Archives for September 2023

New Whiskies Are All Part Of The Joy Of An SMWS Membership!

September 29, 2023 by Gary Leave a Comment

Meticulously Mesmerising
Cask No: 35.381

New Whisky Arrivals are all part of the joy of an SMWS Membership!

Regardless of whether you’re treating yourself or as a gift, there’s nothing better than hearing about the latest offerings from The Society.

New drams are very regular indeed and are always of limited supply so it’s best to get your order in early to avoid disappointing those taste buds!

Below is one new particular dram of note – especially as it has flavours of Christmas spices – Yes, that time of the year is fast approaching!

Spicy & Sweet

Meticulously Mesmerising
Cask No: 35.381
Cask Type: 2nd fill ex-oloroso hogshead
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 56.3%
£450.00

Qty left: 38

The subtle scent of a nutty sponge cake moistened in a light lemony syrup, topped with pastry cream, walnuts and cinnamon combined with a glass of orange muscat, wafted through the air to mesmerising effect.

The taste was that of a Waldorf salad made with rocket for a peppery bite and topped with toasted walnuts and juicy grapes enveloped in a creamy lemony dressing. Following reduction, we found Christmas spices, stem ginger, walnut cake and a sweet espresso on the nose.

On the palate, marzipan and apple tart with caramel sauce. Following 27 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, we transferred this whisky into a second fill oloroso hogshead.
– Society Tasting Notes

10% OFF New Memberships!

10% OFF New Memberships!

Code: GATHERING10

Other New Arrivals From The Scotch Malt Whisky Society!

Spicy & Sweet

Jack-in-the-box
Cask No: 135.49
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
Distillery: Inchmoan (Loch Lomond Distillery)
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 53.6%
£149.90

Qty left: 18

Deep Rich & Dried Fruits

Spiced and iced ginger cake
Cask No: 134.15
Cask Type: refill ex-bourbon barrel
Origin: India
ABV: 57.6%
£155.00

Qty left: 39

Spicy & Sweet

Jamaica to India
Cask No: 134.14
Cask Type: refill ex-bourbon barrel
Origin: India
ABV: 58.4%
£142.80

Qty left: 39

Sweet Fruity & Mellow

Citrus moscatel sangria
Cask No: 134.13
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
Origin: India
ABV: 57.1%
£142.80

Qty left: 56

Sweet Fruity & Mellow

A smooth sipping treat
Cask No: 134.16
Cask Type: refill ex-bourbon barrel
Origin: India
ABV: 59.0%
£158.50

Qty left: 85

Lightly Peated

Birch sap and burnt toffee
Cask No: 135.54
Cask Type: 1st fill #3 charred hogshead
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 50.8%
£117.00

Qty left: 104

Guinness World Record

As part of their 40th Anniversary celebrations, the society is attempting to achieve a Guinness World Record for the largest online whisky tasting!

The 45-minute, three dram tasting (50mls each) will be held on Saturday 30 September 2023 at 2pm BST.

Sadly, all the Tasting Packs are now sold out but confidence is high that they can achieve their goal!

About The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS)

¥ The Scotch Malt Whisky Society was established in Edinburgh in 1983 and has 37,000 members around the world.
¥ It is owned by The Artisanal Spirits Company (ASC) plc
¥ The SMWS bottles rare single cask and single malt whisky, exclusive blends and a range of other Single Cask Spirits.
¥ The Society has bottled whisky from 180 distilleries from Scotland and beyond
¥ The Society offers a new batch of around 20 different single malt whiskies every month
¥ Members have access to four exclusive SMWS MembersÕ Rooms in Leith, Edinburgh, Glasgow and London along with a global network of 100 partner bars.
¥ The Society offers a variety of membership options that can be tailored.
¥ For more information about the Society, visit: https://smws.com/, Twitter: @SMWSUK Facebook: @thesmwsuk Instagram: @smws_uk

About The Artisanal Spirits Company (ASC)

¥ The Artisanal Spirits Company (ASC) plc is based in Edinburgh
¥ The Artisanal Spirits Company (ASC) plc is building a portfolio of premium brands that bring together some of the worldÕs best spirits producers with a growing movement of discerning consumers by curating unrivalled collections of craft spirits.
¥ ASC owns The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) and in 2021 it launched J.G. Thomson & Co. Inspired by its namesake, which was originally a wine and spirits merchant in Leith, Scotland, in the 1700s, J.G. Thomson is a new, adventurous blender, creating small batch blended malt whiskies, blended grain whiskies, rum and gin.Ê

Sampling The Lakes Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.7: A Masterpiece For The Enjoyment Of The Taste Buds!

September 29, 2023 by Gary Leave a Comment

The Lakes Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.7

Unveiled at The Whisky Show London, The Lakes Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.7 is a refined and fragrant finale to what has become an internationally award-winning series of sherry-led single malts!

Non-chill filtered, natural colour, and bottled at 52% ABV

Matured in the finest Oloroso, PX and red wine casks, comprising Spanish and American oak, No.7 is “a celebration of the whiskies that came before it”, sharing rich layers of honeyed fruits, hints of cocoa nibs, and dark chocolate with the familiar buttercream texture and character of previous editions, evolved with an elegant sweetness.

As the first English distillery to be awarded the coveted title “World’s Best Single Malt Whisky” (World Whiskies Awards 2022, for The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.4), The Lakes’ modern approach places flavour creation at the heart of everything they do.

