January 2014 Outturn Offerings 

Cask No. 44.58                         $125

A Bittersweet Sensation

Speyside, Spey

All of us, well the not so young ones, were transported back in time to an old fashioned sweet shop, wooden floor boards, saw dust and glass jars absolutely everywhere. There are so many aromas let’s mention a few; saltwater toffee, rhubarb and custard swirly lollies, apple and pear bonbons and strawberry chewits. The taste neat red berry jam, ripe Morello cherries and chocolate like Green&Black’s Dark Chocolate Cherry Bar. After a tiny splash of water initially quite dusty – opening a book after a very long time on the shelf, then sweet notes reappear quickly; fruity jelly beans, strawberry gelatine and Hubba Bubba chewing gum. An enticing fruity/sour combination with a creamy finish of rhubarb crumble and vanilla custard.

Drinking tip: When you feel nostalgic and listening to a vinyl record

Colour: Honey gold                                       Date distilled: August 1999

Cask: Refill butt                                  Alcohol: 59.1%

Age: 13 years                                      USA allocation: 120 bottles

 

Cask No. 17.35                         $110

Very fruity, very tasty

Highland, Island

We found lots of good stuff on the nose – honey, toffee, vanilla, Battenberg cake, vanilla and a variety of fruits (pear, apple, tinned pineapple, strawberry, three-fruit marmalade). We also found tarragon, straw, putty, menthol, brass and a stationery cupboard. The palate was tasty – majoring on fruit (star-fruit, rhubarb, peach, pineapple) – but also with gummi bears, soor plooms, some interesting ginger spice and a salty note. The nose shifted with water – oatcakes, tea caddies and pepper – the centre-piece still a bowl of fruit, but now sharper (gooseberry, lime). The palate became even tastier – Moffat toffees and coke with lime. Orkney’s smaller distillery.

Drinking tip: To serve before a lunch in summer

Colour: Liquid gold                             Date distilled: January 2002

Cask: Refill barrel                                Alcohol: 56.1%

Age: 11 years                                      USA allocation: 156 bottles

Cask No. 25.64                         $175

Manzanilla Sherry Trifle

Lowland

The nose neat reminded some of us of an old school study whilst others imagined an elegant ladies morning room. Both have in fact similar images; leather chairs and sofas, old leather bound dusty books, thick Persian oriental antique rugs, fresh cut wood on either side of the fireplace and the scent of potpourri and dried flowers in the air. The taste lively, peppery and sweet. Fruity flavours of blackcurrant, raspberry and blueberry together with Indian spice mix and salted limes. With the addition of water aromas of a herb garden surrounded by a pine forest and the flavours are Manzanilla Sherry trifle, pink grapefruit juice and in the finish liquorice allsorts.

Drinking tip: Before Sunday lunch

Colour: Virgin olive oil                                  Date distilled: November 1990

Cask: Refill hogshead                                    Alcohol: 59.8%

Age: 22 years                                                USA allocation: 66 bottles 

 

Cask No. 125.70                                 $90

 

A dram of two halves

Highland, Northern

The nose has an assertive, lively, fresh and briny aroma like sea spray scented air and an aged Manzanilla Pasada Sherry. All this accompanied by sea salt and cracked black pepper flavoured crisps as well as green olives and grilled goat’s cheese with quince paste (Carne de Membrillo) on toast. The taste has salty peanuts, fresh oyster juice and the sourness of a grapefruit sorbet – a real palate cleanser. With water the aroma changes completely; sweet fresh fruit salad, creamy Banoffee pie and the spiciness of a Tokaji sweet wine. The taste silenced the Panel; chocolate fondant with orange blossom cream, crunchy caramel toffee and chocolate covered figs. This is a dram of two halves and we loved both!

Drinking tip: As an aperitif (neat) or with desert (adding a drop of water)

Colour: Straw-yellow                                    Date distilled: February 2005

Cask: Second-fill barrel                                 Alcohol: 59.3%

Age: 8 years                                                 USA allocation: 150 bottles 

 

Cask No. 129.3                         $85

Unwind and set your watch to ‘Islay Time’

Islay

What a nose: maritime, fishy, antiseptic and herbal. Let’s make a start; lobster pots, breakfast kippers, smoked scallops in a creamy pepper sauce, Germolene, Savlon cream and to top it all, a lobster pot pie with a biscuit topping seasoned with chives and parsley. The taste does not disappoint, clean peat smoke and cured mackerel sushi with wasabi to accentuate the rich oily and slightly drying aftertaste. With water becoming sweeter; smoked honey marinated mackerels, toasted almonds and singed gammon steaks. And the taste from the newest distillery on Islay –  calamari with a honey dip, sweet hickory toasted almonds, stir fry with cashew nuts and soya sauce – do I need to go on,  just relax and enjoy!

Drinking tip: Pull yourself up a comfortable arm chair and say good bye to care

Colour: Moon light glow                                Date distilled: September 2008

Cask: First-fill barrel                                     Alcohol: 60.2%

Age: 4 years                                                 USA allocation: 120 bottles 

 

Cask No. G5.10                         $195

Sugar and spice and all things nice

Grain

The nose had a dusty quality, suggesting pepper, straw, icing sugar and sanded wood; also a freshly glued balsa model; spiced apple strudel, lychee, glacé cherries and banana chips with good sweetness (toffee, candy floss, Demerara). The unreduced taste was sweet heat – banana toffee, Caramac, butterscotch, caramel sauce, brown sugar and chocolate powder on cappuccino; heat coming from pink peppercorn, cinnamon and clove. In reduction, the nose found cinder toffee and almond biscuits, while the palate reached a tasty bitter-sweet balance of dark chocolate and icing sugar. ‘Sugar and spice and all things nice’ from the only Highland grain distillery.

Drinking tip: Could be served between courses at dinner – e.g. preparing the mouth for dessert. Be careful with the water.

Colour: Toffee gold                                       Date distilled: March 1988

Cask: Refill barrel                                Alcohol: 62.3%

Age: 25 years                                      USA allocation: 60 bottles

Please visit the Scotch Malt Whisky Society at http://www.smwsa.com/