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You are here: Home / 2022 / Archives for November 2022

Archives for November 2022

The Dalmore Unveils 2022 Vintages Whisky Collection!

November 30, 2022 by Gary Leave a Comment

The Dalmore 2003 Vintage and The Dalmore 2007 Vintage!

The Dalmore Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky has unveiled two new limited editions from the Vintage collection, The Dalmore 2003 Vintage and The Dalmore 2007 Vintage!

Created by pioneering Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass and Master Distiller Richard Paterson OBE, The Dalmore Vintage collection showcases exceptional whiskies of distinguished character, each hand-selected in November, following a five decades-old Dalmore tradition.

Once a year, The Dalmore whisky makers visit the distillery to reacquaint themselves with their rare casks laid to mature in their historic warehouses, on the banks of Scotland’s great natural waterway, the Cromarty Firth in the Scottish Highlands.

November marks the optimum time for The Dalmore whisky makers to return to the distillery to assess their rare casks and the whiskies laid maturing within, as the cooling climate allows their potential to truly shine. Only the most exceptional whiskies reviewed during this special time and considered to have distinguished character are chosen to become a Dalmore Vintage.

The Dalmore 2003 Vintage offers on the nose – Manuka Honey, dark toffee, aged vanilla-pods; on the palate – warm honey, maple syrup and spiced dark fruits; and finishing notes of antique honey, old English marmalade and sweet spice. This elegant whisky was first matured in ex-Bourbon American oak casks, then enhanced through a carefully balanced recipe of hand-selected casks; Rivesaltes sweet wine casks, rare Matusalem and Amoroso sherry casks and small-batch Bourbon barrels.

The Dalmore 2007 Vintage offers on the nose – Honey, fresh baked brioche and ice ginger cake; on the palate – orange blossom honey, spices and mandarins; and finishing notes of patisserie sugars, ginger snaps and cinnamon. The antique qualities of this whisky are created through an initial maturation in ex-Bourbon American white oak barrels, then enhanced with a harmony of rare-hand-selected aged casks – Matusalem, Apostoles and Amoroso sherry, alongside sweet Marsala wine barrels.

The time we take each November at The Dalmore is a true highlight of my year. At The Dalmore every cask is special, but when it comes to a Dalmore Vintage, we assess rare casks by hand, reacquainting ourselves with the character of each whisky.

For a whisky to become a Dalmore Vintage we are looking for a distinctive characteristic that distinguishes that Single Malt above all else that year, a whisky with true potential to shine.
– Gregg Glass: Master Whisky Maker

The Dalmore 2003 Vintage (RRP £350, 46.9% ABV) and 2007 Vintage (RRP £150, 46.5% ABV) and available from December at select outlets worldwide. UK outlets include; Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, Master of Malt, Whisky Exchange and The Whisky Shop.

  • Compare prices for Dalmore!

Filed Under: Dalmore, New Arrivals, News

Sampling Offerings From Limestone Branch Distillery On Twitter … And Why I Changed My Mind On Which I Like The Best!

November 29, 2022 by Gary Leave a Comment

The Limestone Branch Distillery Lineup!

Last Wednesday nights @TweetTastings, which was once again ably hosted by Steve from The Whisky Wire, gave us the opportunity to sample three offerings from Limestone Branch Distillery.

The distillery was first opened in 2011 and was founded by seventh-generation distillers and brothers Stephen and Paul Beam.

The drinks sampled were:-

  • Bowling & Burch Gin
  • Minor Case Straight Rye Whiskey
  • Yellowstone Family Recipe Bourbon

If you want to catch up on what all the tweet tasters had to say you can view their comments by searching for the hash tag #LimestoneBranchDistillery on Twitter.

So, what did I think?

Here are my tasting notes … and the one which was my favourite on the night!

Tasting Notes – Bowling & Burch Gin (48%)


Bowling & Burch Gin
48% ABV
A small batch gin crafted using 19 botanicals
Currently only available in the US
RRP $39.99

Bowling & Burch Gin which takes its name and inspiration from the Beam brothers ancestors, was created by Stephen Beam, and is the result of his green fingers and passion for experimentation.

8 of the 19 botanicals used to produce Bowling & Burch Gin were grown at the distillery; bitter orange, black cherry, honeysuckle, rosemary, lemon grass, lemon verbena, blackberry and coriander.


Nose: Pungent juniper, strong lemon with hints of orange and thyme. In addition, fresh cut cucumber with additional grapefruit gives way to slight waxiness and there’s also some pepper.

Palate: Sweet and very herbal with tasty lemon and orange. Growing pepper and chocolate.

Finish: The juniper and grapefruit storm through later. With tonic it becomes more savoury.

Overall: This is a gin that’s quite something in its neat state!