With multiple layers of flavour designed through the art of élevage, The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.7 draws to a close a series that charts a journey of exploration of maturation and oak for The Lakes; one that will lead to the release of an enduring signature style for The Lakes’ Single Malt in 2024.

The Lakes Distillery have kindly sent me a sample of their new dram to try (Thanks Lakes Distillery!)

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

Tasting Notes – The Lakes “Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.7” English Single Malt Whisky (52%)

The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.7 draws to a close a series that charts a journey of exploration of maturation and oak for The Lakes

Nose: Syrupy, stewed, fruits with vanilla. Some attractive shades of citrus including lime and there’s also dusky rooms and furniture polish – all adding up to a great treat for the nose!

Palate: Sugary prunes, forest fruits coupled with smooth creamy chocolate limes.

Finish: Heavily spiced with some added chilli. Pleasantly, this is combined with some nice fruity toffee and a little salt.

Overall: It’s been a sensory joy to sample each Whiskymaker’s Reserve over the years and like the previous drams – this one doesn’t dissapoint. Truly, a masterpiece for the enjoyment of the taste buds!

Non-chill filtered, natural colour, and bottled at 52% ABV, the new expression is available for £85 from LakesDistillery.com

Lakes Distillery Whiskies (& Gins) are also available to buy from:-

The Lakes were the first English distillery to be awarded the coveted title “World’s Best Single Malt Whisky”

About The Lakes Distillery:

Established in 2011, The Lakes Distillery is a design-led whisky maker. Pushing boundaries in pursuit of flavour creation, they adopt a modern approach, reframing their craft through a forward-looking lens.

Nestled on the shore of Bassenthwaite Lake, near Keswick, in The English Lake District, the distillery attracts more than 30,000 visitors annually to experience and explore their home; and has held Visit England’s Gold accolade since 2018 – the highest award for excellence in English tourism.

Respecting tradition but refusing to be bound by it, The Lakes Distillery is open to new worlds of inspiration. Drawing inspiration from the art of élevage, not only do they look at what whisky is, they explore what it can become, and it is this approach to maturation and flavour creation that sets them apart.

The journey, so far:

• 2011 – The Lakes Distillery plc was founded by Paul Currie and Nigel Mills CBE.
• 2012/2013 – Renovation of an old Victorian model dairy farm took place to build a state-of-the-art distillery.
• 2014 – New make spirit flowed in the Lake District for the first time on 16 December.
• 2015 – The distillery was officially opened by Princess Anne in July.
• 2016 – Dhavall Gandhi joined The Lakes team to help lay the foundations for a sherry-led signature style.
• 2018 – Genesis, The Lakes’ first single malt whisky, broke three Guinness World Records at auction.
• 2019 – On 7 September, The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.1 was launched; the first in a series of widely available single malt whisky releases that showcase The Lakes’ sherry-led signature style and The Lakes Single Malt Whisky won Gold at the World Whiskies Awards, the International Spirits Challenge (ISC), and the International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC).
• 2020 – The Lakes was named by The London Stock Exchange Group as one of the “1000 Companies to Inspire Britain”.
• 2021 – The first of a series of whiskies exploring flavour creation was released; The Whiskymaker’s Editions and production capacity at the distillery tripled to 400,000 LPA.
• 2022 – Following a cluster of international honours for their single malt, The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.4 was named “World’s Best Single Malt Whisky” in 2022 at the World Whiskies Awards.
• 2023 – Sarah Burgess, former Lead Whiskymaker for The Macallan, joined the business as the new whiskymaker and James Pennefather, former Regional MD at William Grant & Sons, as CEO.

Sampling Three Langatun Swedish Single Malt Whiskies – Limited Editions With Unlimited Flavours!

September 28, 2023 by Gary Leave a Comment

THREE NEW Langatun Swiss Single Malt Whiskies to try!

Robert from Highfern.com has kindly sent me THREE NEW Langatun Distillery Swiss Single Malt Whiskies to try!

They are:-

Monbazillac Cask Finish
Rioja Cask Matured
Madeira Cask Finish

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

Tasting Notes – Langatun Monbazillac Cask Finish Swiss Single Malt Whisky (49.12%)

Monbazillac is a wine-growing region in the south-east of France, surrounding several communes around the village of Monbazillac of the same name.

This region is known for its intense and long-lived sweet wines, similar to Sauternes wines. Monbazillac is traditionally made from noble rot grapes of the Smillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle varieties, which are harvested by hand.

The Monbazillac Cask Finish is a new bottling in their Cask Finish range. After pre-aging in a French oak Chardonnay cask, the single malt was transferred to a Monbazillac sweet wine cask from France for a further 14 months of maturation.

This whisky was distilled in October 2016 and bottled in January 2023.

The bottling is limited to 473 bottles.

£99.00 from Highfern

Nose: Sweet and fruity with syrupy prunes, port and treacle. Throw in some white wood with hints of cherries and that’s quite a nose!

Palate: Intense sweetness with some citrus, caramel and porty toffee.

Finish: Warm smooth spiciness, a little pepper which develops over time. At the end there’s sweet liquorice and salt.

Overall: This dram develops in the glass really nicely. if you can resist the tempation, it’ll pay to take your time with it and savour the nose and then indulge yourself in the tasting!

Tasting Notes – Langatun Rioja Cask Matured Swiss Single Malt Whisky (49.12%)

The new single cask bottling of Langatun seems at first glance to belong to the series of Langatun Cask Finishes. But on closer inspection, one realizes that this is not a finish, but a 100% cask maturation.

