What better to celebrate (the south of) Belgium than a whisky matured in a beer cask?
SC 73 10yo b.2023 (58.2%, SMWS The Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Wasted Degrees Table Beer Quarter Cask Finish): nose: hard to believe the table-beer pedigree, as this is as fruity as an India Pale Ale, with grapefruit (pink and white), pineapple rings, yuzu, and oroblanco. It is not all: fairly hoppy, the nose moves towards lime-infused vodka or gin, fresh and lively, then suddenly creamier, with mint-and-peach yoghurt, and lime curd. Soon enough, it is an incessant back-and-forth between the earlier citrus notes, and this creamy aspect, under the watchful eye of a tun of IPA -- yes, it has eyes; roll with it! We have whiffs of an oilskin tablecloth too, waxy, plastic-y, and instantly recognisable, as well as bergamot foliage. The second nose has caramel and flan in equal measure, as if toffee had the texture of flan, a wobbly, jellified cream of sorts. Citrus is quick to come back, and it is mostly of the green kind -- Kaffir lime, yuzu, juicy pomelo, and bergamot and its foliage. Toffee becomes more discernible, to the point one could identify McIntosh's Toffee Penny. Later on, an almost-mineral side rises -- limestone, of course. Mouth: the magic continues on the tongue, with a merry-go-round of citrus at room temperature: kumquats, bergamots, pan-seared mandarines, caramelised blood oranges, pink grapefruits so juicy they are about to burst, and sweet pomelo. There is a mild, complementing bitterness, rather than the expected acidity, which brings us back to IPA, in a way. Lime, or shaddock-pomelo zest, probably. The second mouth is more acidic, and the gums register the high strength more clearly. We have a cool blend of pink grapefruit and shaddock pomelo, with just a drop of lime to augment the whole (and dial up the acidity). Thirty seconds around the palate bring back lime curd, served on a bed of bergamot foliage. Berry-flavoured boiled sweets make an unexpected, late appearance. Finish: big, hugely citrus-y again, it benefits from a dusting of confectionary sugar to soften the bitterness from the mouth (it is built in, yes? I did not add sugar). A long finish indeed, it brings warmth to the back of the tongue and the stomach, and fruity freshness to the tip and sides of the tongue. It is rather hard to comprehend, actually. Perhaps it is akin to sipping a 59% beer. After a couple of minutes, the afore-mentioned zesty bitterness sets up camp, that we identified on the palate. Lime zest in yoghurt, in all likelihood. Repeated sipping renders this creamier and creamier, thick and citrus-y, custard and curd, rather than pouring cream. We still find hops too, in the background, and it feels fizzy. That makes me think of an IPA emulsion, somehow. Later still, that creamy custard is enhanced with crushed plums, blueberries, or a combination of the two. What an interesting and delicious experiment! 8/10 (Thanks, SOB)
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