COMPASS BOX RELEASES THE CIRCLE, NO. 2

A Limited Edition whisky that taps into the phenomenon of synaesthesia, transforming colour into flavour 

May 2022 – Compass Box Scotch whiskymakers announce an exciting new Limited Edition. The Circle, No. 2 is the latest to emerge from their global bartender competition, The Circle, and is inspired by a rare sensation known as synaesthesia, (RRP £130, ABV 46%). The whisky will be available in the UK from 1^st June, with only 3,113 bottles available worldwide.

The Circle programme serves to connect the creative processes of the blending room with those of the bar trade, exploring imaginative and unusual ideas and bringing like-minded individuals together to learn, share and create.

Mannie Monaghan won the competition in 2019, the last time The Circle was able to run. Mannie, owner of the bar, Below Stairs, in Leeds, UK, tapped into the phenomenon of synaesthesia, asking the Compass Box whiskymakers “Is it possible to make a whisky that evokes the colour coral?”.

Synaesthesia refers to a blending of the senses. It can involve hearing shapes, tasting days of the week, or smelling colours and is as varied in its forms and intensities as the people who experience it. As a synaesthete himself, Mannie, was able to bring the full force of his taste buds and personal colour palette to the Compass Box blending rooms, fostering a unique creative process for the whiskymaking team.

Mannie Monaghan says, “What does the colour coral taste like? It’s unmistakably warm, familiar, and powerful. Translating that sensation into whisky has led us to create wonderful warm whisky that expresses the positivity and vibrancy of Living Coral, Pantone’s colour of the year in 2019.”

Over two lengthy sessions, Mannie joined whiskymaker James Saxon in the Blending Rooms. Not synaesthetic himself, James relied on Mannie to first identify parcels of whisky with coral-like qualities. This was an exciting challenge and great fun, scouring the shelves for samples of whiskies with the intensity and beauty that matched the colour in Mannie’s mind.

Gradually a lovely, soft, and sweet whisky took shape. More than half of the recipe is tropical, pineapple-accented whisky from the Glen Elgin Distillery, while whiskies aged in Sherry casks lend warmth, energy, and a clinging texture. Dashes of a peated whisky, and a little malt whisky further matured in STR wine casks, bring contrast and depth. The Circle, No. 2 was created as an outdoor whisky to be enjoyed with friends, lounging on a lazy afternoon as the sun sets.

Key flavours expressed by the whisky are pineapple and stewed peach alongside vanilla, honey and sultanas soaked in Cognac. Compass Box wanted the label design to reflect the collaborative whiskymaking process and the fusing of the senses, as well as bring to life the luminous beauty of coral.

James Saxon, lead whiskymaker says, “Creating The Circle, No. 2 with Mannie has shown us that the senses can be blended together, and that they can inform one another. This is the beauty of collaboration – we have only had the opportunity to run two editions of The Circle programme, but hopefully we can have many more surprising meetings of minds in the years to come. Not being synaesthetic, working with Mannie in the Blending Rooms was a bit like trying to learn a new language. Gradually, I was able to suggest parcels of whisky that met Mannie’s vision more precisely. By the end, I did feel as though I was seeing colours too! We are so pleased to finally be able to release this whisky, and that we can start to look forward to bringing bartenders together again.”

Compass Box Limited Editions afford them complete creative freedom. Each release is one-off in nature and the collaboration with Mannie was no different – a true experiment in one bartender’s fascinating sensory world.

For more information about Compass Box, visit www.compassboxwhisky.com or check them out on Instagram or Facebook.

ABOUT COMPASS BOX

Compass Box are Scotch whiskymakers. The word ‘whiskymaker’ is their word – it does not appear in a dictionary. For 20 years they have been relentlessly focused on reinventing Scotch whisky, with every new blend designed to help make the world of whisky a more interesting place. They have not done it on their own and have collaborated with some of the world’s most visionary bartenders and designers to really push the boundaries of what is possible. Compass Box have won more awards for innovation than any other producer in Scotland because they are always experimenting. Always looking for sparks of creativity that will deliver something totally compelling, yet completely surprising. This vision motivates them as whiskymakers. Their blends are consistently rated equal to or better than the great single malts of Scotland by the most respected voices in the industry.