Thus, the Langatun Rioja Cask Matured follows the success of the Langatun “Quinta do Zambujeiro Cask Matured”. These ‘Matured’ bottlings are characterized by an outstanding aroma intensity and give the connoisseur the full dose of wine aromas paired with spicy hints of wood.

The Rioja is a full-blooded Tempranillo from Spain. The barrel itself is lightly toasted and is made of American and French oak.

Distillation date: April 2017
Bottling date: June 2023

The bottling is limited to 367 bottles.

£99.00 from Highfern

Nose: Rich, stewed fruits with apple, vanilla and cane sweetness. There’s also toffee and inviting creamy biscuit in there as well.

Palate: Pastry rich apple pie which has been nicely sweetened with a dry woody counterpoint.

Finish: The dryness continues with some punchy pepper and sweetened fruits to accompany it.

Overall: A drier dram than the other two samples but nicely balanced with fruity sweetness.

Tasting Notes – Langatun Madeira Cask Finish Swiss Single Malt Whisky (49.12%)

Madeira wine may only be produced on the island of Madeira, southwest of Portugal. Similar to port wine, the natural fermentation of Madeira is interrupted after a particular time so that the sugar contained in the must do not ferment completely.

This gives the wine a particularly intense sweetness. What is unusual about the maturation of Madeira is that the barrels used in the traditional process are stored for several months at high heat (up to 75 degrees F / 24C!)

The whisky was previously matured for several years in a Chardonnay cask and was finally matured for 18 months in a Madeira cask, which gives it its spicy character.

Distillation date: March 2016
Bottling date: August 2022

This bottling is limited to 525 bottles.

£99.00 from Highfern

Nose: Forest fruits, peach, apricot, creamy baked biscuits and sticky fruits – WoW!

Palate: Rich, sweet, syrupy prunes with port wine, herbs and vanilla biscuit.

Finish: Very smooth spiciness with a woody finish plus there’s a lovely fruity sweetness running through this tasty dram!

Overall: An inviting mouthfeel to this dram with thick, syrupy fruits and top end spice that is very satisfying!

Many thanks to highfern.com (@HighfernLtd) for sending me such gorgeous drams!

Langatun is available to buy from these Merchants:-

About Langatun Distillery

As a newly graduated master brewer, Jakob Baumberger founded a distillery on his fatherÕs farm in 1857. In 1860 he took over a small brewery in Langenthal (celtic: ÒLangatunÓ), which he subsequently expanded into a flourishing business alongside the distillery.

Later his descendants Hans Baumberger I and II continued the brewing and distilling tradition. In 2005 Hans Baumberger III took up the vision of his great-grandfather again with the production of the hand-made Langatun Single Malts and other distillates of highest quality in best family tradition.

About Highfern

Highfern Ltd is the proprietor of Angels’ Nectar Blended Malt and Single Malt Scotch Whisky, and the UK importer of Langatun Swiss Single Malt Whisky, Strane London Dry Gin, and Cihuatn Rum.

Sampling The Kilchoman Islay 13th Edition – A Whisky With The Sweet Taste Of Smoke!

September 25, 2023 by Gary Leave a Comment

Kilchoman 100% Islay 13th Edition

Kilchoman has launched it’s 100% Islay 13th Edition, Single Farm Single Malt Whisky!

The 13th Edition is the first release since 2019 where only solely bourbon barrels were used

The 100% Islay 13th Edition was distilled from barley grown on the farm at Kilchoman in 2012, 2013 and 2014, it was then matured for a minimum of 8 years before 44 bourbon barrels were selected for this year’s release of bottles.

The 13th Edition is the first release since 2019 where I have opted for solely bourbon barrels.

The 44 bourbon barrels that I selected are predominantly fresh casks, this gives the whisky lovely layers of buttery vanilla and caramel flavours which pair beautifully with the citrus sweetness of our spirit.
– Anthony Wills: Kilchoman Founder

Kilchoman has kindly sent me a sample of each dram to try. (Thanks kilchomandistillery.com / @Kilchomanwhisky!)

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

Tasting Notes – Kilchoman 100% Islay 13th Edition (50%)

44 Bourbon barrels
13,000 bottles
20 PPM Lightly peated
BARLEY VARIETY: PUBLICAN HARVESTS: 2012, 2013, 2014

Nose: Sweet n’ smokey with orchard apples, sweet smoke, caramel followed by salty, earthy peat and slight antiseptic.

Palate: Spicy, sweet smokiness with peppery antiseptic and some added fruitiness.

Finish: A smooth, buttery, smokey sweet finish which is finely balanced. This dram has a great selection of flavours and it’s a perfect, smokey dram that’s not too ‘full on’!

The 44 bourbon barrels selected are predominantly fresh casks

Once again, many thanks to kilchomandistillery.com (@Kilchomanwhisky) for sending me these drams!

Compare prices for Kilchoman!

Kilchoman is available to buy from these Merchants:-

About Kilchoman

Kilchoman is a family run farm distillery based on the rugged west coast of Islay, Scotland. The distillery was established by Anthony Wills in 2005, the idea was to build a new distillery which took whisky production back to its roots.

Their 100% Islay range is Islay’s only Single Farm Single Malt Scotch Whisky. It represents the revival of traditional farm distilling – growing our own barley before malting, distilling, maturing and bottling every bottle of our 100% Islay range on site.

In The San Francisco World Spirits 2023, Sanaig received the prestigious ‘Double Gold’

Kilchoman produces its 100% Islay single malt from barley which is grown in fields surrounding the distillery and completes every stage of the whisky-making process at the distillery, including traditional floor malting. Kilchoman is the only distillery in Scotland to do this.

