English Whisky Co. 9 Year SMWS 137.4 “Ye olde fish mines of Norwich!”
Whisky : English Whisky Co. 9 Year SMWS 137.4 “Ye olde fish mines of Norwich!”
Country/Region : England
ABV : 63.4%
Cask : First Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel
Age : 9 Years (Distilled 12 Feb. 2010)
Nose : Iodine rich fish oil, sweet grassy dried hay, and a mortar full of rosemary, oregano, and basil. Lighting the evening oil lamps, sliced lemons, and a roasted leg of lamb— drippings sizzle on a hot pan to make gravy.
Palate : Light body with an earthy complexity. Roasted and charred sweet potatoes reflect a palate that was mildly starchy, creamy, and sweet, Mineral water notes came through with honey roasted almonds and peanuts. Creamy candied yams pushed to the front along with herbal honey, thyme, and an earthy ashtray.
Finish : Dry and sweet with roasted bergamot and citrus.
Score : 6
Mental Image : Leftover Thanksgiving Sides
Something Better : Glen Scotia 8Y SMWS 93.115 (similar sweet-starchy profile, more fruits/pastry)
Something Similar : Balvenie 14Y Peat Week 2018 (similar grassiness/earthy, less herbal, more apple)
Notes : We shared this bottle at a virtual tasting back in the beginning of the summer, so I came to actually typing out and retasting for this review quite late, though the flavor palate perfectly matched the memories of my post-Thanksgiving fridge. Over the summer, I did not think of this as a Thanksgiving dram, but now that I come back to it for the last time, boy, this really was a perfect ode to the holidays. Loaded with lots of savory spice, earthy complexity, and sweet starchy notes, this was a fascinating bottle. It had little of the salty maritime notes that the SMWS codename led me to expect, rather it was a different beast altogether. The main weakness on this was its light mouthfeel and shorter subtler finish. I love my drams with a heavier mouthfeel and more presence across the palate, this had a nice oiliness that developed over time, but it always felt a little bit too weak.
Overall a really interesting experience— there was a lot to love in this bottle and, even if it did not come together for me, I will definitely keep an eye out for more English Whisky Co. bottles.
