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Celebrate The SMWS Virtual Tasting 35th Anniversary With A Membership Offer!

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93.94 The final trawl • Oily & Coastal • Refill ex-bourbon barrel • 15 years

Virtual Tasting 35th Anniversary Celebration Membership Offer!

On Monday, 24 September, master brand ambassador John McCheyne will host a very special virtual tasting at The Vaults. He will introduce five hand-selected Society drams, each with a different flavour profile. This will be the first ever golbal Virtual Tasting. In the lead up to this, SMWS have a great membership offer running so that you can join SMWS and take part in the tasting themselves.


Offer: Membership with 35th Anniversary 5 Dram Discovery Pack
Offer Starts: On Now!
Offer Ends: 19th September 2018 at 11:59pm
Price: Now £89.00 (Was £100.00) – Save £11.00

No code is required.


Pack includes:-

29.249 Sweet black tea in the surgery • Heavily Peated • 2nd fill ex-PX hogshead • 21 years

35.214 Without pretence • Sweet, Fruity & Mellow • 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel • 22 years

63.49 In the dark of the abyss • Deep, Rich & Dried Fruits • Refill ex-oloroso butt • 11 years

93.94 The final trawl • Oily & Coastal • Refill ex-bourbon barrel • 15 years

135.6 Cones vs crones • Spicy & Dry • 2nd fill ex-bourbon hogshead • 10 years



The Scotch Malt Whisky Society: Father’s Day Membership Offer – 10% Code Discount!

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Now that’s a proper way to celebrate Father’s Day!

SMWS Father’s Day Membership Offer!


10% Code Discount – Because Great whisky deserves to be shared with someone special!

Membership with 36.142 for £117
Code: Fathers10
Offer starts: NOW
Offer ends: 18th June at 23:59pm
Terms and conditions apply: Code only redeemable against our father’s day gift membership special offer. Code valid from the 1/6/18 to 18/6/18 and cannot be used in conjunction with any other special offers. Code is only usable online.




36.142: The Father’s Day Outturn!

36.142: The Father’s Day Outturn


Age: 20 years old
Distilled: 16th August 1997
Cask Type: First Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel
ABV: 57%

Get All Festive With New Outturns Plus Three Membership Offers From The Scotch Malt Whisky Society!

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VOTE NOW and show your superfan region allegiance!

It’s a bumper weekend ahead for Lovers of fine drams and special offers!

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is celebrating the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival which is in full swing as I write / blog.

You can get into the festival spirit by attending one of their Speyside or Islay themed tastings or events at their UK Members’ Rooms and partners bars. But, they also have some great online offers to take advantage of as well!


This year SMWS have three promotional memberships on offer:-

Islay – Membership + Islay bottle – £110 (save £20)
Speyside – Membership + Speyside bottle – £110 (save £10)
Split Decision’ – Membership + Mixed Festival Discovery Pack – £95 (save £10)

Offer starts: NOW
Offer ends: 31st May at 12am

Terms and conditions apply: No code is required.



Plus, you can get involved in the friendly debate of which is best? Speyside Vs. Islay – VOTE NOW and show your superfan region allegiance.

In addition, the SMWS May Outturn marks the Feis Ile Festival with a flurry of new releases. All in all there are 21 casks to explore – including six drams to celebrate the festival and all with celebratory labels. Two of the drams are from Speyside and four from Islay.

I have been lucky enough to receive four samples of the six released. So what did I think? Here are my tasting notes …

A journey into joy – CASK No. 3.307 (20 Years Old: 55.9%)

An Islay dram – refill butt, ex-oloroso.



Colour: Deep sherry colour and a liquid that really ‘wets’ the glass.

Nose: Fruits, apples, caramel, a breath of wood and nutty aromas.

Palate: Syrupy, stewed fruits, orange and vanilla.

Finish: Smooth, long, spicy finish with apple, tofee and peat n’ smoke which becomes more intense as you dram.

Overall: A punchy dram with a beginning and middle that is all sorts of fruit and sweetness with a finale that introduces some peat and smoke. Divine!

Price: £125.00

Graceful gravitas – CASK No. 9.143 (21 Years Old: 60.6%)

A Speyside dram – refill hogshead, ex-bourbon.