2023 Awards

◼ The San Francisco World Spirits 2023 – Sanaig received the prestigious ‘Double Gold’ while Machir Bay was also awarded Gold

◼ The Spirits Business Scotch Whisky Masters 2023 and The Sprits Challenge 2023 – Machir Bay and Sanaig were both awarded Gold Medals

Sampling “Orchards Ahoy”, A Membership Offer & A Guinness World Record Attempt – All Part Of The SMWS ‘Gathering’!

September 22, 2023 by Gary Leave a Comment

“Orchards Ahoy” – CASK NO: 64.144

The Gathering is a celebration of what makes The Scotch Malt Whisky Society truly unique!

The festival is for all SMWS members, no matter where they are in the world. They can take part in events in person at SMWS Members’ Rooms, Partner Bars, venues and online.

10% OFF New Memberships!

10% OFF New Memberships!

Code: GATHERING10

The origins of The Gathering date back to the Society’s 30th anniversary back in 2013, when they celebrated this monumental moment with a party in their official birthday month, SEPTEMBER.

NOW 10 years on, as they celebrate their 40th anniversary, they are inviting members around the world to come together for the BIGGEST party yet!

All Together Now is the ‘rallying cry’ for The Gathering. It is a timely and inclusive call-to-arms that invites everyone for a celebration of all things that makes the Society special – the members and their love of our exclusive single cask whisky.

The Gathering bottles

Samantha Rothbart – selector of “Orchards Ahoy”

As part of their celebrations the SMWS have also released a series of exclusive Gathering bottles which have been selected by competition winners from around the world who were brought to The Vaults last February.

They took part in a two-day cask selection Tasting Panel experience to choose a cask for members in their own countries.

You can find out more about the competition in this video

Samantha Rothbart was one of the 13 SMWS members from around the world who took part in the competition and the SMWS has very kindly sent me a bottle that she selected – namely “Orchards Ahoy” – CASK NO: 64.144 to try. (Thanks SMWS – and Samantha Rothbart for selecting it!)

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

Tasting Notes: “Orchards Ahoy” – CASK NO: 64.144 (59.6%)

Distillery: Mannochmore
Age: 11 years
DISTILLED DATE: 5/12/2011
CASK TYPE: refill ex-jamaican rum barrel
REGION: Speyside

Nose: Crisp apple with grilled blood orange, pears, toffee and a little sweet chocolate.

Palate: Orange, burnt toffee apple, lemon and lovely hints of Pineapple Upside Down Cake! All this and some flowery fragrances coming through.

Finish: Intensely spicy, peppery, robust and savoury with slightly salted caramel. Adding water really brings out the spice and pepper producing a long, warming finish with some added sweetness for good measure.

Overall: This is a great combination of fruity sweetness and heavy spice n’ pepper. Great on their own but together, much more than the sum of their parts. Lovely!

Guinness World Record

As part of their 40th Anniversary celebrations, the society is attempting to achieve a Guinness World Record for the largest online whisky tasting!

The 45-minute, three dram tasting (50mls each) will be held on Saturday 30 September 2023 at 2pm BST

Sadly, all the Tasting Packs are now sold out but confidence is high that they can achieve their goal!

Once again, many thanks to the SMWS (@SMWSUK) for sending me such a fine bottle!

Great Scotland Yard Hotel Launches Their ‘Whisky Passport’ – Which Includes A FREE, Very Rare, Limited Edition “Dream Dram”!

September 19, 2023 by Gary Leave a Comment

The ‘Whisky Passport’ – Take a voyage across the continents!

The 5* Great Scotland Yard Hotel is delighted to launch their exclusive ‘Whisky Passport’ for Síbín; a sophisticated whisky bar hidden in plain sight behind a secret door, situated in one of London’s most historic and cherished buildings!

The passport is the perfect, luxury gift for whisky connoisseurs

Embark on a remarkable global journey with the captivating whisky cocktail passport. Beautifully designed and printed, the passport features 10 whiskies from around the world and a very rare and limited dream dram.

The passport is the perfect, luxury gift for whisky connoisseurs and those curious about the world of whisky, each featuring the brand history and unique cocktail.

A doorway to a world of unparalleled flavour, each page reveals a new destination for your palate. Take a voyage across the continents and explore the history, cultures and mixology mastery of European, American, Canadian and Asian whiskies with an extra special, dream dram to complete the journey.

Carefully and specially curated, the passport features cocktails using whiskies from the following regions:

England – Masthouse: Column Malt
Scotland – Elements of Islay: Sherry Cask
Ireland – Waterford: Argot
Finland – Kyrö Whisky
USA – Michters: American Whisky
Canada – Signal Hill
Australia – Starward: Leftfield
Taiwanese – Kavalan: Single Malt
Japan – Nikka: Yoichi
Dream Dram – Japan: Mars: Komagatake Shinshu 2021

The ‘Dream Dram’ – The Mars Komagatake Shinshu 2021

The Komagatake malt is made at the Shinshu distillery, Japan’s highest, sitting at 800m above sea level surrounded by pure spring waterand impacted by a particularly harsh climate.

A superb single malt, the Mars Komagatake 2021 edition boasts a core of bourbon caskmatured single malt, supported by portions matured in sherry and Port casks. You can expect plenty of sweet stone fruit, oaken vanilla,and honeyed nuts alongside the rich, oily malt at its core.

