SMWS releases — October 2022

In short · Bowmore (Islay), 18 years.

“Limited to 1 bottle per member We jived all night among sweet perfumes on a polished jazz joint dancefloor; then gratefully enjoyed lavender-scented foot rubs and rose…”Extract · full tasting notes at SMWS

In short · Highland Park (Islands), 14 years.

“The Panel mentioned a lot of smoke nosing this one neat, but the descriptors were all very delicate - smoky almonds and bacon rashers, smoked haddock soufflé and Lapsang…”Extract · full tasting notes at SMWS

In short · Highland Park (Islands), 31 years.

“The scent we found was that of a burnt, traditional Christmas cake and scorched raisins, as one Panellist even detected exhaust fumes from a tugboat.…”Extract · full tasting notes at SMWS

In short · Glen Grant (Speyside), 18 years.

“Limited to 2 bottles per member Shy at first, the nose suggested nettles, rosemary and forest floors – but giving it time paid off as perfumed notes of potpourri, red…”Extract · full tasting notes at SMWS

In short · Glen Garioch (Highland), 19 years.

“This was like sitting in a garden under an apple tree, drinking lemonade and enjoying the smells of jam-making coming from the kitchen window.…”Extract · full tasting notes at SMWS

In short · Tullibardine (Highland), 10 years.

“The nose began with light floral notes of pressed flowers dancing over lemons zest, icing sugar and curious elements of cured ham that developed into nut oils and…”Extract · full tasting notes at SMWS

In short · Glen Moray (Speyside), 9 years.

“Limited to 2 bottles per member Initial nosing suggested to us the cask was slightly more dominant in this instance.…”Extract · full tasting notes at SMWS

In short · Benrinnes (Speyside), 12 years.

“Limited to 2 bottles per member After nine years in ex-bourbon wood, we transferred this into a first fill American oak PX hogshead.…”Extract · full tasting notes at SMWS

In short · Linkwood (Speyside), 10 years.

“The neat nose on this one suggested fizzy sweets, young dessert wines, pineapple jelly, mango puree and bubblegum.…”Extract · full tasting notes at SMWS

In short · Glenlossie (Speyside), 12 years.

“A light and bubbly initial aroma that included candy floss and rose water up front, then strawberry mille fuille, barley sugar, tree bark and a hint of Turkish delight.…”Extract · full tasting notes at SMWS

In short · Balmenach (Speyside), 7 years.

“The panel were taken aback by the maturity of this one.…”Extract · full tasting notes at SMWS

In short · Bushmills (Northern Ireland), 21 years.

“Limited to 2 bottles per member We were struck by the aromatic intensity of this one, bags of overripe exotic fruits, pineapple chunks under a grill, bike chain grease…”Extract · full tasting notes at SMWS

In short · Aultmore (Speyside), 10 years.

“Limited to 2 bottles per member The nose took us to a kitchen on baking day – freshly baked fruit tarts, iced cakes and ginger biscuits – with black coffee and dried…”Extract · full tasting notes at SMWS

In short · Fettercairn (Highland), 13 years.

“The neat nose suggested varnished sandalwood, bitter citrus piths, hessian, cooling oils and pineapple jelly.…”Extract · full tasting notes at SMWS

In short · Loch Lomond (Inchmurrin / Inchmoan) (Highland), 10 years.

“Limited to 2 bottles per member The nose suggested Hawaiian grass skirts and floral garlands, butterscotch, lemon puffs, mashed banana and honey on porridge.…”Extract · full tasting notes at SMWS

In short · Bruichladdich (Port Charlotte) (Islay), 20 years.

“Limited to 1 bottle per member An aroma that is deeply entwined with, and specific to, these early production vintages of this, now cult, Islay make.…”Extract · full tasting notes at SMWS

In short · Penderyn (Wales), 8 years.

“On nosing this one neat, some of us, more advanced in years, remembered Carmen Miranda, the Portuguese-born Brazilian samba singer who popularised the festive and…”Extract · full tasting notes at SMWS

In short · Balcones (Texas, USA), 3 years.

“Limited to 1 bottle per member We imagined walking through a banana plantation where individual bunches of bananas are encased in blue plastic bag to protect them from…”Extract · full tasting notes at SMWS

In short · High Coast Distillery (Sweden), 8 years.

“Limited to 1 bottle per member A superbly aromatic and highly marine nose.…”Extract · full tasting notes at SMWS

In short · Holyrood Distillery (Lowland), 1 years.

“A soft and fruity aroma full of lemon and lime sorbets, freshly picked raspberries, trampled nettles and juniper with a tang of marzipan.…”Extract · full tasting notes at SMWS

“On a cold spring morning, we journeyed across the bridge to the Kingdom of Fife.…”Extract · full tasting notes at SMWS