02/04/2016 April outturn at the SMWS

Everyone knows the drill, by now. MS, JS, PS and tOMoH, as well as numerous regulars.

7.129 30yo d.1985 Heavenly fragrance (57.4%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 72b): this one is a bit controversial in that it is twice the price of previous editions of 7 with a similar age. It is also extremely limited and was pimped to the max (though less so than 7.127); let us find out if the price hike is justified. Nose: black shoe polish, unripe pears, then peaches, shallow fried in butter. Mouth: syrupy peaches, with acacia honey and caster sugar. The spices become rather bold, numbing, even. Finish: behind the heat, tropical fruits abound. It needs water to get past the heat, though. 9/10

50.77 25yo d.1990 Good old days (57%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 114b): another month, another 50. The novelty is starting to wear off and it is hard to keep up. Nose: baking marzipan and a broth of yellow flowers. Sawdust, a sweet note of gummy bears, shoe polish (?) I would lie if I said I did not like this. Mouth: almond liqueur spilt on the wooden arm of an old-school sofa. Finish: slightly bitter, now, before seared yellow flowers cool down in melted butter. 8/10

46.38 23yo d.1992 Fresh as a winter waterfall (53.5%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 264b): nose: paint thinner, delicate perfume. This nose is penetrating. Mouth. thin, it has fruit syrup and a drop of citrus, as well as a hefty dose of spice. Finish: a lovely mixture of gentle fruit, shy pastry, perfume and paint thinner. Nice. 7/10

30.89 24yo d.1991 Deep, dark and pleasantly attractive (58.3%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 150): nose: a veil of smoke, perhaps rubber too, leather, honeysuckle, perfume. The perfume-y note turns into very concentrated pot-pourri and the more traditional butter (a regular for this distillery). With water: coffee and butter are more prominent. Mouth: melted butter, then more and more leather. It is becoming quite hot. Water makes the coffee disappear and helps acidic fruit juice emerge. Finish: caramel and the bitterness of plant juice. Dark coffee, maybe? Water makes it simply tamer. The plant juice might be slightly more pronounced. I am tempted to call this a good Glenrothes, yet I spend the following day with a headache and a stripped tongue. I blame this dram! 7/10

Enter plates of cheeses. Excellent, as usual.

Look, you are wearing the same shirt
on this picture

66.82 17yo d.1998 Gritty-turned-Pretty (57.5%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Sherry Gorda, 606b): nose: the first whiff seems very deep, with dark fruit and faint leather, then bacon, sizzling. MS finds very ripe brie in it. Mouth: it gently ignites to become rather spicy. Finish: quite short (MS calls it a cliff), but the peat smoke that arises gently persists, as well as the crispy bacon. Lovely. 8/10

Time to go. We bid good bye to everyone, make appointments for next tastings and leave.