The first whisky cocktail and stamp are included with the purchase of the passport at £50. The subsequent nine cocktails (redeemable in any order), can be enjoyed with a 50% discount (£18 reduced to £9).

Upon completion, customers will receive the complimentary dream dram. Passports can be purchased from Sibin, the hotel’s front desk, or online

The bar is an elegant yet relaxed space for evening drinks, and functions as a chill out lounge to enjoy a wide range of specialist whiskies with good company.

Englands Masthouse: Column Malt Whisky

Síbín is a term coined in Ireland meaning ‘illicit whisky’; it was used to refer to an illicit club where excisable alcoholic drinks were sold without a licence.

The bar of the same name offers high-quality whiskies with wood and smoke flavour profiles alongside classic and creative cocktails, food pairings and snacks.

Featuring artwork from the likes of Alastair Mackie, Belinda Frikh and Cornelia Parker RA, each piece adorning the walls has been chosen to reflect the glamorous and sultry atmosphere of the Síbín.

Great Scotland Yard Hotel
3-5 Great Scotland Yard, London, SW1A 2HN

Opening times: Tuesday – Saturday, 7pm – 1am

greatscotlandyard.com

@gsy_london

About Great Scotland Yard Hotel
Situated in an iconic 1820’s Grade II listed building, Great Scotland Yard Hotel offers 151 rooms and suites, where tradition meets modern luxury.

Home to ‘old Nordic’ restaurant Ekstedt at the Yard – headed up by Michelin starred chef NiklasEkstedt, the five-star hotel boasts an inimitable cocktail bar – The 40 Elephants, a hidden whisky bar – Sibin, afternoon tea lounge, The Parlour, a 5-storey detached private residence: Great Scotland Yard Townhouse, and more.

About The Unbound Collection by Hyatt
More than a compilation of independent, one-of-a-kind hotels, The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand is a thoughtful curation of stories worth collecting.
Whether it’s a modern marvel, a historic gem or a revitalising retreat, each property provides thought-provoking environments and experiences that inspire for guests seeking elevated yet unscripted service when they travel.

Sampling The New Welsh Witch ‘Lammas’ Vodka – Spellbindingly Good!

September 16, 2023 by Gary Leave a Comment

Jade Garston & the new Welsh vodka named Lammas!

Award-winning Welsh distillery Wild Moon is expanding its range of Premium Spirits with a unique Vodka!

Based in Wrexham, North Wales, the distillery was founded by Jade Garston, our Welsh Witch has been brewing up a new vodka bursting with natural flavours. Inspired by Welsh pagan folklore, this vodka is the 6th premium spirit to be released by the distillery.

The new vodka named Lammas after the next phase of the Wheel of the Year celebrates the first grain harvest, a time for gathering in and giving thanks for the abundance of crops.

The family run distillery has been creating spirits since 2019

The family run distillery has been creating spirits since 2019 and with 3 of their spirits recognised and awarded by the Great taste awards amongst other awards bodies, Jade and the team have high hopes for their new triple distilled vodka.

The Wild Moon distillery is the only distillery that is female owned and inspired by the lunar cycle. The new vodka is made using distilled Welsh water from the Ffynnon Beuno Welsh mountains, tying in with Celtic paganism roots of the Welsh Witch Spirit collection. Their process involved trickling the vodka through reiki charged crystals such as aquamarine, amethyst and moonstone crystals for energy cleansing to balance and complete the process. Each bottle is hand-corked and waxed in a distinct apothecary style that the brand is known for.

Our new vodka is an exciting addition to our collection, it’s been in the making for some time and we’re really pleased to launch it to the public.

We’re passionate about constantly creating new drinks that people love and all of our spirits have their own unique processes to make them stand out from the crowd. Being hand crafted in small batches in our North Wales distillery means we can ensure care and attention to every detail and we can remain true to our values.

We’re excited to see what our customers think of our new vodka, I love our new vodka and my mixer of choice is a refreshing botanical cola.

You’ll start seeing our vodka in bars and pubs around you soon, sitting proudly alongside our gins and rums, I can’t wait, it’s a really exciting time for the Wild Moon Distillery
– Jade Garston: Distiller

Welsh Witch products are distilled using Welsh water, then bottled, labelled and hand-waxed in our very own Wild Moon Distillery in North Wales.

Jade Garston’s passion for excellent flavours, nature and all things witchy was a marriage perfect to brew her Welsh Witch magic. Starting with their signature gin in December 2019, the brand has gone from strength to strength, becoming a staple spirit in may bars and restaurants around Wales and surrounding areas.

I’ve been lucky enough to try the new vodka and many thanks to Wild Moon (@welshwitch_craftspirits) for sending me a very generous sample – a whole bottle no less!

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

Tasting Notes – Welsh Witch Lammas Vodka (40%)

Welsh Witch products are distilled using Welsh water, then bottled, labelled and hand-waxed in our very own Wild Moon Distillery in North Wales.

The distillery uses folklore inspired botanicals and bases their products around the Celtic Pagan Wheel of the Year.

Nose: Powerfully herby and botanical with sweet lemon and shades of sherbet.

Palate: Sweet lemon, herby, spicy with hints of liquorice.
Adding ice gives it a fresh crispness and astringent quality.
Mixing with Tonic gives a long, refreshing, sweeter, lighter drink.

Overall: A very morish Vodka with some great flavours – a big contrast to some of the other one-dimensional vodkas that are out there – often easily forgotten – Lammas, on the other hand, will always keep you coming back for more!

The SMWS Whisky World Record Attempt – Grab Your Tasting Pack!