Colour: Pale sherry.

Nose: Sweet, luscious tropical fruits, sultanas, chocolate , mint and a hint of orange.

Palate: Tropical fruits, sultanas, chocolate, mint and a herbal cocktail lurking in the back!

Finish: Toffee and spicy comes through with a lovely, caramel chocolate finish. Hints of tobacco.

Overall: Even though this is a 60.6% dram it is is very smooth and hides it’s strenghth well. Tropical fruitiness is lovely and the substantial chocolate hit made me want to go and ransack the pantry!

Price: £95.00

Andalusian gazpacho – CASK No. 107.13 (9 Years Old 65%)

A Speyside dram – refill butt, ex-oloroso.



Colour: Rich sherried colour.

Nose: White oak, luscious stewed fruits, prunes and vanilla fudge.

Palate: Gorgeous Christmas cake mixture with all the spices and fruits. “Jingle Bells!”

Finish: Dry finish with pronounced oak but lovingly accompanied by rich, fruity sweetness and peppery spice.

Overall: A cut above the norm. this dram, sweet spices and Christmas cake fruitiness combine to create a morish dram that demands to be to savoured!

Price: £55.00

Indulgence by the sea – CASK No. 10.141 (12 Years Old 59.5%)

An Islay dram – refill barrel, ex-bourbon.



Colour: Pale straw colour.

Nose: Oak, red apple, shades of salt and a little caramel.

Palate: Slightly oily on the palate. Mightily sweet with even a little sherbet. Sweet spiciness follows close behind.

Finish: A fiesty, peppery finish (almost savoury!) coupled with a satisfying sweetness. There’s also a little dry tanin.

Overall: A fruity, salty, seaside extravaganza beckons … and why not? A full-bodied dram to have before, during and after your fish n’ chips!

Price: £66.00

Also available – but not tasted by moi …

Sweet smoky succulent sensation – CASK No. 10.146 (9 Years Old)


Description: “Scotch pancake with smoked bacon and maple syrup, followed by slow roasted BBQ pork belly with crispy crackling over hickory-smoked wood chips.”
Price: £65.00

A perfect moment – CASK No. 29.241 (20 Years Old)


Description: “A harmonious fusion of king prawns, lobster, smoked duck with walnut bread, parsnips roasted in honey and herbs. Previously in an ex-bourbon cask.”
Price: £150.00

Many thanks to SMWS (@SMWSUK) for sending the samples!

Enjoy all your festivities!

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society – SPRING CASK SALE – UP TO 20% OFF!

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SPRING CASK SALE – UP TO 20% OFF!

CASK No. G10.10 – BUSY BUZZING BEES


Description: A light, sweet and floral aroma greeted the Panel. Sugar dusted fruit flavoured bonbons and candy corn were mentioned before a picture full of promise emerged; sitting in the garden sipping on a Lemon Drop Martini and listening to the bees buzzing in the laurel hedge. The taste had honey-roasted peaches with lavender ice cream whilst the overall impression was one of an almost perfect balance between delicate, perfumed sweetness and dry wood spice.
Price: £223.00

CASK No. 7.168 – ZINGY YET RELAXING


Description: Heady, rich and deep – we sniffed out caramelised mango slices, salted pineapple, subtle citrus, barley sugars, and coconut panna cotta, plus flowers and tobacco on polished wood. The palate was zingy and relaxing at the same time – kumquat, orange marmalade, puff candy, Moffat toffees and pears in chocolate, with chewy oak and leather – like an exclusive library – old but exciting. The reduced nose suggested raspberry ripple, orange blossom, glace cherries and an elegant woman in leather trousers. The palate now had Black Forest gateau, moist ginger cake and Cadbury’s Flake in an ice-cream, with very subtle hints of aniseed and Euthymol
Price: £92.00

CASK No. 46.56 – A CHEERFUL CHATTERBOX


Description: A lively and self-assured chatterbox of a dram, it enthusiastically spread the gossip about the stewed apples and the pears and the minor occurrence with the fine ladies perfume. Not to mention all the news about sandalwood and cedar wood and how they should spice up their life with a bit of cinnamon stick and ginger. Tingly pineapple, camphor and a hint of eucalyptus playfully rolled off the tongue and introduced a musky perfume mixed with crunchy leaves and sweet wine gums and vanilla.
Price: £89.00

