Early June 2016 Outturn Offerings

 

Cask No. 73.69                               $180

Dark side eclipsed by sweet joys

Speyside, Deveron

The nose delivered savoury notes, evoking tapas bars (fino, amontillado, tortilla, old polished wood, etc.) but the dessert menu was even stronger (crème caramel, rum and raisin ice-cream, apple granny cake. More complex with water – sugared seaweed, Japanese sweet omelette, earthy hazelnut and plastic toys in the sun. The taste was essentially sweet – vanilla, amaretto, caramel, carrot cake, figs – but with a slight metallic, gamey, bittersweet edge of burnt cake and walnut. With water, its darker side (Hoisin duck patrolling the farmyard in wellies) was happily dominated by the joyful sweetness of toffee, toasted marshmallows, Nutella, Dr Peppers syrup and pannacotta.

Drinking tip: Could accompany food (Spanish, oriental, e.g.) – or maybe better after a meal, with coffee

Colour: Caramelized sugar

Cask: Refill butt

Age: 22 years

Date distilled: October 1992

Alcohol: 52.9%

USA allocation: 120 bottles

Flavour profile: Deep, rich & dried fruits

 

Cask No. 121.80                                      $135

A curious and eccentric conundrum

Highland, Island

This nose was a curious and eccentric conundrum – earthy bass notes of pepper, burnt twigs, tarry wood and salty sweetness growled resonantly with sugared almonds and meatballs, yet we also found trills, triplets and tremolos of fruit (pomegranate, banana, wine gums) and even flowers. The palate also had this odd salty/sweet combination – chocolate, toffee and ice-cream ricocheting off sea-salt, sardine and salted caramel. The reduced nose suggested salt and vinegar crisps, lavender and a Bloody Mary sprinkled with celery salt. The palate remained mouth-tingling, with dark honey, salt and wood – odd as three different socks – but very tasty.

Drinking tip: Something to keep you amused while preparing dinner (or washing socks).

Colour: Suffused new gold

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 14 years

Date distilled: April 2000

Alcohol: 54.6%

USA allocation: 96 bottles

Flavour profile: Spicy & sweet

 

Cask No. 35.129                                      $210

Dans un auberge en Gascogne

Speyside, Lossie

The nose was slow to waken but led to comments like ‘Warm, rich, teasing’ and ‘high quality’ – toffee, chocolate éclairs, fudge and golden syrup promenaded alongside flower meadows and fresh hay – but slate, coal-tar, leather, brass and pine spoke of old-fashioned iron-mongers. The unreduced palate was pleasantly mouth-flooding with big flavours of sherry, roasted chestnuts, leather, dried fruits and heather stems after moor-burning. The second nosing had candles, fortified wine and saddles (d’Artagnan arrives at the inn?). Water helped the palate to consolidate and come together in harmony – brown sugar, dark chocolate orange creams, rum-soaked cherries, sweet liquorice and dark honey.

Drinking tip: A fine dram for reflective, contemplative moments (recalling a swashbuckling youth, perhaps).

Colour: Amber light through Crabbies ginger

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 27 years

Date distilled: May 1987

Alcohol: 53.8%

USA allocation: 48 bottles

Flavour profile: Old & dignified 

 

Cask No. 3.254                              $160

Sweet & salty seaweed

Islay

We were greeted by a fresh coastal sea breeze reminding some of us of walking the dog on a bright early morning along a pebble beach with scattered crab baskets and the enticing aroma of salty and sweet seaweed in the air. Salty and sweet it was on the palate too, like scallops and sweet chilli garnished with rocket leaves drizzled generously with balsamic vinegar. With a drop of water we carried on walking, passing a fisherman giving a new lick of paint to his upside down boat. The taste now like smoked haddock chowder with leeks and sweetcorn.

 

Drinking tip: Warning, once you start …

 

Colour: ‘Old Yeller’

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 19 years

Date distilled: March 1996

Alcohol: 58.1%

USA allocation: 120 bottles

Flavour profile: Oily & coastal

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