September 13, 2023 by Gary Leave a Comment

Up to 1,250 members of the worldwide whisky club will come together online!

Saturday 30 September 2023 at 2pm

“All Together Now” – The SMWS Aims To Taste Their Way To A New Whisky World Record!

Grab your Tasting Pack!

To celebrate its 40th anniversary, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is gathering members from around the world in a bid for the world’s biggest online whisky tasting!

As they approach the milestone of 40,000 members around the world, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) has announced it will attempt to set the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for the most participants in an online whisky tasting event.

The online whisky tasting will take place on Saturday 30th September 2023

Up to 1,250 members of the worldwide whisky club across the UK, USA, Japan, China and Australia will come together online and take part in the three-dram tasting for around 45 minutes on Saturday 30th September 2023.

The record-setting attempt is taking place during ‘The Gathering’, the flagship event in the Society’s year-long series of 40th anniversary activities for its growing community of members around the world.

Founded in Edinburgh in 1983 by maverick Pip Hills, the SMWS started out as a small group of like-minded whisky lovers who shared a passion for single cask whisky. Now owned by the Artisanal Spirits Company, but with Hills, now 82, at the heart of its 40th-year celebrations, the Society is now the world’s largest whisky club, with almost 38,000 members in more than 20 countries across the globe.

The groundbreaking online whisky tasting event will take place across the world at 2pm. It will be live-streamed from The Vaults in Leith, Edinburgh, the spiritual home of the SMWS, The first dram will be hosted by SMWS Master Ambassador, John McCheyne, the second by Tom Smith, Senior Director of SMWS USA, and the third by Matt Bailey, Director of SMWS Australia.

Partnering with video production company GLO to live-stream the tasting via Zoom, the Society’s world-record bid will see their members taste three Society drams during the online event.

The drams to be sampled are:-

Cask No. 55.78 What a Spread!, a 13-year-old rich and sweet bottling from a Speyside distillery, with tasting notes of “spiced toffee, creme brulee and a touch of fresh oak”
Cask No. 39.244 Tutti Frutti in a Wooden Bowl, an 11-year-old whisky from the SMWS Juicy Oak & Vanilla flavour profile.
Batch 15 Smokus Fruticosus, a blended malt comprised of malt whiskies from the islands of Islay & Orkney.

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society has come a long way since Pip Hills and his friends started exploring the amazing array of flavours in single cask whisky in Edinburgh in the early 1980s.

Now, 40 years later, the Society has almost 40,000 members around the world, including around 18,000 here in the UK, so what better way to celebrate that by bringing so many of our members together to go for this world record.

We’re delighted to be playing our part in this world record attempt – we’ll certainly have fun trying to do it!
– Madeleine Schmoll: Event host and Social Media and Community Manager at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society UK

Madeleine Schmoll is the event host for the record breaking attempt!

About The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS)

• The Scotch Malt Whisky Society was established in Edinburgh in 1983 and has 37,000 members around the world.
• It is owned by The Artisanal Spirits Company (ASC) plc
• The SMWS bottles rare single cask and single malt whisky, exclusive blends and a range of other Single Cask Spirits.
• The Society has bottled whisky from 180 distilleries from Scotland and beyond
• The Society offers a new batch of around 20 different single malt whiskies every month
• Members have access to four exclusive SMWS Members’ Rooms in Leith, Edinburgh, Glasgow and London along with a global network of 100 partner bars.
• The Society offers a variety of membership options that can be tailored.
• For more information about the Society, visit: https://smws.com/, Twitter: @SMWSUK Facebook: @thesmwsuk Instagram: @smws_uk

About The Artisanal Spirits Company (ASC)

• The Artisanal Spirits Company (ASC) plc is based in Edinburgh
• The Artisanal Spirits Company (ASC) plc is building a portfolio of premium brands that bring together some of the world’s best spirits producers with a growing movement of discerning consumers by curating unrivalled collections of craft spirits.
• ASC owns The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) and in 2021 it launched J.G. Thomson & Co. Inspired by its namesake, which was originally a wine and spirits merchant in Leith, Scotland, in the 1700s, J.G. Thomson is a new, adventurous blender, creating small batch blended malt whiskies, blended grain whiskies, rum and gin.

Sampling Three Bourbons And A Whiskey – Made In A Way Only A Rebel Can!

September 12, 2023 by Gary Leave a Comment

Three Bourbons & A Whiskey!

Rebel Bourbon (and Whiskey!) was our sampling delights for last Wednesday nights @TweetTastings – once again ably hosted by Steve from The Whisky Wire.

And it was a cracker!

On the sampling menu was:-

Rebel 100 Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Rebel Straight Rye Whiskey

Rebel Bourbon Tawny Port Finish

Rebel 100 Bourbon Cabernet Sauvignon Finish

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 #RebelBourbon on X (Twitter)

So, what did I think?

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

Tasting Notes – Rebel Bourbon 100 Kentucky Straight (50%)

This member of the Rebel family is bottled at 100 proof/50% ABV, compared to its standard Kentucky Straight Bourbon, which is bottled at 40% ABV.

Rebel 100, which is a wheated bourbon comprised of a mashbill of wheat, corn and malted barley, was matured for at least 4 years in new charred American white oak barrels.

Nose: Lots and lots of orange and syrupy sweetness. Toffee and apple and a little woodiness also getting cherry and furniture polish.

Palate: Love the spicy blood orange! Syrupy sweet with cola and toffee mixed in – perfect for adding ice to!