Tasting Notes – Minor Case Straight Rye Whiskey (45%)


Minor Case Straight Rye Whiskey
2 Years Old
45% ABV
Finished in Sherry casks
Available from houseofmalt.co.uk for £44.95

Minor Case Straight Rye, was created by Stephen and Paul Beam, whose grandfather (Minor Case) was making whiskey long before prohibition started 100 years ago, and the brothers still use the same recipes and distilling notes today.


Nose: Deep citrus, lovely toffee, spiced fruit cake and mint! Creamy chocolate with some sweet wood.

Palate: Thinnish, fruity mouthfeel with bubble gum, sweet toffee, spicy cake, cinnamon, chocolate and raspberry.

Finish: There’s just enough peppery spice to offset the sweetness and it all goes down rather glowingly!

Overall: Quite a dram for only two years old – seriously fruity!

Tasting Notes – Yellowstone Family Recipe Bourbon (50%)


Yellowstone Family Recipe
Kentucky Straight Bourbon
6 Years Old
50% ABV
Currently only available in the US
RRP $69.99

Yellowstone Family Recipe Kentucky Straight Bourbon, is truly a family heirloom, passed down for generations. Stephen Beam, Master Distiller at Limestone Branch Distillery, unearthed the original Yellowstone recipe scribed in a notebook from his grandfather, Guy Beam.

That very same recipe, coupled with the original yeast cloned from Minor Case’s jug, was used to distil Yellowstone Family Recipe Kentucky Straight Bourbon


Nose: Toasted peanuts, nut brittle, fresh wet wood and apple.

Palate: Ooh! Sweet nuts! Dusky nuts, all things nuts! Plus some caramel, citrus and pineapple to even the score.

Finish: There’s some fiery spice to finish this – watch out!

Overall: Gotta’ love them nuts!

My Favourite On The Night

I originally voted for Yellowstone Family Recipe Bourbon on the night whereas most tasters chose the Minor Case Straight Rye Whiskey. On a subsequent tasting I had to change my mind and agree with them – Minor Case Straight Rye Whiskey is quite exceptional considering it’s young age – full of fruit and class!

Many thanks to Steve at The Whisky Wire (@TheWhiskyWire / @TweetTastings) for a great evening and Limestone Branch Distillery (@ChapmanPoolePR) for sending the samples and without whom!

My fellow Tweet Tasters on the night were:-


@TheWhiskyWire @SpiritAndWood @whiskyrover @ForTheDram @whiskyodyssey @sprungatom @WhiskyWings @FiShoop @WhiskyAlly @MaltMusings @ocdwhisky @jwbassman_ @Wadz73 @AndyatDram @TheWhiskyphiles @whiskygraeme @WhiskyWithMolly @Jotterface @rodbodtoo @WhiskyLee232 @TallmanFM @CEVokins @LeedsWine @TipsySassenach

Filed Under: Bourbon, Gin, Gin Tasting, Limestone Branch Distillery, News, Sampling, The Whisky Wire, Twitter Tasting, Whiskey, Whisky tasting

Sampling “Dram o’ clock” (Cask No: 9.222) – An SMWS Whisky That’s A Tasty, Gentle Giant Of A Dram!

November 25, 2022 by Gary Leave a Comment

“Dram o’ clock” Cask No: 9.222!


The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Black Friday Offer Ends This Sunday!


Save £15 when you buy an SMWS Membership and get a Mystery Malt for £45!

Valid until Sunday 27th. November

Don’t forget an SMWS Membership gives you 12 months of whisky fun and entertainment and included in the Membership fee is access to their Members’ Rooms where there are limited-edition bottles that are just perfect for gifting, sharing and sparking conversation around the dinner table or comfy armchair!

With Twenty whiskies released every month and a selection available online from over 120 distilleries – what is there not to like?

So, with the above fantastic offer in mind I’ve kindly been sent a bottle of one their cask bottlings to try, namely “Dram o’ clock” (Cask No: 9.222) which is a whisky profiled as ‘Juicy Oak & Vanilla’ – and the stock of which has nearly run out!

So, what did I think? Here are my tasting notes …

The 9.222

Tasting Notes – “Dram o’ clock” Cask No: 9.222 (62.9%)


“Dram o’ clock”
Cask No: 9.222
13 Years old

Juicy Oak & Vanilla flavour profile

Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
Distillery: Glen Grant
Origin: Scotland
Region: Speyside
ABV: 62.9%

£62.00 – Only 5 left in stock!

Nose: Quite a slow starter on the nose for me. After a little time I get sweet toffee, vanilla and fresh apple. There’s delicate shades of oak and some floral notes for good measure as well.

Palate: Creamy vanilla biscuit coupled with sweet apple and a little citrus.

Finish: A very smooth finish with some muted spice. A woody, dry finish on the palate but it remains sweet and fruity throughout.

Overall: Considering the high ABV of this whisky it is rather a gentle giant of a dram – and that’s quite a tasty achievement!

