SMWS Codename : 51.10 “Agave-induced invigoration”

Distillery : Bushmills

Country/Region : Northern Ireland

ABV : 57.7%

Cask : First Fill Ex-Bourbon

Age : 15 Years (Distilled 22 May 2002)

Nose : Pleasant nose full of subtle fruity hints of soursop, passionfruit, and dragonfruit— maybe a fruity refreshing sherbet.  Faint butterscotch and scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream give the impression of creamy sweets.

Palate :  The creamy vanilla comes out first— almost effervescent in nature like a bubbling vanilla cream soda.  The flavors are clean and refreshing like a lemon granita or a fruity soft serve yogurt.  Loads of sharpe, tart, and slightly astringent citrus follow and dominate the palate as lemon peel, lemon scented cleaning products, and yuzu.

Finish : Medium length vanilla ginger cream soda fades in intensity quickly.

SMWS Codename : 46.76 “Fully loaded lemon”

Distillery : Glenlossie

Country/Region : Scotland/Speyside

ABV : 58.3%

Cask : Refill Ex-bourbon Hogshead

Age : 11 Years (Distilled 14 March 2007)

Nose : Werther’s Original; a whole pile of them spilling out of Grandma’s purse.  Thick sticky butterscotch covers the senses.  Rivers of velvety caramel flow by with drifting chunks of salty toffee.  It’s a butterfinger candy bar melting on a hot day.

Palate :  The butterfinger and all of those butterscotch notes appear for a blip just to wave goodbye before wood spices and malty sugars say hello.  The nose and the palate are divorced from one another— irreconcilably different.  Astringent crab or mountain apples, faint lemon, and a hint of creamy butter.  This dram is all over the place, held together by bitter notes of burnt caramel.  A bit of water tamps down the bitter and highlights the lemon notes.

Finish : Lingering but quickly fading creamy lemon and boiled peanuts.  The finish is not unpleasant, it just fades too quickly

SMWS Codename : 96.27 “Furtive scone pesterer”

Distillery : Glendronach

Country/Region : Scotland/Highland

ABV : 58.5%

Cask : Refill Ex-Bourbon Barrel

Age : 12 Years (Distilled 8 June 2006)

Nose :  Five year old’s birthday party: sugary vanilla birthday cake, buttercream frosting, and a giant handful of candy sprinkles.  To wash it down; fizzy 7-Up, Sprite, or Sierra Mist— a tasting bar of lemon-lime sodas.  The nose is sweet and sugary, fully-loaded with sticky pastry and hints of citrus.

Palate : Lovely viscous body carries waves of vanilla and orange.  It has a malty sweetness with a bit of salt and a bit of ginger spice.  After the sweets on the nose, the body feels remarkably restrained.  Floral notes of rich honey come toward the end.  Another taster put it succinctly, the profile is very “Glenmorangie-y.”

Finish : Medium to short finish as the sugar rush slowly fades away.

SMWS Codename : 107.16 “Truly a fairytale” (Brown; Mr. Sketch Scented Markers)

Distillery : Glenallachie

Country/Region : Scotland/Speyside

ABV : 67%

Cask : Refill Retoasted Oloroso Sherry Butt

Age : 7 Years (Distilled 4 April 2011)

Nose : Cinnamon bark peeled fresh off the tree.  Tall stalks of green sugar cane.  A bit of citrus, a hint of pastry, and some minty menthol notes from through along with some fresh leather.  It is the cinnamon that really dominates the palate— it is the Brown Mr. Sketch scented marker.  The nose has beautiful sweet and slightly earthy spices.

Palate : Rich with a complex melange of different flavors— tons of influence from the Oloroso.  Rich notes of coffee grounds, dark chocolate, and wet soil.  Gradually the earthy notes give way to sweet black cherry soda, dried currants, and creamy whipped egg whites.  A bit of water in the glass draws the fruit forward even more.

Finish :  Lovely long and lingering sweet creamy caramel and black cherries.