American ex-pat John Glaser is the founder and head whiskymaker of Compass Box and six-time Whisky Magazine Innovator of the Year and 2020 Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame Inductee.  He began his career on a path to become

a winemaker, before re-routing himself through the corporate world and ending up as a Marketing Director for Johnnie Walker in London. With a desire to do things differently, John started Compass Box from the kitchen of his west London home in 2000 in order to bring the joys of Scotch whisky to more people. From the beginning, his vision has been to create one of Scotland’s finest and most compelling whisky companies, re-imagining the standards for quality and style in the industry. In 2020, John was inducted into the Whisky Magazine’s Hall of Fame. Two decades later, Compass Box now has two Blending Rooms in London, a team of 20 working internationally and stocks of maturing whiskies in Scotland. In 2020, Compass Box celebrated its 20th anniversary. With a forward-looking approach and unrelenting focus on creativity and integrity, John and his team continue his mission to make the world of Scotch whisky a more interesting place.

ABOUT THE CIRCLE PROGRAMME

Compass Box launched The Circle programme in 2018 to connect the creative processes of their Blending Room with those of the bar trade. The programme involves inviting a select group of bartenders from around the globe to join the Compass Box whiskymakers on an adventure of flavours by undertaking a series of creative challenges. A number of heats take place globally before a three-day global final in London. A winner is then selected who is rewarded with the opportunity to create their own limited edition Compass Box whisky for everyone to enjoy. 2018’s winner was London’s Rosey Mitchell from the bar Three Sheets. After an unavoidable pause on the programme over the past two years, Compass Box are looking to the future and ways to expand and develop The Circle.

Synaesthesia is as far outside most people’s perception as a fourth dimension. Yet to some, the concept of the senses entangling so they can taste music or see flavour is entirely natural. The Circle, No. 2 is an experiment in one bartender’s fascinating sensory world. Like all their whiskies though, the ultimate experience is shaped by the individual. To other synaesthetes, a sip may evoke the colour purple, or taste like D minor, while those with conventionally connected senses will still interpret the deliciousness in their own idiosyncratic way.

INTRODUCING REDBREAST DREAM CASK DOUBLE CASK EDITION

A magnificent limited-edition release to celebrate World Whisky Day

Redbreast Irish Whiskey, produced by Irish Distillers at its world-renowned Midleton Distillery in Co. Cork, is launching the fifth edition in its celebrated Dream Cask series to mark World Whisky Day 2022.

Redbreast Dream Cask Double Cask Edition is a 30 year old single pot still Irish whiskey which captures the quintessential Redbreast style while celebrating innovation and craftmanship. The fifth edition represents a truly unique addition to the series, marrying two dream casks, hand selected by Master Blender, Billy Leighton and Blender, Dave McCabe, to create one exceptional whiskey.

To create this extraordinary whiskey, Leighton and McCabe each hand selected their favourite cask from Midleton’s inventory before combining them to create one heavenly whiskey. The first cask, chosen by Leighton, was originally laid down in a first fill oloroso sherry butt in May 1990, while the second – chosen by McCabe – was laid down in a first fill bourbon barrel in November 1991. Each cask, reflective of the two distinct components of the Redbreast DNA, was chosen at its optimum maturity, then combined to showcase the unique traits imparted by each of the following three decades of ageing.

“Bottling these outstanding casks together at precisely the right moment has resulted in an incredibly complex Irish whiskey that harmoniously balances the vanilla sweetness and caramel creaminess from the bourbon barrel and the deep, dark fruitiness from the sherry butt,” explains Leighton.

“With an ABV of 56.9%, the resulting liquid is rich in robust spice with wood-driven characteristics and notes of dark-roasted coffee, sweet liquorice, orange peel and smoked almonds amplified by the wine cask’s influence.”

Launching for World Whisky Day, 714 bottles of Redbreast Dream Cask Double Cask Edition will be available exclusively through an online ballot hosted on Redbreast’s online members’ club  The Birdhouse at an RRP of €550. Each of the 500ml bottles will be presented in a keepsake book, made from recyclable cardboard*, detailing the latest instalment in the Dream Cask journey. 

“The Dream Cask collection has always been about sharing our most rare and special casks with Redbreast fans around the world and we are thrilled to showcase two distinct casks within this release,” explains Leighton.

“For this 2022 expression, we set out to create a perfectly aged single pot still whiskey that captured the qualities and virtues of its Dream Cask predecessors, but with a new and distinctive twist of marrying these two casks just at the point of bottling. We are delighted with the results and are excited to share this next chapter in the unfolding story of Redbreast.”