CASK No. 7.169 – SUNDAY AFTERNOON FEELING


Description: This provided us with a delectable nose of butterscotch, candied oranges, mango soaked in bourbon and jam on scones, with pipe tobacco depth and Kendal Mint Cake freshness. The palate had silky, creamy textures and flavours of toasted coconut and chestnuts; lychee, banana and cooked fruits, with Rooibos tea and tingling woody spice. With water, the nose awakened orange blossoms, Cape gooseberries, lemon pancakes and apricot jam, becoming quite vibrant and full of promise. The palate, on the other hand, conveyed a relaxing, comforting, postprandial Sunday afternoon feeling, with strawberry and cream candies, vanilla bonbons, honey nut cereal and whisky-soaked raisins.
Price: £55.00

See more …

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society – Exotic Cargo Batch 2 – Limited Release!

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Exotic Cargo Batch 2 – Limited Release

EXOTIC CARGO – BATCH 2


Description: In order to share this bottling with as many members as possible, purchases are limited to 2 bottles per member. Any additional or duplicate orders which exceed this limit will be cancelled and refunded.

A sumptuous nose! Alive with brandy butter, botrytis and sultana compote. A banana sprinkled with brown sugar and gleefully blowtorched followed by suggestions of trail mix, malt loaf and touches of mint tea. Some lozenges and eucalyptus oil in the background as well. Water brings earth after rainfall, bracken and still-warm coal hearths. The arrival on the palate is dense and chocolatey with notes of various cured meats, wet earth, sorrel, dried herbs, turmeric and pears baked in cognac. There is a beautiful and curiously old-school aspect to the sherry.

Price: £47.00

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society – Latest Outturns & Get Your £5 OFF Code!

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SMWS Latest Outturn – International Women’s Day!

With International Women’s Day being celebrated this month, the SMWS March Outturn provides a great opportunity to raise a dram to the inspirational women in your life, and those who’ve shaped the whisky industry!


Offer: £5 OFF Code!
Code: BRINGMESUNSHINE
Offer starts: NOW
Offer ends: Wednesday 14 March
Terms and conditions apply: Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offers or promotions, exchanged for cash or added retrospectively. £5 discount applied online using the promo code, selected bottlings only.

CASK No. 66.113 – TEUCHTER MEDICINE



Description: The panel found this to be an unusually potent example of this distillery. With a nose that suggested heather burning in hospital corridors, marmite, hessian, ointment, pineapples and bracken in the rain. Water seemed to evoke farmyards, frying pancetta and mineral qualities with an undercurrent of chocolate gateaux and lemon thyme. To taste this was a big dram! Richly coastal and oily – like the texture of sheep wool – with notes of citrus, wet earth, smouldering bonfires and tar liqueur. Reduced it revealed aspects of gentian root, smoked grains, edible flowers, herbaceous qualities and the lick of a perfumed neck.

Price: £56.00

CASK No. 68.13 – TIPPLE OF THE TRUFFLE HUNTER



Description: Aromas of autumn filled the air as soft berry fruits mingled with damp leaves on a forest floor. The alluring whiff of baked apples and pears moved towards a boozy trifle laden with thick cream before toffee apples dipped in dark chocolate. A hint of oloroso sherry introduced the complex character of oxidised fruit with strong nutty notes as walnuts and hazelnuts combined with truffles and wild mushrooms. The palate was chewy and dense with a spicy kick when neat.

Price: £50.00

CASK No. 48.98 – BUBBLEGUM CHURCH CANDLE



Description: A dram that both intrigued and delighted the panel. We found the unreduced nose fresh and floral with cake mix, cookie dough and subtle wood smoke. Time revealed muscular notes of lamp oil, minerals, oats and furniture wax. A curious ‘pop’ of bubble gum also sprung us by surprise. Water brought gooseberry, elderflower and muddled mint along with gorse, wet leaves and gentle waxiness. The palate was oily with more bubblegum, a firm spiciness, cinnamon swirls and Tunnock’s tea cakes. There were suggestions of pear flesh, river reeds and tea tree oil. Reduction revealed waxed lemons, iced gems, herbs, lanolin and camphor-soaked vanilla pods.

