03/03/2018 March outturn at the SMWS

46.58 24yo d.1992 Living the high life (53.2%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 282b): nose: over-baked cake crust, warm corduroy, a warm (but dry) shower hat, warm hay. Later on, hot lemon tart comes out. Mouth: hot lemon pie, curd, green chilli -- this is hot, actually. Finish: milk chocolate, green chilli and chocolate pudding. Decent. 7/10

5.62 17yo d.2000 Crumbled sweets in a leather satchel (58.8%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead, finished in 1st-Fill ex-Oloroso Hogshead, 240b): nose: incense, pencil lead, shaved crayons, burnt sandalwood, plasticine, pencil rubber. Mouth: red chilli, Alka-Seltzer. This is spritzy and hot, with a pinch of ash, too. Finish: warm, it has hot custard, oregano, crushed thyme and crayons. I like this a lot. 8/10

G4.16 35yo d.1982 Mellifluous contentment (49.8%, SMWS Society Cask, 2nd Fill ex-Sauternes Barrique, 216b): nose: chou dough with sprinkled herbs on top (marjoram, rosemary), rosewater and a metallic whiff, powdered sugar, caramel, then shoe polish. Mouth: soft, gentle and sweet, with a drop of almond milk. Finish: sweet and mellow, with watery custard and coconut yoghurt. 7/10

59.27 20yo 1983/2004 Dry and herbal (54.8%, SMWS Society Cask, 243b): an old thing, not behind the bar. Nose: peppermint, mentholated tobacco, strong and assertive, orange peels. Mouth: soft, orange-y, satsuma-y, even. This has hot paprika too, though not too much of it. Finish: the bitterness of orange pith, the acidity of citrus and the mellowness of warm orange juice. Nice. 7/10 (Thanks, PS)

39.156 9yo d.2008 Fun in the sun (58.5%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 138b): nose: dark chocolate, elderberry truffle. Mouth: almost silent and thin in texture. It has a bit of dark-berry juice. The heat grows over time, with cracked black pepper. Finish: it becomes more assertive in the finish, with elderberry, blackcurrant, bitter, dark chocolate -- and then the heat grows again. 7/10

41.102 13yo d.2004 Kiwi marmalade on a hot cross bun (55.6%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Oloroso Butt, finished in 1st Fill ex-Red Wine Barrique, 258b): nose: wide nose that displays buccaneered meat and untanned leather, then turns softer and sweeter. Heady wine -- the Oloroso is loud, I find. Mouth: mellow, full of red grapes and elderberry. Liqueur appears -- berry liqueur, of course. Finish: eau-de-vie-marinated meat, lots of heady red wine. This is very interesting, though not something I would choose to drink very often. 6/10

93.81 11yo d.2006 Maple peat-smoke bacon doughnut (58.5%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 180b): nose: ah! A non-sherried Glen Scotia, with farm-y characteristics. It has dry hay, dry manure, mud and engine fumes. Mouth: soft, with chocolate coulis, greengage juice, maple syrup. Finish: it gets dirtier, here, with oily rags, engine fumes and maple-smoked bacon. Naked, smoky stuff. Funny that the only official bottling that comes close to this style is the Victoriana. 8/10