McCabe adds: “The traditional Redbreast style is so often associated with the influence of sherry casks that we sometimes overlook the role bourbon casks play in its composition. I am honoured to have been able to select my perfectly aged dream bourbon cask for this year’s Dream Cask and to pay homage to that unbeatable harmony that makes Redbreast so special.

“We are incredibly fortunate that we have the variety of aged stock at Midleton Distillery to explore and make our dreams a reality. Sharing our discovery with whiskey drinkers across the world is one of the most exciting and joyful aspects of my role to date.”

The ballot will be open for entries from Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, England, Scotland and Wales from 23^rd May. When the ballot closes on 30^th May, successful participants will be given an opportunity to purchase a limited-edition bottle of Dream Cask Double Cask Edition.

Tasting Notes

Nose: A rich and complex balance of aromas. A suggestion of dried herbs and earthy tones combine with hints of antique furniture, anise, hazelnut and tobacco. Autumnal fruits, black cherry and cassis build in perfect harmony with oak and sherry wine influences.

Taste: Lucious and full with warming spices and soft tannins at first. Notes of dark roasted coffee, honey-menthol and sweet liquorice follow, complementing the pot still spices. Orange peel and smoked almonds add their own unique and subtle touch.

Finish: Long and satisfyingly rich with the precise balance of fruits, spices and oak lingering until the very end.

* After removing the ribbon and magnets, the cardboard book is recyclable in Ireland and most major markets. 

About Irish Distillers

Irish Distillers is Ireland’s leading supplier of spirits and wines, and producer of some of the world’s most well-known and successful Irish whiskeys. Led by Jameson, our brands are driving the global renaissance of Irish whiskey. Jameson is the world’s bestselling Irish whiskey, experiencing 30 years of consecutive growth up to 2019 and hitting sales of 8.6m cases in 2021. Our brands are exported to 130+ markets.

Irish Distillers was formed in 1966, when a merger took place between John Power & Son, John Jameson & Son and Cork Distilleries Company. In 1988 Irish Distillers joined Pernod Ricard, gaining access to unprecedented levels of investment and an extensive global distribution network. Since 2012, we have invested over €400 million to double our production and bottling capacity to meet global demand for our products.

We employ over 600 people across our operations in Cork and Dublin.

About Pernod Ricard 

Pernod Ricard is the No.2 worldwide producer of wines and spirits with consolidated sales of €8,824 million in FY21. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has developed through organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard, which owns 16 of the Top 100 Spirits Brands, holds one of the most prestigious and comprehensive brand portfolios in the industry, including: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute, and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur, Mumm and Perrier-Jouët champagnes, as well Jacob’s Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo, and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard’s brands are distributed across 160+ markets and by its own salesforce in 73 markets. The Group’s decentralised organisation empowers its 19,000 employees to be true on-the-ground ambassadors of its vision of “Créateurs de Convivialité.” As reaffirmed by the Group’s three-year strategic plan, “Transform and Accelerate,” deployed in 2018, Pernod Ricard’s strategy focuses on investing in long-term, profitable growth for all stakeholders. The Group remains true to its three founding values: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust, and a strong sense of ethics. As illustrated by the 2030 roadmap supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), “We bring good times from a good place.” In recognition of Pernod Ricard’s strong commitment to sustainable development and responsible consumption, it has received a Gold rating from Ecovadis and is ranked No. 1 in the beverage sector in Vigeo Eiris. Pernod Ricard is also a United Nation’s Global Compact LEAD company.

Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40

A Trio of Collectible Irish Whiskeys from the Iconic Redbreast
15-Year, 21-Year, and 27-Year treasures for the serious enthusiast…

For decades, Irish whiskey was something of an afterthought for spirits aficionados, but lately the category has enjoyed a significant renaissance, and it’s largely thanks to the iconic offerings from Redbreast. Produced at the famed Midleton Distillery, this brand is widely considered the definitive expression of fine, single-pot still Irish whiskey. The flagship 12-year-old is without doubt the standard-bearer, but in recent years the distillery has released several new age-stated stunners that take the signature Redbreast profile to new heights. The 15-Year is an amped up version of the 12-Year, with a brash and bold spicy component that sets it apart from other offerings in its price tier. The 21-Year is “something special” according to Whisky Advocate, flaunting its ex-bourbon barrel character in an opulent, rich fashion. Finally, the 27-Year is simply a monumentally complex specimen unlike any other from the Emerald Isle. Aged partially in ruby port cask, it takes its pot-still essence into the stratosphere of intensity in a rendition that will certainly come to define collectible Irish whiskey in the years to come. If you’re already a fan, these treasures belong in your stash, and if you’re just starting your love affair with the category, this is your perfect starting point.