Finish: Dry peppery finish.

Available to buy from these Merchants:-

Tasting Notes – Rebel Bourbon Straight Rye Whiskey (45%)

ABV: 45%
Age: NAS
Casks: American white oak barrels

Rebel Straight Rye Whiskey, has been produced using a mashbill of 51% rye, 45% corn and 4% malt.

Nose: Very vanillary – cream soda like! Fainter orange flavours than the Kentucky Straight with toffee, some lemon and faint polish.

Palate: Subtler than the previous whiskey but there’s stronger creamy vanilla, sweet liquorice and faint blackcurrant.

Finish: A fruity spicy hit at the end with some more forest fruit flavours and a dry finish.

Available to buy from these Merchants:-

Tasting Notes – Rebel Bourbon Tawny Port Finish (45%)

ABV: 45%
Age: NAS
Casks: Initially matured in American white oak barrels before being finished in Tawny Port casks

Rebel Bourbon Tawny Port Finish, which was the brands third limited-edition cask finish release, launched in 2021, and is exclusive to the UK and select European markets.

Nose: Not giving up it’s secrets easily this one …. a faint, porty colour to this whiskey and after a while there’s some woody toffee, maybe a little cherry. There’s the usual orange and some creamy chocolate.

Palate: Very sweet, creamy chocolate with orange, bags of smooth spice and some menthol – a happy surprise after the ‘shy’ nose!

Finish: Sweet spicy finish with some porty additions.

Available to buy from these Merchants:-

Tasting Notes – Rebel Bourbon 100 Bourbon Cabernet Sauvignon Finish (50%)

ABV: 50%
Age: NAS
Casks: Initially matured in American white oak barrels before being finished in Cabernet Sauvignon wine casks

Launching in the UK this autumn. RRP: £40.00

Only 6,000 bottles are being produced!

Nose: ‘Tis a woody one for sure … apple and some cherry pie with a vanilla pastry!

Palate: Sweet pastry with fruit filling including vanilla, orange and hints of lemon and cherry – a sweet woodiness with gentle spice and kinda morish!

Finish: A healthy spice finish tops off a cracking bourbon!

Available to buy from these Merchants:-

My Favourite On The Night

1. Rebel 100 Bourbon Cabernet Sauvignon Finish
2. Rebel 100 Kentucky Straight Bourbon

The Sauvignon Finish took me by surprise actually – I wasn’t expecting this to be my favourite but I found the menu of flavours intoxicating!

Many thanks to Steve at The Whisky Wire (@TheWhiskyWire / @TweetTastings) for a great evening and @ChapmanPoolePR for sending the samples.

And of course, Rebel Bourbon (@ChapmanPoolePR), without whom!

My fellow Tweet Tasters on the night were:-

@TheWhiskyWire @1_womans_whisky @LeaskPatrick @redessa @PadWhisky @whiskyrover @GascoyneNick @Whisky_And1 @neatdrams @whiskeychap @KingsofYearron @whiskyRubhach @drinkersite @ocdwhisky @MaltWhitson @dramofwar @WhiskyWings @sprungatom @Whisky_Rich @FiShoop @mynameisgone @whiskytip @exploringwhisky

Fettercairn Releases Their 2023 Limited Edition 16 Year Old Whisky!

September 12, 2023 by Gary Leave a Comment

For 2023, Fettercairn have delved into their treasure trove of stock to offer a characterful whisky that has enjoyed maturation in first fill ex-Port Pipes and fully matured ex-Bourbon casks!

Pioneering Single Malt Whisky Distillery Fettercairn has unveiled the fourth annual release of their limited-edition 16 Year Old expression. For 2023, Fettercairn have delved into their treasure trove of stock to offer a characterful whisky that has enjoyed maturation in first fill ex-Port Pipes and fully matured ex-Bourbon casks!

Demonstrating the skill and imagination of the Fettercairn whisky makers, the 2023 edition of Fettercairn 16 Year Old offers a finely balanced spirit that accentuates the beauty of the distillery’s unique tropical style.

Bottled perfectly at 46.4% ABV (non-chill filtered), Fettercairn 16 Year Old presents with a rich, golden amber, in natural colour. To smell, warm aromas of tropical fruit are layered with berry fruits, rich cacao, sugared almonds and floral top notes.

Fettercairn 16 Year Old 2023 edition

To taste, expect to enjoy seasonal blackberries and raspberries which interweave with natural vanilla and caramel notes. Soft plum is balanced with fresh baked ginger cake and cherries while aged oak spice accentuates the tropical house characteristics.

Fettercairn 16 Year Old and its rolling annual maturation series was created for curious whisky lovers who were keen to explore more from the innovative distillery and their unique, tropical house style.

Located at the foothills of Scotland’s Cairngorm’s, Fettercairn not only use the crystal-clear mountain water as an ingredient, their stills are drenched in it from the outside, thanks to a distinctive and unique copper ring which adorns the top of the still. This cools the copper, allowing only the finest vapours to rise and ultimately achieves Fettercairn’s light spirit which popularly suggest notes of mango, orange, banana and pineapple.

First launched in 2020, each annual limited-edition release has enjoyed expert experimentation in creation, through a range of finishes and malts under the careful watch of award-winning Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass1 and the talented team at Fettercairn.

The 2022 release brought together a maturation combination of Oloroso, Pedro Ximenez and ex-Bourbon casks, while the second release in 2021, enjoyed maturation with first and refill Oloroso and rare, aged first fill Palo Cortado Sherry butts. The inaugural release in 2020 was a distillate of chocolate malted barley, initially matured in American white oak ex-Bourbon casks, before enhancement in select sherry and port casks.

