. Nose: WAX! Cigar boxes, old shoe-polish tins now containing toys, electric toy trains -- all noble and elegant. Candle wax and some smoke come out at second nosing. Mouth: white pepper and balsa-wood splinters. It moves on towards unripe peach. Finish: long and powerful, with lots of wax, tobacco, plant-stem juice. This is very popular, but not my kind of Clynelish.

72.35 28yo 1984 Pink Grapefruit Granita (50%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill Bourbon Hogshead, 250b): funny it took ages to have any Miltonduff, and now it is the third in a row. Nose: green hazelnut, honeysuckle, pink grapefruit. Mouth: soft and sweet, milky. Finish: slight bitterness -- that will be pink-grapefruit zest as well as the pulp. Very nice.

85.27 28yo 1985/2013 Refreshing Elderflower Fizz (48.6%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill Bourbon Hogshead, 237b): another one that comes recommended by the staff. Nose: leather, cow skin (yes, it is the same, but I mean skin ON the cow), perhaps a bit of distant, cold coffee. Mouth: a sprinkle of black pepper on clotted cream-topped scones. Finish: bitter, black tea, walnut skins and a peach stone soaked in milk chocolate. Not uninteresting, but not my thing, today.

36.63 15yo 1997 There is chilli in the fruit pie (58.7%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill Bourbon Hogshead, 195b): the notes read nicely, the number is a palindrome and Benrinnes is still shamefully absent from the Old Man of Huy's shelves. Nose: bakery aplenty -- chou dough, fruit stuffing, coconut, vanilla ice cream. Mouth: milk and balsa or pine wood. Simple and efficient. Finish: chilli and chocolate milk. Nice enough, just not sure it is worth buying.

7.91 20yo 1993/2013 Beguiling and bewitching (50.6%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill Bourbon Barrel, 164b): nose: superbly fruity -- apricot, peach, maracuja, almond milk and fior di latte too. Amaretto, even, blackcurrant without the bitterness -- is blueberry the closest? Mouth: milky, with walnut skins and almond. Finish: long, fruity, with still some bitterness. Although not a killer (yes, it is fruity, yet it is not a 1966 Bowmore), this is the dram of the day.

Laid back and pleasant afternoon. Thanks, Jeff, for the sun-melted chocolate.