Redbreast 15 Year Old Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey (750ml) ($119.99)

92 points Whisky Advocate: “Redbreast 12 year old is a classic pure pot still Irish whiskey; where can you go from there? This new 15 year old expression is more muscular (bottling at 46% and not chill filtering certainly helps), but there are trade-offs. Its a bit closed on the nose (like a great Bordeaux wine thats too young). I do enjoy the silky/oily texture, the bold resinous oak spice grip on the finish, and the rich nutty toffee, fig, black raspberry, chocolaty, chewy nougat throughout the palate. (JH, Winter 2010)”

91 points Wine Enthusiast: “Made with a combination of malted and unmalted barley, this 15-year-old builds on the beautiful flavors of the 12-year-old version, adding big, mouth-filling caramel tones, a spicy finish and a velvety feel. It’s also higher proof than the 12-year-old and needs some dilution to help cool it down. (KN)” (03/2012)

Redbreast 21 Year Old Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey (750ml) ($299.99)

93 points Whisky Advocate: “Honey, vanilla, peppercorn, Golden Delicious apples, macadamia nut, green banana, and clove-spiked orange. The flavors are bright with green apple, banana, vanilla, and citrus, developing a delicious creaminess to support the pot still spices. The creaminess really crowns this older whiskey as something special, with the bourbon wood playing a greater role than in younger, jammier Redbreasts. The finish is wonderfully long and warming, with spice, tangy orange, and oak. (JM, Summer 2020)” (06/2020)

93 points Wine Enthusiast: “Burnished gold in the glass, this robust sipper offers complex vanilla, caramel, almond, butterscotch and honey. A splash of water opens up fruitier notes: dried apricot, buttery baked pear and a rounded, clove-accented finish. (KN)” (03/2017)

K&L Notes: In 2018, Jim Murray awarded Redbreast the honor of Second Best Whiskey in the World and scored it a whopping 97 points. Redbreast is the quintessential example of single pot still Irish whiskey—a uniquely Irish combination of malted and unmalted barley triple distilled in pot stills—and none is better than the 21-year-old expression. While Irish whiskey languished throughout the 20th century, Redbreast held strong and true to their passion and history for making one of the world’s greatest spirits and kept Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey alive for us to enjoy today during the new golden age of Irish booze.

Redbreast 27 Year Old Cask Strength Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey (750ml) ($549.99)

93 points Whisky Advocate: “This new permanent addition to the Redbreast range is partially matured in ruby port casks, which have helped the vitality and the complexity of the finished whiskey while still delivering a remarkable intensity of red berry fruit. Orange peel, pine cone, vanilla, and walnut on the nose. Raspberry, cherry, plums, and active spices like a wildfire across the tongue, with pepper and chile heightened by the strength and menthol late on the finish. (JM)” (06/2020).

JOIN YOUR FELLOW FLAVOUR HUNTERS
FOR THE FESTIVAL GRAND FINALE

Friday 27 May – Wednesday 1 June

Discover the thrill of the taste this May as our Flavour Hunters Festival comes to a finale in spectacular surroundings. SMWS MEMBERS UNITE… let’s come together to share a unique whisky experience, join us at Islay House for a relaxed garden party overlooking Loch Indaal. With breath-taking views and whiskies to explore – this event is sure to be a memorable one.

From 1:00pm till late – Islay House Open Day (Free entry)

From 1:00pm – Whisky Bar (drams available)

From 4:00pm – BBQ

2:30pm to 4:00pm and 4:00pm to 6:00pm – Islay House Games
(2 sessions)

2:00pm to 3:00pm (Tickets £35.00)
Flavour Hunter Exploration:
Festival Rare Releases

6:30pm to 7:30pm (Tickets £50.00)
SMWS Masterclasses – Memorable
Malts: Old & Rare 

Monday 30 May and Wednesday 1 June
1:00pm to 3:00pm (Free entry / informal drop-in)
SMWS Pop-up – Flavour Hunter Session

READ THE FULL PROGRAM

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

Kilchoman Release Loch Gorm 2022 Edition

From Islay’s Farm Distillery

Loch Gorm 2022 Edition was matured in oloroso sherry butts previously used by Bodega Jose y Miguel Martin for a minimum of eight years. The 22 casks selected are a combination of 20 fresh and 2 refill casks. The sherry soaked oak adds layers of rich fruity character which balance beautifully with classic Kilchoman peat smoke and citrus flavours.