Price: £47.00

CASK No. 46.58 – LIVING THE HIGH LIFE



Description: We imagined sitting in a Chesterfield chair in the morning room overlooking a manicured garden with the warm glow from the rising sun pouring in through the large bay windows. On the side table lay the freshly ironed newspaper and we enjoyed a slice of lime and blackcurrant cheesecake, toast with strawberry rhubarb ginger jam as well as a cup of apple and elderflower green tea.

Price: £105.00

Cupid Drams! The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Latest Outturns!

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SMWS Latest Outturn – Cupid Drams!

CASK No. 48.95 – TONGUE TWERKING



Description: The nose was earthy and sweet, like wrinkled apples lying on autumn leaves – also polished shoe leather, liquorice, melon and marzipan pastries. The palate was strong, lively and effervescent – slightly acidic travel sweets, with pencil shavings and some fiery curry and lime pickle spice that got our tongues twerking behind our teeth. The reduced nose had sugar-dusted lemon Turkish Delight, Battenberg, vanilla and sweetie cigarettes; one panellist imagined ‘leather luggage on a wooden sledge in the snow’. The palate was now juicy (lime fruit pastilles, raspberry Pavlova) and the spice a little tamer and sweeter – cinnamon toast and Liquorice Allsorts.

Price: £50.00

CASK No. 35.203 – FERIA DE JEREZ



Description: A deep amber colour built up our expectations and we were certainly not disappointed. A full aroma of roasted sweet potatoes with dried figs and a rum baba with caramelised apples and Chantilly cream awaited us. The taste neat was massive, chewy, and lively; dark chocolate covered figs and Sherry soaked Medjool dates.

Price: £95.00

CASK No. 112.20 – SWEET, SASSY AND PLAYFUL



Description: The nose had a kitchen vibe going on – plum jam, jam tarts, Christmas cake, Black Forest gateau, toasted coconut and clover honey. We described the palate as sweet, sassy and playful, with toffee apples, burnt sugar, Garibaldi biscuits, figs, dates and Madeira wine – the finish hinted at sweet tobacco, coffee and Peshwari naan. The reduced nose discovered a succession of dried fruits (raisins, prunes), lovely cereal sweetness (syrupy cornflake cakes, almond slice, Empire biscuits) and finally suggestions of polished leather. The palate became sweet and earthy – raspberry brownie, cinnamon buns, fig rolls and toasted marshmallows – altogether tasty, balanced and very satisfying.

Price: £54.00

CASK No. 123.21 – PLAYFUL DELIGHT



Description: On the nose neat an array of aromas surprised the Panel and descriptors ranged from a tangy blood orange sage Martini over a lemon & lime drizzle cake to brandy soaked raisins and figs in rum syrup. The taste revealed a similar diversity from bramble jam, dried oranges, Swedish limpa rye bread with marmalade, molasses and anise to fresh fruit chutney. With water we imagined holding a buttercup flower under our chin before aromas of lemon sherbet jammy dodgers, mixed fruit flavoured Turkish delight appeared. On the palate now coconut-almond sweet rolls and a moist nutty banana bread with rum soaked raisins.

Price: £52.00

Sampling SMWS Cask No. 76.135 – A Rich Dram That Is Generous To A Fault!

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CASK No. 76.135: MOMENT OF SERENITY

I recently received a couple of whisky samples, courtesy of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society or SMWS (@SMWSUK). So, of course, I was eager to try them!

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.

I’ve already sampled SMWS “HONEY AND VANILLA SMOKE” CASK No. 53.242 which can be found here, so here’s sample TWO: SMWS “MOMENT OF SERENITY” CASK No. 76.135

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

Tasting Notes – SMWS “MOMENT OF SERENITY” CASK No. 76.135

AGE: 15 Years

DATE DISTILLED: 5th March 2008

CASK TYPE: First Fill Ex-Pedro Ximenez Hogshead

REGION: Speyside

OUTTURN: 1 of 192 bottles

ABV: 55.1%

Colour: Sherry.