Adding water turned the ‘alcohol volume’ down somewhat bringing forward many its flavours.

Many thanks to SMWS (@SMWSUK) for sending me a botle to try!

Explore Christmas at the SMWS with these Useful links:-

  • Membership and Gift Membership options (including Mystery Malt bundle offers)
  • Advent Calendar
  • Christmas collections and gift ideas (which change regularly!)
  • Christmas page
  • SMWS Gift Guide
  • Dram-Cierge service information
  • December Events: Edinburgh Vaults & Queen Street Venues
  • December Events: Glasgow Bath Street Venue
  • December Events: London Greville Street Venue

About The SMWS

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is a club unlike any other.

As well as being a place to connect with other like-minded whisky lovers, they are also internationally renowned for their mission: “to provide our members with an adventurous and fun journey of discovery of the world’s widest collection of single cask whiskies.”

Conceptualised in the late 70’s and established in 1983, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, now 35 years old, has branches and partners bars in 19 countries globally. The Society has a selection of over 500 casks every year, each cask yielding a few hundred or less whisky bottles which are unique to that cask.

Rather than name their Whiskies after the distillery, the Society has a coding system. The Society also creates fantastic tasting notes summaries for their Whiskies and other bottles. The whiskies are straight from the cask single malt, undiluted, without chill-filtration or colouring at cask strength.

More recently the Society has been named Independent Bottler of the Year in Whisky Magazine’s prestigious Independent Bottlers’ Challenge (IBC) competition.

Filed Under: Christmas, New Arrivals, News, Sampling, Smws, Speyside, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Whisky, Whisky tasting

Sampling “Toast rack” (Cask No: 64.130) – An SMWS Dram Whisky That Packs A Great Palate Punch!

November 24, 2022 by Gary Leave a Comment

“Toast rack” Cask No: 64.130!


The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Black Friday Offer Ends Soon!


Save £15 when you buy an SMWS Membership and get a Mystery Malt for £45!

Valid until Sunday 27th. November

The SMWS bottle exceptional and colourful whiskies that are ever-changing and exclusive to their members with over 20 released every month and a selection available online from over 120 distilleries.

An SMWS Membership is also a gift that keeps on giving, 12 months of whisky fun and entertainment and their Members’ Rooms are just as special as their whisky and together, deliver a one-of-a-kind magical experience that truly comes alive during the winter season!

So, with the above fantastic offer in mind I’ve kindly been sent a bottle of one their cask bottlings to try, namely “Toast rack” (Cask No: 64.130) which is a whisky profiled as ‘Juicy Oak & Vanilla’ – and the stock of which are quickly running out!

So, what did I think? Here are my tasting notes …

The 64.130

Tasting Notes – “Toast rack” Cask No: 64.130 (58.7%)

Juicy Oak & Vanilla
“Toast rack”
Cask No: 64.130
Cask Type: 1st fill American & European Oak Hogshead
Distillery: Mannochmore
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 58.7%
£65.90 – Only 6 left!

After nine years in ex-bourbon wood, this whisky was transferred to a custom toasted oak hogshead (60% American oak, 40% European)


Nose: Rich, creamy toffee and vanilla with apple, lemon a little orange. There’s aromas of damp wood. Later on some very nice chocolate makes it’s presence felt which is very inviting indeed!

Palate: Generous toffee with apple, lemon plus a little orange (similar to the nose) Add in chocolate, blackcurrant and liquorice all atop a hefty ABV and you’ll see why this whisky packs a great palate punch!

Finish: A deep warming spice with cracked black pepper and a little dryness at the end.

Overall: An outstanding dram that also works very well with water. An addition of a few drops brings out a lush sweetness and expands the other flavours with lots more chocolate and some grapefruit on the finish.

Many thanks to SMWS (@SMWSUK) for sending me a botle to try!

Explore Christmas at the SMWS with these Useful links:-

  • Membership and Gift Membership options (including Mystery Malt bundle offers)
  • Advent Calendar
  • Christmas collections and gift ideas (which change regularly!)
  • Christmas page
  • SMWS Gift Guide
  • Dram-Cierge service information
  • December Events: Edinburgh Vaults & Queen Street Venues
  • December Events: Glasgow Bath Street Venue
  • December Events: London Greville Street Venue

About The SMWS

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is a club unlike any other.

As well as being a place to connect with other like-minded whisky lovers, they are also internationally renowned for their mission: “to provide our members with an adventurous and fun journey of discovery of the world’s widest collection of single cask whiskies.”

Conceptualised in the late 70’s and established in 1983, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, now 35 years old, has branches and partners bars in 19 countries globally. The Society has a selection of over 500 casks every year, each cask yielding a few hundred or less whisky bottles which are unique to that cask.

Rather than name their Whiskies after the distillery, the Society has a coding system. The Society also creates fantastic tasting notes summaries for their Whiskies and other bottles. The whiskies are straight from the cask single malt, undiluted, without chill-filtration or colouring at cask strength.