Beyond experimental releases such as the Fettercairn 16 Year Old, the Warehouse Collection and the pioneering innovation of the Scottish Oak Matured Fettercairn 18 Year Old2, Fettercairn has yet more to explore. The distillery also offers a select collection of rare and aged whiskies, including 40, 46 and 50 year old expressions, as well as the core 12, 22 and 28 Year Old expressions.

Fettercairn 16 Year Old 2023 edition will be available from September, priced at £82 for a 70cl bottle, from premium specialist whisky retailers in key markets including the UK, France and Germany. A 1 litre version will be available for selected markets, including Travel Retail.

Compare prices for Fettercairn!

Fettercairn Whiskies are also available to buy from these Merchants:-

About Fettercairn – fettercairnwhisky.com

Fettercairn Distillery is a hidden gem – a Single Malt Scotch Whisky Distillery located in the heart of a thriving agricultural community, Aberdeenshire – ‘The Garden of Scotland’.

A spark of whisky making ingenuity is what makes Fettercairn special. A sense of wonder has been a constant theme back to 1824, as illustrated by our beautiful copper cooling ring, which produces a uniquely tropical style of new make spirit, and our Scottish Oak Programme from which we developed our Fettercairn 18 Year Old Scottish Oak.

Today we continue to take a progressive outlook and make new unexpected journeys in flavour led whisky making. We invite curious whisky lovers and connoisseurs to explore and enjoy Fettercairn Single Malt.

About Gregg Glass- Master Whisky Maker – Icons of Whisky Distiller of the Year, Scotland 2023

Respected whisky maker Gregg Glass joined Whyte and Mackay in 2016, where he has been a leading light in the rejuvenation of Fettercairn alongside Distillery Manager Stewart Walker.

Gregg enjoyed a childhood in the heart of whisky making country, the Black Isle. With 22 years in industry notably 11 years at innovative whisky maker Compass Box, Gregg joined Whyte and Mackay in 2016 to work alongside renowned Master Distiller Mr Richard Paterson OBE.

Gregg has enjoyed 15 years career as a blender and whisky maker. At Whyte and Mackay Gregg has led whisky development for Fettercairn Single Malt Whisky, Jura Single Malt Whisky and in 2017 launched Whisky Works – an independent innovation wing of Whyte and Mackay.

Gregg is devoted to his craft and believes in flavour-led hands-on whisky making. Gregg is passionately involved in every aspect of the whisky making process from ‘acorn to glass’ and since 2020 leads whisky making across the Whyte and Mackay portfolio.

Award-Winning Whisky Makers Whyte and Mackay

Whyte and Mackay is home to a collection of multi-award-winning Single Malt Whiskies including The Dalmore, Jura and Fettercairn. With a premium spirits portfolio that includes contemporary whisky brands Shackleton, Woodsman and John Barr, alongside popular alcohol brands Wildcat, Fundador and Harveys Bristol Cream and Aperitivo. In the UK the company produce Whyte & Mackay, an award-winning ever-popular Blended Whisky, which recently launched the market-leading ‘Whyte & Mackay Light’ – a lighter spirit drink from Scotland, bottled at a lower ABV.

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 celebrated their 175 year anniversary in 2019. 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.

Whyte and Mackay’s whisky making is led by Master Distiller Richard Paterson OBE and pioneering Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass.

Archives for September 2023

New Whisky Arrivals are all part of the joy of an SMWS Membership!

Spicy & Sweet

10% OFF New Memberships!

Other New Arrivals From The Scotch Malt Whisky Society!

Spicy & Sweet

Deep Rich & Dried Fruits

Spicy & Sweet

Sweet Fruity & Mellow

Sweet Fruity & Mellow

Lightly Peated

Guinness World Record

About The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS)

About The Artisanal Spirits Company (ASC)

Tasting Notes – The Lakes “Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.7” English Single Malt Whisky (52%)

Tasting Notes – Langatun Monbazillac Cask Finish Swiss Single Malt Whisky (49.12%)

Tasting Notes – Langatun Rioja Cask Matured Swiss Single Malt Whisky (49.12%)

Tasting Notes – Langatun Madeira Cask Finish Swiss Single Malt Whisky (49.12%)

About Langatun Distillery

About Highfern

Kilchoman has launched it’s 100% Islay 13th Edition, Single Farm Single Malt Whisky!

Tasting Notes – Kilchoman 100% Islay 13th Edition (50%)

About Kilchoman

10% OFF New Memberships!

The Gathering bottles

Tasting Notes: “Orchards Ahoy” – CASK NO: 64.144 (59.6%)

Guinness World Record

About The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS)

About The Artisanal Spirits Company (ASC)

Tasting Notes – Welsh Witch Lammas Vodka (40%)

Saturday 30 September 2023 at 2pm

“All Together Now” – The SMWS Aims To Taste Their Way To A New Whisky World Record!

About The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS)

About The Artisanal Spirits Company (ASC)

Tasting Notes – Rebel Bourbon 100 Kentucky Straight (50%)

Tasting Notes – Rebel Bourbon Straight Rye Whiskey (45%)

Tasting Notes – Rebel Bourbon Tawny Port Finish (45%)

Tasting Notes – Rebel Bourbon 100 Bourbon Cabernet Sauvignon Finish (50%)

My Favourite On The Night

My fellow Tweet Tasters on the night were:-

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