£74.50

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Scotland’s First Family of Scottish Oak      

Pioneering Whisky Maker Gregg Glass achieves landmark

in his industry-leading Scottish Oak Programme

Esteemed whisky making house Whyte and Mackay has announced a landmark achievement, with every distillery in its collection now incorporated into the company’s industry-leading Scottish Oak Programme – an industry first.

The initiative, founded by pioneering Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass, led the industry to explore the potential for responsibly sourced, locally grown Scottish Oak to mature Scotch Whisky. The industry has historically favoured Oak sourced from outside Scotland.

Tamnavulin, in Speyside, joined the programme this week as Mark Kent, CEO of the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), joined the whisky makers to personally fill these special Scottish Oak casks.

The distillery follows island distillery Jura, and Fettercairn, located in ‘the Garden of Scotland’ – Aberdeenshire, where the initiative was born. Each distillery now has whisky experiments laid down to explore and evaluate the impact locally grown Oak has on each distinct distillery style and to identify the flavour characteristics that Scottish Oak lends to Scotch Whisky.

In doing so, the distilleries are paving the way for the wider use of responsibly sourced Scottish oak for future generations of whisky makers.

Led by Gregg Glass, Whyte and Mackay’s move towards Scottish oak maturation is an exploration into the unique flavour that the oak species possesses, as well as future-proofing both the sourcing and seasoning of cask options for the wider whisky industry, striving towards a more sustainable future.

Head of Whisky Experience at Whyte and Mackay, Ludo Ducrocq comments: “The filling of these special casks is really a celebration of the partnerships Whyte and Mackay has nurtured over time, which will ultimately benefit the whole industry.”

Glass has been exploring the use of native oak species for many years through Whyte and Mackay’s experimental arm, Whisky Works, which has previously celebrated the release of The King of Trees, a 10 year old blended malt finished in Scottish oak casks.

Since his appointment in 2016, Glass has developed long lasting partnerships with landowners and cooperages that share Whyte and Mackay’s vision for the future. Rooted in exemplary forestry management and considerate cooping practices, Whyte and Mackay believes that focusing on responsible sourcing and meaningful partnerships will drive positive change in the industry, leading to better whisky for everyone.

Glass explains: “The Scottish Oak Programme seeks to inspire change within the Scotch whisky industry. We want to champion the potential that home-grown oak offers the spirits industry, and the incredible diversity of flavour it offers the whisky maker.”

Whyte and Mackay – Award-Winning Whisky Makers

Whyte and Mackay are a famed whisky house, home to an award-winning collection of Single Malt Whiskies, led by The Dalmore. The collection includes Jura, the UK’s Number 1 [1]Single Malt, Tamnavulin[2], the world’s (IWSR, 2021)Single Malt and Fettercairn, home to enlightened whisky making.

In 2020 the company were publicly recognised by the First Minister of Scotland for their support of the national pandemic response. Whyte and Mackay are official partners to SAMH – Scottish Association for Mental Health, which saw Whyte and Mackay employees worldwide complete a virtual-race-around-the-world to raise awareness for the charity.

Founded in Glasgow 1844, the whisky makers recently celebrated their 175 year anniversary, and were recognised as Distiller of the Year 2021. Today Whyte and Mackay have offices from New York to Singapore. In Scotland, Whyte and Mackay operate a state-of-the-art Bottling Hall and Distribution Centre in Grangemouth and a Whisky Production and Warehousing Centre in Invergordon.

[1] Neilsen UK Off Trade MAT 26.03.22

[2] IWSR 2020

**NEWSFLASH** THE FIRST-EVER NFT LOT IN A WHISKY AUCTION SELLS FOR HK$937,500/ US$120,000 AT BONHAMS

Glen Grant-1948-72 year old Decanter alongside Year of the Dram and its NFT by celebrated South China Morning Post cartoon artist Harry Harrison sells in Hong Kong today

Glen Grant-1948-72 year old Decanter x Year of the Dram

Estimate of HK$700,000-900,000. Sold for HK$937,500.