More recently the Society has been named Independent Bottler of the Year in Whisky Magazine’s prestigious Independent Bottlers’ Challenge (IBC) competition.

Filed Under: Christmas, New Arrivals, News, Sampling, Smws, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Whisky, Whisky tasting

Councillors Grant Planning Permission For Islay’s Smallest Distillery!

November 24, 2022 by Gary Leave a Comment

Hopes are that the first whisky will be produced late 2024/early 2025

Members of Argyll and Bute Council’s Planning, Protective Services and Licensing Committee (PPSL) have approved the planning application for Islay’s smallest distillery!

The proposed distillery, situated close to Port Charlotte, will have a target capacity of 200,000 litres of pure alcohol per annum and the distillery will also act as a key visitor attraction for this part of Islay, taking advantage of the existing beauty of the surrounding landscape, with a visitor centre included as part of the proposals.

Materials for the distillery have been chosen to reflect a philosophy of ‘use natural, reduce and source locally’ helping to achieve the goal of net zero embodied carbon. This includes the use of natural building materials where possible, such as locally sourced timber and stone and only using concrete / steel where a natural / low-carbon solution is not suitable.

The planning application, now approved, includes 4.25MW of solar power, located over two sites; a 700kW hydrogen electrolyser; and a 5MW Battery Energy Storage System.

Islanders Bertie Nesselrode and Scott McLellan, who are behind the new project, have welcomed the news.

Today’s decision is a fantastic and significant milestone for the project. We believe passionately in the distillery and the many benefits we know it will bring to this part of Islay.

Along with producing a world-class, sustainable whisky, we are proud to be offering a community benefit fund, ensuring that all islanders have the opportunity to benefit from the distillery in the future.

We will now turn our attention to the next, exciting stage in the distillery’s development, and would like to thank all those who have supported us so far.
– Bertie Nesselrode

Councillors were unanimous in approving the proposals, with the development team hoping to begin on-site next year and the first whisky being produced late 2024/early 2025.

Filed Under: Distilleries, Islay, News, Whisky

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Black Friday Offer Is Now On!

November 21, 2022 by Gary Leave a Comment

Magical membership moments and the power of togetherness, to make memories and new friends!


The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Black Friday Offer!


Save £15 when you buy an SMWS Membership and get a Mystery Malt for £45!

Valid from 21.11.22 to 27.11.22

The SMWS is a truly unique experience – they are a whisky club like no other!

They bottle exceptional and colourful whiskies that are ever-changing and exclusive to their members with over 20 released every month and a selection available online from over 120 distilleries.

Their venues are always dressed to impress!

An SMWS Membership is the gift that keeps on giving, 12 months of whisky fun and entertainment – the ultimate experience for the whisky lover. With limited numbers and playful tasting notes, SMWS rare whiskies also make the most unique and fun gift. Unlikely to be given by anyone else and guaranteed to impress.

Their Members’ Rooms are just as special as their whisky and together, deliver a one-of-a-kind magical experience that truly comes alive during the winter season! Christmas is THE time of the year to enjoy the most magical membership moments and the power of togetherness, to make memories and new friends, create conversation and to add spirit to the season.

Their venues are always dressed to impress, with tasting events unlike anything else AND of course, there’s limited-edition bottles with creative titles and tasting notes that are just perfect for gifting, sharing and sparking conversation around the dinner table or comfy armchair. And of course, what do you get the whisky lover that has everything – discovery of the world’s most entertaining whisky club, with SMWS membership!

Explore Christmas at the SMWS with these Useful links:-

  • Membership and Gift Membership options (including Mystery Malt bundle offers)
  • Advent Calendar
  • Christmas collections and gift ideas (which change regularly!)
  • Christmas page
  • SMWS Gift Guide
  • Dram-Cierge service information
  • December Events: Edinburgh Vaults & Queen Street Venues
  • December Events: Glasgow Bath Street Venue
  • December Events: London Greville Street Venue

About The SMWS

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is a club unlike any other.

As well as being a place to connect with other like-minded whisky lovers, they are also internationally renowned for their mission: “to provide our members with an adventurous and fun journey of discovery of the world’s widest collection of single cask whiskies.”

Conceptualised in the late 70’s and established in 1983, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, now 35 years old, has branches and partners bars in 19 countries globally. The Society has a selection of over 500 casks every year, each cask yielding a few hundred or less whisky bottles which are unique to that cask.

Rather than name their Whiskies after the distillery, the Society has a coding system. The Society also creates fantastic tasting notes summaries for their Whiskies and other bottles. The whiskies are straight from the cask single malt, undiluted, without chill-filtration or colouring at cask strength.

More recently the Society has been named Independent Bottler of the Year in Whisky Magazine’s prestigious Independent Bottlers’ Challenge (IBC) competition.

