Scotch Malt Whisky Society “Baking Christmas Treats – Scotch Whisky News
We were transported to a Spanish bakery to celebrate the fruity decadence of Spanish Splendour with the scent of chocolate truffles, rum-soaked raisins, butterscotch sauce and prunes stewed in port wine. Somewhere between Spain and Scotland came a blended malt with notes of chewy highland toffee, oatmeal porridge with dried fruit compote and apple crumble met by churros and a glass of oak-aged rioja. This was Scarlett Marzipan.
SPANISH SPLENDOUR
Age: 10 years
Cask: First Fill American & Spanish Oak Oloroso and Refill Bourbon Hogsheads
Spanish Splendour is the latest addition to the Society’s non-standard ‘Heresy’ series of small-batch bottlings, and even for this collection, it is a bit of an unusual expression as it is a single malt rather than a blended malt. Hailing from the Scottish Highlands, Spanish Splendour will provide you with just the right amount of fruity decadence to celebrate the arrival of autumn.
This small batch single malt displays a wonderfully fruity highland distillate through the lens of oloroso sherry casks, in both Spanish & American oak. The Tasting Panel were taken to a Spanish bakery, where they enjoyed a wealth of luxurious sweet treats. An abundantly, almost extravagantly, rich aroma filled the room with the scent of chocolate truffles, rum-soaked raisins, butterscotch sauce and prunes stewed in port wine. The taste was just as luxuriant, with flavours of a Seville orange cake prepared with raw forest honey, which is a little less sweet and has a slightly salty note. With a drop of water we cracked the crunchy, caramelised crust of an authentic crema catalana to release the characteristic citrus and cinnamon aromas. On the palate, we cut slices of a cake from Brittany, a Far Breton – a flan-style egg and milk custard with prunes which reminded one of us of a similar dessert served in the Spanish Cantabria region, quesada pasiega.
SCARLETT MARZIPAN
Age: 10 years
Cask: First & Refill American Oak
& Spanish Oloroso
Butts
The blended malt is the rather tasty result of a combination of Speyside and Highland whiskies. Fully matured in sherry seasoned butts, a balance is struck between the use of refill and first-fill wood, and a fusion of Spanish and American oak influence.
On the neat nose we described it as a Scottish-Spanish alliance. Chewy highland toffee, oatmeal porridge with dried fruit compote and apple crumble were met by churros and a glass of oak-aged rioja. The initial taste certainly had those expected tannins but was almost immediately brimming with flavours of red fruits and toasted vanilla. Following reduction, the aroma of terracotta pots, sautéed wild mushrooms and salted almonds, plus farmhouse cider and red-wine pear frangipane tart, made this an utterly entertaining experience. The taste was like traditional Welsh cakes, a cross between a cookie, a scone and a pancake.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ
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