Nose: Caramel toffee, honey, sweet tropical fruits and green apples.

Palate: Rich mouthfeel. Caramel toffee, sweet tropical fruits and green apples.

Finish: Punchy pepper, thick sweet honey and the finish is pleasantly long.

Overall: It’s amazing and rare to have all the aromas that are present in the nose available in the flavour!
A rich dram that keeps on giving – generous to a fault!

Many thanks to SMWS (@SMWSUK) for sending the samples!

Sampling SMWS Cask No.53.242 – A Young Dram That Punches Way Above It’s Weight!

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CASK No. 53.242: HONEY AND VANILLA SMOKE

I recently received a couple of whisky samples, courtesy of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society or SMWS (@SMWSUK). So, of course, I was eager to try them!

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.

Sample ONE is SMWS “HONEY AND VANILLA SMOKE” CASK No. 53.242

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

Tasting Notes – SMWS “HONEY AND VANILLA SMOKE” CASK No. 53.242

AGE: 7 Years

DATE DISTILLED: 1st June 2010

CASK TYPE: Refill Ex-Bourbon Hogshead

REGION: Islay

OUTTURN: 1 of 332 bottles

ABV: 58.4%

Colour: Pale straw.

Nose: Soft, heathery peat with sweet vanilla. I also detected a little bit of mint.

Palate: Smoke that’s Oh! so sweet! Vanilla, toffee, mint and a hint of orange.

Finish: Smooth, sweet smokey finish with a well balanced pepper. The finish is long with hints of tobacco.

Overall: The higher abv gives this dram some kick but don’t worry, it’s well tempered with some lovely smooth flavours. It’s a light, sweet peat so will appeal to many.
This 7 year old dram punches way above it’s weight!

Many thanks to SMWS (@SMWSUK) for sending the samples!

I shall be posting my notes on tasting sample TWO very soon!

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society – Latest Outturn & Burns Night!

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IF RABBIE BURNS DID AFTERNOON TEA – CASK No. 7.195

IF RABBIE BURNS DID AFTERNOON TEA – CASK No. 7.195



Description: Indulge in a sophisticated soirée with our celebratory bottling 7.195 If Rabbie Burns did afternoon tea. Sweet, fruity and mellow, let this charming whisky captivate your senses with delicious banana bread, crystallised ginger, spiced apricot chutney and the aroma of a red, red rose.

Price: £65.00

SAILING SHIP IN STORMY SEAS – CASK No. 29.237



Description: Even just pouring the sample into the bottle we realised this was a ‘Big One’ not to be taken lightly like a storm brewing out to sea. Menacing, dark, gloomy, oily, briny, salty sea air, seaweed, burning reclaimed tarry shipwreck timbers and smoke from blazing lavender bushes prepared us for trying it neat.

Price: £124.00

TEASING AND PLAYFUL – CASK No. 37.100



Description: This is a gentle, subtle nose of chalky sweets, orchard fruits, Eve’s pudding, chocolate limes and a tin of assorted biscuits; cinnamon swirls and hints of ginger lie underneath. The palate is warm and spicy – still delivering mango and tutti frutti ice-cream, but now also liquorice and blackcurrant, chilli jam, lemon peel, toasted coconut, nutmeg and ginger – a mouth-feel of teasing, earthy spice tingles.

Price: £56.50

RELAXING IN A SAUNA – CASK No. 46.57



Description: An interesting nose! Sweet, fruity and floral, with custard creams, refreshers, and lemon sponge-cake, but also something almost earthy, like greenhouses, vanilla pipe tobacco or woollen socks drying by the fire. The palate combined separate strands – sweetness (Victoria sponge, tinned peaches, Dolly Mixtures, wine gums), wood (balsa, cedar, wood-sap, eucalyptus) and spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, peppercorns).

Price: £105.00

WARM BUTTER ON BANANA BREAD – CASK No. G10.13



Description: Warm butter croissants and buttered popcorn appeared to be the order of the day, alongside thick slices of banana bread and freshly planed wood with a thin layer of runny honey. With time caramel wafers appeared with cinnamon and cloves that began to point heavily towards a well-aged bourbon whiskey.

Price: £102.00

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