Filed Under: Black Friday, Christmas, News, Offers, Smws, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society

Sampling The Wares Of The Glasgow Distillery: Three Whiskies, Two Rums & A Whole Lot Of Flavour!

November 18, 2022 by Gary Leave a Comment

Three whiskies and two rums!

Three whiskies and two rums were the treats we could look forward to with last Wednesday nights @TweetTastings, which was once again ably hosted by Steve from The Whisky Wire!

They all hailed from the Glasgow Distillery who also produce blended Whisky, Gin and Vodka!

On the night we sampled:-

  • 1770 Original
  • 1770 Tokaji Cask Finish
  • 1770 Golden Beer Cask Finish
  • Banditti Glasgow Spiced Rum
  • Banditti Smoky Rogues Rum

If you want to catch up on what all the tweet tasters had to say you can view their comments by searching for the hash tag #GlasgowDistillery on Twitter.

So, what did I think?

Here are my tasting notes … and the one which was my favourite on the night!

Tasting Notes – 1770 Original (46%)


Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Casks: Initially matured in first fill-ex Bourbon barrels, before being finished in Virgin oak casks
ABV: 46%
£49.00

Glasgow 1770 The Original is their Flagship unpeated bottling. ItÕs a true representation of the whisky they produce and showcases their production philosophy and dedication to quality.


Nose: Creamy toffee with some apple and pineapple in there for good measure. Spicy wood with hints of chocolate and the spice gets fruitier with the passing of time.

Palate: Fruity cane sweetness with powerful orange, pineapple and toffee.

Finish: A warming spice that grows in pepperiness with grapefruit and some salt coming along at the end.

Overall: A great go-to dram.

Tasting Notes – 1770 Tokaji Cask Finish (58%)


Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Casks: Initially matured in first-fill Bourbon barrels, before being finished in Hungarian Tokaji wine casks
ABV: 58%
£59.00 (Coming Soon)


Nose: Thick caramel and peanut butter with apple, pineapple and shades of clove and jasmine tea. (Thanks to @fishoop for that one!) Creamy strawberries damp wood add up to a very inviting nose!

Palate: Sherbet fruity sweetness with pineapple and creamy strawberries – Yum! Tingling, fizzy spice on the tongue couples with chocolate. The spice is pretty powerfull – I think my mouth is a little numb!

Finish: Woody with again a salty end.

Overall: A really lovely dram with bags of flavour and profile!

Tasting Notes – 1770 Golden Beer Cask Finish (56.2%)


Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Casks: First-fill Bourbon, then finished in a PX Sherry cask that held Innis & Gunn Golden Beer for 3 months.
ABV: 56.2%
£59.00 (Coming Soon)


Nose: A bit quieter this one … woody with cream but a very shy dram overall! More beery notes come through later with toffee and some woody overtones.

Palate: A subtle initial palate. Woody with sweet chocolate and there’s some lovely fruit there as well with creamy malt.

Finish: Nutty and very spicy. It’s also a pretty dry finish.

Tasting Notes – Banditti Glasgow Spiced Rum (44%)


Casks: Matured for up to 12 months in oak barrels
ABV: 44% ABV
£25.00

Banditti Club Rum Ð Glasgow Spiced is matured and spiced in Glasgow, made using rum distilled from freshly pressed sugar cane juice on the Island of Madeira.

Banditti Club takes its name from a company of bold rogues who would meet in GlasgowÕs local public houses; singing, eating and playing music late into the night.


Nose: Ah! Delightful – liquid Christmas cake in a glass! Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and orange! Sweet and minty, herbal menthol (which is a surprise) arrives after a while sat sitting in a glass.

Palate: Not at all rum like: minty, herbal, menthol with lemon!

Finish: Sweet orange and ginger with some peppery spice.

Tasting Notes – Banditti Smoky Rogues Rum (52.2%)


Casks: Initially matured in oak casks, before being finished for 18 months in Glasgow 1770 Peated whisky casks
ABV: 52.2% ABV
£28.00

Launched earlier this month, Banditti Club Rum Ð Smoky Rogues, is a limited-edition, single cask incarnation of their Glasgow Spiced rum, which has been finished in peated whisky casks.


Nose: Musky rooms, cloves and mince pies. Cinnamon, nutmeg follows, similar to the Banditti Glasgow Spiced Rum.

Palate: Quite medicinal with sweet herbs, cloves and menthol.

Finish: The medicinal flavours continue and it’s all wrapped up in a slightly smokey coat!

My Favourites On The Night

1. 1770 Tokaji Cask Finish
2. Banditti Smoky Rogues Rum

A lovely dram with all it’s fruity and spicy goodness and that rum is REALLY different!

Catch up on what all the tweet tasters had to say with #GlasgowDistillery on Twitter

Many thanks to Steve at The Whisky Wire (@TheWhiskyWire / @TweetTastings) for a great evening and Glasgow Distillery (@GlasgowDC) for sending the samples and without whom!