Hong Kong – Moments ago, the first-ever NFT lot in a whisky auction sold for the price of HK$937,500/US$120,000 at Bonhams Fine & Rare Wine and Whisky Sale in Hong Kong. The lot, a Gordon & MacPhail’s Glen Grant 72-year-old whisky, is accompanied by the painting Year of the Dram and its NFT to commemorate this sale in Hong Kong and the year 1948 – when the whisky was first laid down in its cask. The prized lot carried an estimate of HK$700,000-900,000.

The painting was commissioned by celebrated South China Morning Post cartoon artist Harry Harrison.

Gordon & MacPhail 72 year old is the oldest Glen Grant whisky ever released to the market. This lot presented in a hand-cut crystal decanter is numbered 172, out of only 290 bottles produced. The same whisky previously set the world auction record for the most expensive Glen Grant whisky, where it fetched HK$421,600 at Bonhams Hong Kong in 2021.

Commenting on the results, Christopher Pong, Bonhams Head of Sale, said: “Having recently been named the World’s Best Single Cask of the Year 2022 and Scottish Single Malt Whisky of the Year in Whisky Bible, the Glen Grant 1948 is simply extraordinary. We are also pleased to be the first to offer a lot with an NFT work at a whisky auction.”>

Fine and Rare Wine and Whisky20 May 2022Bonhams Hong Kong, 20/F, One Pacific Place, Admiralty.

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world’s largest and most renowned auctioneers, offering fine art and collectables, motor cars and a luxury division, including jewellery, watches, wine and whisky. The main salerooms are in London, New York, Los Angeles, Paris and Hong Kong, with auctions also held in Knightsbridge, Edinburgh, and Sydney. With a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 22 countries, Bonhams offers advice and valuation services in 53 specialist areas. For a full list of forthcoming auctions, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, please visit bonhams.com

TIMOROUS BEASTIE

“MEET THE BEAST”

13 YEARS OLD

A limited-edition cask strength marriage of Single Cask Single Malts, only from the Highland region of Scotland. One of only 3,000 bottles, this charming fieldmouse may look somewhat mild, but behind his adorable exterior lies one monster of a Malt Whisky, bursting with explosive spices and cask strength depth.

£70.00

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BIG PEAT

Feis Íle 2022 – Beach BBQ 

This particular release of an award-winning blended malt, Big Peat, was created for the 2022 Edition of the Islay Whisky Festival. It was made using only the best quality single malt from Islay, resulting in punchy peat-packed malt with maple-cured bacon, charred oak and chewy salted toffee.

£51.50

Loch Lomond 17 Years Old 

I’ll Take The Low Road 

NOSE: Soft smoke steams from the glass laced with sugary sweet and earthen peat. Vanilla ice cream follows on with hints of boiled sweets and citrus.

PALATE: A bold and heady concoction of complex flavours. First, the sweetness of peat and old malt coats the mouth, followed by a more deep and richer earthy peat. Then, as it fades, citric boiled sweets, creaminess of marshmallowS and a whole rack of spices emerge.

FINISH: Heady and earthy peat lingers long, mingled with sweetness and spice and all things nice. A touch of the orange rind is the last to leave.   Only 255 bottles were produced.

£120.00

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RAISE A DRAM TO A BRAND NEW BATCH

As part of the Family, you are one of the first to hear about our exciting new release – Glengoyne Cask Strength Batch No. 009, is now available to discover and enjoy.

Bottled at the strength it emerges from the cask, this delicious amber gold dram is un-chillfiltered, unfussed and untamed; the closest you’ll get to opening the cask yourself. It’s the perfect embodiment of our unhurried approach to whisky making.

Matured in one-third first-fill Oloroso sherry, two-thirds refill casks, and a smattering of bourbon barrels, this rich, complex whisky draws the oak’s intensity and creates a stunning dram at natural strength.

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PREPARE FOR A PEATY PURSUIT 

Discover the thrill of the taste, we are in hot pursuit of these outstanding peaty recommendations, available to buy now in our online shop. These rare beasts won’t be around for long, follow your nose over to our website to track down before they are gone forever.

ALL LIGHTLY PEATED

PEATED    HEAVILY PEATED

NOT SO PASSIONATE FOR PEAT?

If you’re not a phenol fanatic, check out our cask ends and secure a piece of SMWS history!

SHOP CASK ENDS

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video