Father’s Day Outturn Offerings – May 2012 

A wee seductress of a dram 

Cask No. 24.121                        

Highlands, Speyside 

The nose created an image – a polished antique table by a glowing log fire (with polished brass fender); on the table – a rich rib–eye steak, also ripe fruits, olives, sun-dried tomatoes – and then honey, toffee, mocha and chocolate orange to round it off. The palate offered glorious vanilla, candy, marzipan sweetness, with stewed rhubarb, strawberries and raspberries, plus toasted pine nuts. Water sparklified it, bringing sherbet, vanilla ice-cream and pineapple or mango sorbet to the nose. The palate just became sweet, fruity and a very easy-drinking, moreish, wee seductress of a dram. The distillery boasts a ‘story of oak’ exhibition. 

Drinking tip: A great session dram – throw away the cork! 

Colour: Spun gold                                                   

Cask: Refill hogshead                                             

Age: 20 years                                         

Date distilled: April 1991

Alcohol: 46.6% 

$140 

Autumn Equinox on Islay 

Cask No. 29.103                        

Islay, South Shore 

The first nose is like an equinoxial gale: sea-salt and seaweed, fresh and pungent, with coal smoke and the Waverley (paddle steamer) engine-room; traces of Brylcream and oil-skins. Surprisingly sweet to taste; very salty, very smoky, with tarry rope. Water introduces mineral notes – face scrub, salt crust; barnacles and mussels on a harbour wall. The smoke has become a plate of mixed sea-food, some of it smoked. Soft and sweet to taste, with salt and smoke in the finish. This example lives up to the distillery’s reputation as ‘The Salty Dog of Malts’. 

Drinking tip: A table for two by a log fire, picking at a sea-food platter 

Colour: Pale gold                                    

Cask: Refill hogshead                                             

Age: 13 years                                         

Date distilled: April 1998

Alcohol: 57.5% 

$110 

Egyptian tobacco 

Cask No. 35.57                          

Highlands, Speyside (Lossie) 

Robust with a huge amount of finesse and complexity the Panel thought this a masculine dram. One Panellist likened it to a double bass in the orchestra; seriously smooth with a long finish to taste this took us on a real journey. Water opened it up making it lively yet deep and rich; it had now become a cello. To taste this was remarkable and satisfying, beautifully fresh and lively for its age yet thick and mouth-coating; this has everything expect for its age yet still retains youthful vigour. From the Elgin based distillery that was once a brewery. 

Drinking tip: As a celebratory drink with friends 

Colour: Amber encrusted orange                           

Cask: Refill hogshead                                             

Age: 34 years                                         

Date distilled: December 1976

Alcohol: 53.8% 

$240 

A tonic to lift the spirits 

Cask No. 105.15                        

Highlands, Speyside 

Clean, fresh and simple on the nose, with saddle soap and leather polish to start, then dentists’ mouthwash, pine needles and tonic water, with ‘Daim Bar’ (praline covered with chocolate) after a while. Not as sweet a taste as expected; cooling mint and liquorice; slightly salty, but with chocolate in the aftertaste. The cooling effect becomes more pronounced with water – minty and mentholated (‘Hoola-Hoola Ice Powder’, for those who have been to Thailand); caramel, tobacco and nasturtiums. Now much sweeter to taste, though still lightly mouth-cooling, with dark chocolate in the finish. The distillery, built in the 1950s, was designed by a Past President of the Royal Academy. 

Drinking tip: A chill-out dram after dangerous sports 

Colour: Deep amber                                               

Cask: First-fill Sherry hogshead                              

Age: 28 years                                         

Date distilled: September 1983

Alcohol: 55.4% 

$180 

Citric, floral, sweet and herbal 

Cask No. 121.47                        

Highlands, Arran 

Immediately inviting with initial smells of vanilla sponge cake, lemons, pineapple and thick floral honey. This was mirrored in the taste but a slight spirity note and white pepper heat counterbalanced the thick juicy sweetness. The addition of water brought out herbal characters (verbena, lemon thyme), more citrus, white peaches, dry wood chips while one Panellist was reminded of a spring meadow after a heavy rainfall. On the palate it was light, floral, woody, juicy sweet, and citric; a slightly bitter woody aftertaste helped to create a whole mouthfeel. Eagles nested in the distillery buildings halting construction for six months. 

Drinking tip: Perfect as an aperitif 

Colour: Barbadian sunrise                         

Cask: Refill barrel                                        

Age: 12 years                                         

Date distilled: December 1998

Alcohol: 56.5% 

$105

Please visit the Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America at www.smwsa.com