Background

A little late on this review, but finally got around to putting metaphorical pen to paper on my notes from last week’s November SMWS outturn tasting at Jack Rose. As with any outturn tasting, quite a few whiskies (6) at the event, so going to get right to the review. This review was blind, where we had to guess the age, distillery, cask(s) used in aging, and SMWS flavor profile. Just for fun, I’ve included my guess on the flavor profile vs what it ended up being with each review below. A full list of everything that was on offer:

• 35.316 “Fine Fragrances” (Glen Moray)

• 28.92 “A Walk in the Countryside” (Tullibardine)

• 82.48 “The Big Yellow” (Glencadam)

• 64.140 “A Stroll in the Garden” (Mannochmore)

• 44.169 “In the Wooden Box” (Craigellachie)

• 66.238 “Blackbeard’s Treasure” (Ardmore)

35.316 “Fine Fragrances” (Glen Moray) (9 Years, 59.6%)

Nose: Old dusty bubblegum, apricots- it’s fairly fruity and fragrant on the nose.

Palate: Tart Granny Smith apples, honeycomb, peaches. More fruit! But again it’s very delicate, fragrant and a little floral. There’s some oak coming into play here as well, building towards the finish.

Finish: Oak, lemon rinds- it's a little sharp on the finish, tannic and a bit spicy. Lingering honeysuckle.

Good (5/10)

Guess/Actual Profile: Juicy Oak and Vanilla/Juicy Oak and Vanilla

Overall: Ah this starts out so promising, with bright and fun orchard fruit and floral notes. Almost a bit perfumy. And then it just dries out very fast on the finish. It’s just far too dry for me to want more than an occasional pour.

28.92 “A Walk in the Countryside” (Tullibardine) (10 Years, 61.5%)

Nose: Very mellow nose, delicate, floral. White peach. Very gentle and subtle, like walking amongst flowers and catching wafts of them vs putting your nose in one.

Palate: Again delicate, a light dance of fruit across the palate. Melon, apple skin, berry compote. Hints of cloves and baking spices.

Finish: Toasted oak, cloves, vanilla, and baking spice. The fruit drops off and the spice arrives.

Very Good (6/10)

Guess Profile/Actual Profile: Sweet Fruity & Mellow/Spicy & Dry

Overall: This is an interesting example of being potentially influenced by the tasting order. The Glen Moray was far too dry for my liking, and so maybe by comparison this came across as fruitier (hence my profile guess), though there is an undeniable wave of spice that comes in at the end.

82.48 “The Big Yellow” (Glencadam) (11 Years, 62.8%)

Nose: Orange marmalade, white grape, sweeter than the last two and slightly more jammy.

Palate: Juicy juice- and what I mean by that is a vague, ambiguous juiciness. Succulent pear, and crisp orchard fruit.

Finish: Cinnamon and oak comes in, again a late arriving spicy and oak note. There's also a nice little butterscotch note.

Good to Very Good (5.5/10)

Guess Profile/Actual Profile: Sweet Fruity & Mellow/Sweet Fruity & Mellow

Overall: A nice succulent dram, if a little dull and ambiguous on the fruit. It’s a very easy mindless sipper. Which is boring because it means I do not have a ton else to say about it!

64.140 “A Stroll in the Garden” (Mannochmore) (16 Years, 61.7%)

Nose: Dates, raisins, maple syrup… hi sherry cask influence!

Palate: Syrupy- doing this blind I guessed this is PX, because the sherry comes through with a sweet, raisin forward note that seems more aligned towards PX than a drier Oloroso cask influence. More dates and figs.

Finish: It’s like maple raspberry syrup. There’s a red fruit here, alongside a maple bar type note. There’s also a honey note coming through as well, alongside some dark wood.

Very Good to Great (6.5/10)

Guess Profile/Actual Profile: Deep Rich & Dried Fruits/Deep Rich & Dried Fruits

Overall: Well I was wrong about PX, as this is a First-fill Spanish oak Oloroso Hogshead. But if you couldn’t tell from the notes, big time sherry influences on this pour. I’ll be honest, even as a sherry lover it’s maybe too sherry forward. It’s hard to get anything else than that influence.

44.169 “In the Wooden Box” (Craigellachie) (20 Years, 60.6%)

Nose: Raspberry jam, hazelnut spread, it smells rich and a bit musty. Leather and pipe tobacco.

Palate: Bacon jam. It has a meatyness while still being sweet and jammy. Apricot, and fancy dark chocolate.

Finish: The dark chocolate/cocoa notes stick around, providing the cornerstone of this finish. Citrus zest and anise… and occasionally I feel like I’m picking out an ever so slightly off metallic note.

Very Good (7/10)

Guess Profile/Actual Profile: Deep Rich & Dried Fruits/Deep Rich & Dried Fruits

Overall: Oh yeah there’s some fun meatiness here, but it’s anchored by the fruit and the end result is a fun depth of flavor. A pour you could absolutely sit with, swirl in the glass and pick out some fun flavors. Where the prior pour was a little more mundane and sherry forward, there’s more to work with here, including an excellent dark chocolate throughline.

66.238 “Blackbeard’s Treasure” (Ardmore) (11 Years, 62.3%)

Nose: Oh fuck yeah this is pure, creamy vanilla custard and I am all in. What a nose. Rich toasty creme brulee.

Palate: Melts in your mouth, more charred custard and caramels. Banana pudding and hints of artificial pineapple.

Finish: Toasted marshmallows and cool whip, hints of salted caramel and butterscotch. Chicory coffee.

Excellent (8/10)

Guess Profile/Actual Profile: Lightly Peated/Peated

Overall: Without those lightly toasted sugar notes, you wouldn’t really get much peat influence. But this is just a rich delight, an absolute blast to sip with a weighty texture on the palate and delicious vanilla cream notes. Apparently its final cask was a refill Trinidad rum barrel, which is probably where the pineapple and weighty texture come from. Delicious.