Battling jet lag and the all too familiar disorientation of rounding the world, I stumbled into SMWS’s Bath Street bar in Glasgow looking for a spot of food and a few good drams. I originally attempted to drop in a few other places, knowing that I would be back at SMWS later in the week. Woe to the weary traveller looking for a quiet bar with a good whisky selection in an unfamiliar city, especially a whisky-mad city like Glasgow.

SMWS was at least not standing room only and the staff were kind enough to find me a quiet spot, tucked away on a busy evening. I enjoyed my drop by on both occasions, though the bar felt rather corporate and even a bit like a Chili’s rather than the more intimate spaces with which I am accustomed.  The staff were incredibly friend though, even if sometimes very new to whisky and still finding their feet— a refreshing admission on their part as whisky can sometimes attract those know it alls, who in fact know very little.

No matter my quibbles on the vibe of the place, the whisky and people were good, thus it was hard not to have a good time.

Whisky Details: Longmorn 32 Year (1992), SMWS 7.284 “The Antique Fruitique Boutique”

Nose: Waxy orchard fruits with apples and pears in sisal or burlap bags; that textile quality shifted toward herbal tea and spices with occasionally savory forays toward thyme and oregano; plenty of almond and butter lingered in the background with woody walnut and pecan shells.

Palate: Medium-bodied and oily, peaches and white nectarines with woody pits, a touch tannic and drying with with weathered oak and a mellow pepper; more pastries and malty sweetness gathered force over time providing honey, shortbread cookies with hints of ube and coconut, or apple cider donuts and a touch of sour tropical fruit.

Finish: Long and drying with soft pepper, woody #2 pencils, and malty shortbread cookies.

Score: 7-8 (86)

Mental Image: Waxed Tea Shop Counters

Narrative & Notes: I have been rather hit or miss with these old Longmorn from SMWS— from the highs of Tropical Love sauce to the lows, comparatively speaking, of Big Nuts. My reaction has largely hinged on whether the whisky leaned in an herbal-nutty direction or remained more focused on delicious tropical fruits.

This split the middle fairly well, incorporating elements of each with plenty of the wood influence you expect from such an old malt. A few drops of water broke up some of the woody tannins, softening the mouthfeel, and bringing to life more aromatic teak, sandalwood, herbal tea chests, and dried fruits.

Whisky Details: Ardmore 25 Year (1997), SMWS 66.240 “Nuts and belts and engine oil”

Nose: Rubber gaskets, belts, and engine grease— a motor pool; or, perhaps a nostalgic and rose-tinted glance back at a pack of greasers toiling in the garage; dirty beach park grills offered metal and charred fats, wispy smoke with a mineral tinge, kiawe wood with hints of mint; more grass fires, sandstone, and muddy lake water over time.

Palate: Medium-bodied, bold and rich, mellow bonfire smoke with hints of old tires, nutty olive oil, earthy roasted mushrooms; grungy motor pool and dirty shop rags with pepper and old newspapers; more grass fires and hints of farmy cow beds emerged with time.

Finish: Long and lingering with earth, old tires, charred wood, and hints of nutty olive oil.

Score: 8-9 (90)

Mental Image: Lake Day c. 1960s Midwest

Narrative & Notes: The SMWS name for this cask was more apt and descriptive than usual.  The Society’s approach to bottle naming can be prosaic, poetic, and not terribly descriptive at times. It is often a good bit of fun, but this one matched up perfectly, especially on the nose.  The palate proved smokier with a good deal more earth and grass, but the motor pool continued humming with activity just out of sight.  The net effect with something dirty, filthy even, but balanced and approachable, especially for the peat curious. This was quite handily one of the best of these 1997 Ardmore which SMWS has released regularly for the last several years and only seem to be getting better with time.

Whisky Details: Loch Lomond 8 Year, SMWS 135.47 “The Old Train Carriage”

Nose: Immediately funky and unusual— the sort of oddity that begs the question: what in the world am I smelling? A Dry Cleaner’s shop maybe?  Fabrics, textiles, and chemicals; Sharpie markers led to more pleasant cinnamon and molasses cookies; roasted vegetables arrived with carrots and parsnips glazed with sweet honey.

Palate: Medium-bodied and oily, cigarette smoke infused velvet cushions and couches, slightly chemical like newly manufactured leather goods or a new car, hints of lemony citrus in the background; more Christmas spice and treacle with a well-toasted, if not burnt, gingerbread village; occasionally acrid like burnt sugar with underlying herbal tobacco and cigarette smoke.

Finish: Medium to long with wispy smoke, smoked kippers, and hints of briny olives.

Score: 7 (82)

Mental Image: Gingerbread Man’s Midlife Crisis Sports Car

Narrative & Notes: After dining at SMWS’s Bath Street location and enjoying a pair of very mature whiskies, I was ready for something punchy to complete the night.  This heavily peated Loch Lomond malt was bottled specifically for the Bath Street location and immediately brought to mind another funk dram from the distillery: cask 135.11 “Paddle Steaming” which one commentator on whiskybase compared to pet food.  This was not fair off with its fascinating blend of chemical and root vegetable notes blanketed by smoke and old velvet. It was a classy old smoking lounge with ribbons of spice that put me in mind of a gingerbread village— or maybe a new sports car for the gingerbread family.  Delightful stuff and my kind of oddity.

Overall, it is hard to imagine pulling this off the shelf to drink regularly, but it was a fun dram to end on and something interesting to pour for friends.