Whiskies and Rums are available to buy from The Glasgow Distillery

Glasgow Distillery wares are also available to buy from these Merchants:-

  • Master of Malt
  • Hard To Find Whisky
  • The Whisky Barrel
  • Tyndrum Whisky

Filed Under: Glasgow Distillery, News, Rum, Sampling, The Whisky Wire, Twitter Tasting, Whisky, Whisky tasting

The SMWS Advent Calendar 2022 Is Still Available But Going Fast!

November 17, 2022 by Gary Leave a Comment

The SMWS Advent Calendar 2022!

The SMWS Advent Calendar 2022 is still available but going fast!

Count down the days to Christmas with 25 (not just your usual 24!) different spirited casks!

Priced at £189 this Limited edition Advent Calendar contains whisky miniatures for every day in the run up to Christmas and contains some very special drams indeed!

25 Gems of drams!

Housed in a beautiful box to increase the magic, you’ll find a Society whisky surprise behind each calendar door! Designed to thrill the senses these 25ml bottles are packed full of taste and flavour. In addition these mini-gems are also a great opportunity to discover a new favourite flavour profile as well as taste and explore bottlings that you might not have tried before.

The set also makes a great choice if you’re hosting this holiday season – perfect as a festive table favour at Christmas or New Year!

As each day dawns you can also see Society Notes on that days dram by visiting the 25casks webpage.

You can also catch-up on what fellow Society Members thoughts are on each whisky by visiting the hashtag #25casks on Twitter.

Many thanks to SMWS (@SMWSUK) who have kindly sent me an Advent Calendar to sample over the run up to Christmas!

I shall be posting my tasting thoughts each day starting from December 1st. (obviously!) when I open each dramming window to savour the delights of the Calendar!

Explore Christmas at the SMWS with these Useful links:-

  • Membership and Gift Membership options (including Mystery Malt bundle offers)
  • Advent Calendar
  • Christmas collections and gift ideas (which change regularly!)
  • Christmas page
  • SMWS Gift Guide
  • Dram-Cierge service information
  • December Events: Edinburgh Vaults & Queen Street Venues
  • December Events: Glasgow Bath Street Venue
  • December Events: London Greville Street Venue

No peeking!


About The SMWS

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is a club unlike any other.

As well as being a place to connect with other like-minded whisky lovers, they are also internationally renowned for their mission: “to provide our members with an adventurous and fun journey of discovery of the world’s widest collection of single cask whiskies.”

Conceptualised in the late 70’s and established in 1983, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, now 35 years old, has branches and partners bars in 19 countries globally. The Society has a selection of over 500 casks every year, each cask yielding a few hundred or less whisky bottles which are unique to that cask.

Rather than name their Whiskies after the distillery, the Society has a coding system. The Society also creates fantastic tasting notes summaries for their Whiskies and other bottles. The whiskies are straight from the cask single malt, undiluted, without chill-filtration or colouring at cask strength.

More recently the Society has been named Independent Bottler of the Year in Whisky Magazine’s prestigious Independent Bottlers’ Challenge (IBC) competition.

Filed Under: Advent Calendar, Christmas, News, Smws, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society

“Spiced and iced ginger cake” – The Latest New Arrivals From The SMWS!

November 16, 2022 by Gary Leave a Comment

Spiced and iced ginger cake
Cask No: 134.15

New Arrivals From The Scotch Malt Whisky Society!

Deep Rich & Dried Fruits

Spiced and iced ginger cake

Spiced and iced ginger cake
Cask No: 134.15

Cask Type: refill ex-bourbon barrel
Distillery: Paul John
Origin: India
ABV: 57.6%
£155.00

Qty left: 73

Spicy & Sweet

Panettone with mascarpone

Panettone with mascarpone
Cask No: 71.91

Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
Distillery: Glenburgie
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 63.9%
£78.00

Qty left: 32

Sweet Fruity & Mellow

Chestnut forest confections

Chestnut forest confections
Cask No: 38.38

Cask Type: 2nd fill ex-bourbon barrel
Distillery: Caperdonich
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 51.6%
£345.00

Qty left: 36

Light & Delicate

Fine floral fruity fragrances

Fine floral fruity fragrances
Cask No: 35.316

Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
Distillery: Glen Moray
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 59.6%
£60.00

Qty left: 38

Sweet Fruity & Mellow

Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)

Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)
Cask No: 9.246

Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
Distillery: Glen Grant
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 54.6%
£115.00

Qty left: 40

Juicy Oak & Vanilla

Banana ice cream smoothie

Banana ice cream smoothie
Cask No: 63.104

Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
Distillery: Glentauchers
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 59.6%
£105.00