SMWS Codename : 35.232 “The St. Bernard’s barrel” (Banana Split)

Distillery : Glen Moray

Country/Region : Scotland/Speyside

ABV : 62.5%

Cask : First Fill Red Wine Barrique

Age : 10 Years (Distilled 1 July 2008)

Nose : Floral vanilla and sweet honey lead a load of sweet sugars out of the glass.  Faint floral plumerias and butterscotch come at turns, but the nose is fairly restrained and straight forward.  Perhaps a pear custard tart.  The nose is notably hot.

Palate : Light and sweet, the heat of the nose comes straight through on the palate.  The youth and spirit of this Glen Moray is very forward.  Sweet honey, cocoa butter, and a bit of brûléed custard give some variations to the sweet.  A bit of water brings forward banana notes that had lingered in the background.  Sweet and creamy apple bananas or maybe a banana cream pie.

Finish : Lingering sweet milk chocolate and a rum baba cake with fresh cut banana slices.

SMWS Codename : 44.110 “Treasure trove”

Distillery : Craigellachie

Country/Region : Scotland/Speyside

ABV : 59.4%

Cask : New Oak Hogshead, Heavy Char

Age : 15 Years (Distilled 27 June 2003)

Nose : Fresh cut pumpkin or kabocha, chopped celery, a dash of celery salt, and a handful of dried herbs— this dram is some sort of autumn recipe waiting to be put together.  Fruity sarsaparilla of root beer, a bit of graphite, and some faintly medicinal notes provide some intriguing complexity.  A Jack-O-Lantern: a carved pumpkin, fresh Fall air, and the faint bit of smoke rising off the burning candle inside.

Palate : Beautiful palate coating waxy body.  Heap of berries and stone fruits roll out of the glass: raspberries, cherries, plums, and apricots.  There are touches of indistinct spices, sweet graham, and a bit of musty grape skin.  A dash of water brings out fruity notes and a bit of starchy banana.

Finish : Medium length sweet fruit syrup, brown sugar, molasses, grape jelly, and tamoe ame— a corn syrup soaked sticky rice candy.

SMWS Codename : 108.14 “An enjoyable curiosity” (Hoy-Hoy Roach Trap)

Distillery : Allt-a-Bhainne

Country/Region : Scotland/Speyside

ABV : 66.2%

Cask : 2nd Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel

Age : 7 Years (Distilled 1 November 2011)

Nose : A bit creamy peanut butter that begins to turn faintly chemical and quickly becomes roach bait.  Its a freshly placed Combat roach trap or maybe a Hoy-Hoy.  It is not unpleasant— and roaches sure seem to enjoy it.  A bit of musty vinegar, faint herbal notes, and a dash of lemon grass.  Hints of meatiness and faint smoke play at the edges of perception.

Palate :  Herbaceous with a sweet meaty quality.  It is roasted pork seasoned with Chinese five spice, burnt marshmallows, melting s’mores, and a bit of fish sauce.  Burning rotten vegetation blows over along with the sweet scent of pond scum, Lily pads, and tadpoles.  Picnic beside an algae covered pond.

Finish : Lingering lemon or burnt lemon peel with some sun baked hay bale at the end.

SMWS Codename : 42.45 “Cocktails on a tugboat” (Patina Penny)

Distillery : Ledaig/Tobermory

Country/Region : Scotland/Islands

ABV : 62.%

Cask : 2nd Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel

Age : 13 Years (Distilled 3 March 2005)

Nose : Seaside stroll: salty spray, tar sand, and a beach and sun soaked rotting old boat.  There are bits of creamy or funky soft cheese along with some faintly fruity lemon and melon.  A bit of ammonia brings to mind Windex and household cleaning.  Another review opined it had the scent of “regret and dead dreams.”

Palate : Salty— pinch of sea salt, a Himalayan salt lamp, and the sun dried salt ponds of Hanapepe.  Blending well with the salt are metallic and mineral notes— salty penny, oxidized and bluish green with age.  A bag of roasted salty nuts and a hint of orange.  

Finish : Medium to long finish of cocoa and tobacco with just a hint of the salt that had been so dominant on the nose and palate.