Qty left: 49

Juicy Oak & Vanilla

A fistful of bananas

A fistful of bananas
Cask No: 152.3

Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel

ABV: 65.2%
£81.00

Qty left: 50

Spicy & Sweet

The power of a whisky sour

The power of a whisky sour
Cask No: 73.150

Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
Distillery: Aultmore
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 57.2%
£64.30

Qty left: 54

Sweet Fruity & Mellow

Conversation lubrication

Conversation lubrication
Cask No: 150.3

Cask Type: 1st fill ex-rye whisky barrel

ABV: 57.3%
£81.00

Qty left: 56

Juicy Oak & Vanilla

Marmalade cheesecake

Marmalade cheesecake
Cask No: 113.67

Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
Distillery: Braes of Glenlivet (Braeval Distillery)
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 62.0%
£62.00

Qty left: 60

Spicy & Dry

Biting on a bung

Biting on a bung
Cask No: 91.34

Cask Type: 2nd fill ex-bourbon barrel
Distillery: Dufftown
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 59.0%
£68.00

Qty left: 61

Peated

Meat in the middle

Meat in the middle
Cask No: 138.9

Cask Type: 1st fill #3 char barrel
Distillery: Omar (Nantou Distillery)
Origin: Taiwan
ABV: 57.0%
£90.50

Qty left: 65

Deep Rich & Dried Fruits

Abundantly exuded charm

Abundantly exuded charm
Cask No: 68.96

Cask Type: 1st fill ex-oloroso hogshead
Distillery: Blair Athol
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 55.6%
£74.70

Qty left: 66

Juicy Oak & Vanilla

Beach hut bonkers

Beach hut bonkers
Cask No: 135.34

Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
Distillery: Inchmoan (Loch Lomond Distillery)
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 56.7%
£89.00

Qty left: 69

Deep Rich & Dried Fruits

Jambon!

Jambon!
Cask No: G8.20

Cask Type: 1st fill ex-oloroso hogshead
Distillery: Cambus
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 56.7%
£145.00

Qty left: 71

Spicy & Dry

Kissing a cricket ball (for luck)

Kissing a cricket ball (for luck)
Cask No: 36.200

Cask Type: 1st fill ex-PX American oak hogshead
Distillery: Benrinnes
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 58.1%
£88.90

Qty left: 74

Sweet Fruity & Mellow

A utopia of bananas and muffins

A utopia of bananas and muffins
Cask No: 19.76

Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
Distillery: Glen Garioch
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 52.3%
£125.00

Qty left: 74

Sweet Fruity & Mellow

Trio melon medley

Trio melon medley
Cask No: G10.39

Cask Type: 2nd fill HTMC hogshead
Distillery: Strathclyde
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 59.2%
£65.80

Qty left: 75

Oily & Coastal

Reminiscing and daydreaming

Reminiscing and daydreaming
Cask No: 93.189

Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
Distillery: Glen Scotia
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 58.4%
£65.50

Qty left: 76

Cinnamon sins

Cinnamon sins
Cask No: CW1.5

Cask Type: New oak charred barrel
Distillery: Heaven Hill
Origin: Kentucky (USA)
ABV: 61.7%
£82.50

Qty left: 79

Juicy Oak & Vanilla

Smacks of citrus

Smacks of citrus
Cask No: 28.89

Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
Distillery: Tullibardine
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 59.6%
£60.00

Qty left: 86

Spicy & Sweet

Spices and syrups

Spices and syrups
Cask No: 94.30

Cask Type: 1st fill #3 char barrel
Distillery: Fettercairn
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 62.1%
£70.40

Qty left: 92

Spicy & Sweet

Peppermint daydream

Peppermint daydream
Cask No: 48.148

Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
Distillery: Balmenach
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 62.1%
£49.80

Qty left: 99

Something for everyone

Something for everyone
Cask No: GN6.4

Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel

ABV: 49.4%
£45.80

Qty left: 102

Deep Rich & Dried Fruits

A Viennese ball

A Viennese ball
Cask No: 95.61

Cask Type: 1st ex-px hogshead
Distillery: Auchroisk / Singleton
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 56.0%
£85.80

Qty left: 103

Deep Rich & Dried Fruits

Eerie-on the edge of your seat stuff

Eerie-on the edge of your seat stuff
Cask No: 12.70

Cask Type: 2nd fill charred red wine barrique
Distillery: Benriach
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 57.8%
£71.00

Qty left: 104

Filed Under: Christmas, New Arrivals, News, Smws, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society

Sampling Four Speyside Distillery Whiskies – But Which One Is My ‘Desert Island Dram’?!

November 11, 2022 by Gary Leave a Comment

The Four Speyside Distillery Whiskies Sampled!

Wednesday nights @TweetTastings, which was once again ably hosted by Steve from The Whisky Wire, gave us the opportunity to sample the wares of The Speyside Distillery; a mid-week savouring of four great drams!

The whiskies sampled were:-

  • Spey Trutina
  • Spey Chairman’s Choice
  • Beinn Dubh
  • Spey Fumare

Production at The Speyside Distillery started in 1990. The distillery took its name from the original distillery of the same name, located in Kingussie, which was operational from around 1895 – 1911.

The distillery is small in comparison with it’s closest neighbours (Dalwhinnie & Tomatin), with a 4.2 ton Semi-Lauter mash tun, 4 stainless steel washbacks and one pair of stills (11,000 wash & 8000 spirit).

Speyside Distillery uses a wide range of casks. The majority of these are American ex-bourbon barrels, but they also use casks sourced from Spain, Portugal and France.

If you want to catch up on what all the tweet tasters had to say you can view their comments by searching for the hash tag #SpeysideDistillery on Twitter.

So, what did I think?

Here are my tasting notes … and the one which was my favourite on the night!

Tasting Notes – Spey Trutina (46%)

Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
AGE: NAS
Casks: Bourbon

SPEY Trutina, which takes its name from the latin for ‘honest & pure’, is said to signify the natural, simple characteristics of the Speyside Distillery. This release is limited to 18,000 individually numbered bottles.


Nose: Sherbet sweetness with green apples and some citrus. Some toffee notes and after a while the citrus increases with the addition of some herbs. In fact the nose started to remind me of a gin!

Palate: Strong lemon citrus balanced by sugary sweetness and chocolate.

Finish: Dry and powerful spicy pepper which is rather Yummy! The palate gets quite bitter at the end.

Tasting Notes – Spey Chairman’s Choice (40%)


Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
AGE: NAS
Casks: Bourbon and Sherry

On Christmas Day in 1787, John Harvey (acting in his capacity as Chairman of the company) personally selected the whisky to be used only by family. John Harvey called this exclusive and secret family whisky, SPEY “Chairman’s Choice”.


Nose: Creamy caramel with sherry – tremendous! I also picked up some wood with dark vanilla fruits.

Palate: Thin mouthfeel with juicy sweet fruits and a little coffee and chocolate.

Finish: There’s some nice spice to this one and the chocolate gets creamier and creamier but I’m wondering (with the light mouthfeel) what the cask strength would be like? I reckon gorgeous!

Tasting Notes – Beinn Dubh (43%)


Beinn Dubh
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
AGE: NAS
Casks: Bourbon barrels before being finished in heavily toasted Ruby Port casks

Beinn Dubh, which means Black Mountain, has been produced using water from the Cairngorm Black Mountain, and finished in heavily toasted Ruby Port casks from The Douro Valley.


Nose: What an inviting looking dram this is! On the nose there’s rich dark fruits with red wine and vanilla. It gets more porty as time goes on with some added coffee.

Palate: Port and dark chocolate in abundance! Dark fruits including prunes, wood, creamy vanilla and a little licorice.

Finish: The spiciness grows but there’s sweet coffee and chocolate aplenty to keep it in check!

Tasting Notes – Spey Fumare (46%)


SPEY Fumare
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
AGE: NAS
Casks: Bourbon

SPEY Fumare, was the first ever peated distillery bottling and is produced using peated barley, which the distillery only uses for a small part of the year (December). A limited release of 18,000 individually numbered bottles.


Nose: Ooh! smokehouse peat is back! Savoury liquid BBQ smoke with some sweet fruitiness and snack inducing peat aromas!

Palate: Rich fruity smoke and peat with antiseptic overtones but a pleasant sweetness levels things up nicely.

Finish: Punchy pepper at the end!

Overall: This could easily be one of my ‘Desert Island Drams’ – staring into my homemade fire on the beach!

My Favourite On The Night

1. Beinn Dubh
2. Fumare

I do love a peat dram but maybe it’s the time of year because the Christmas dram ‘Beinn Dubh’ really wins it for me! Christmas dram contender anyone?

Speyside Distillery Whiskies can be bought directly from thesnugspeysidedistillery

Speyside Distillery Whiskies are also available to buy from these Merchants:-

  • The Whisky Exchange
  • Master of Malt
  • Tyndrum Whisky

Many thanks to Steve at The Whisky Wire (@TheWhiskyWire / @TweetTastings) for a great evening and Speyside Distillery (@SpeySingleMalt) for sending the samples and without whom!

My fellow Tweet Tasters on the night were:-


@TheWhiskyWire @WhiskyWings @TallmanFM @whiskygraeme @RealDramRob @PadWhisky @sprungatom @PhilScott101 @whiskyodyssey @BillyCowan @FiShoop @StillSurreal @rodbodtoo @pswhisky @CEVokins @DramofWar @WhiskyWithMolly @jwbassman_ @KiltedDrammer @ExeterWhisky @WhiskyUnplugged @moonbites @TwoWhiskyBros @TheWhiskyphiles

Filed Under: News, Sampling, The Whisky Wire, Twitter Tasting, Whisky, Whisky tasting

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