THE WINTER SERIES
CELEBRATE THE SPIRIT OF THE CEILIDH
Whisky is a pleasure year-round, but it has to be said that as the nights draw in, there’s nothing better than cracking open a bottle for a dram or two. Whether you’re going for a bit of cold weather walking, or you’re a fan of an armchair dram by a roaring fire, we have something special for you this season with our new Winter Series
Cask No. 9.288
OVERPOWERING ENCHANTMENT
€160.00
PROFILE Old & Dignified REGION Speyside AGE 19 years ABV 52.7% CASK TYPE 1st fill ex-Bourbon barrel
The nose led us through a perfumed garden to a house made of sticky toffee pudding and malt loaf, where a pipe- smoking witch lured us with fruit pastilles, pear drops and yum-yums. She indulged our palates with battenburg cake, toffee waffles and crêpes suzette – so moreish we hardly noticed the finish of spiced plums, cinnamon swirls and crystallised ginger, seducing us softly to the dark side. The reduced nose combined torments of fruit salad and lemon drizzle cake with teasements of prune juice and cedar wood. The palate's chocolate-coated raisin and banana chip sweetness was tempered by fruit skins, walnuts and after-dinner mints.
Cask No. 18.66
ROASTED SALTED PISTACHIO KERNELS
€89.00
PROFILE Deep, Rich & Dried Fruits REGION Speyside AGE 12 years ABV 59.5% CASK TYPE 1st fill ex-oloroso hogshead
An inviting aroma of blood orange and dark chocolate madeleines, and hot chocolate with marshmallows - along with delicious crispy bacon and a whiff of salty sea air - tantalised the Panel. This was the first flavour we discovered: salted crisps, plus salty and sweet liquorice, as well as a salted caramel cheesecake. With time we had a black coffee and freshly baked mixed fruit and nut scones. After reduction, the coffee was more like a strong Turkish mocha served with toasted hazelnut marzipan on the nose. The palate was a seriously dark chocolate crème brûlée with a finish that reminded us of roasted salted pistachio kernels. Following eight years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, we transferred this whisky into a first fill American oak oloroso hogshead.
CASK No. 58.58
SWEET TREATS AFTER AN AUTUMN WALK
€95.00
PROFILE Spicy & Sweet REGION Speyside AGE 12 years ABV 57.3% CASK TYPE 1st fill HTMC hogshead
We all found this undeniably sweet and attractive; its nose suggested tropical fruits, spun sugar, Danish pastries, toffee, honey and candied citrus peel. Slightly spicier than that, the palate teased us with ginger snaps, cinnamon logs, mince pies and lebkuchen, raspberry and coconut chocolate bars, and Asian spices. The nose, with water, evoked buttered crumpets, black forest gâteau and cinnamon apple pie, which we enjoyed after an imagined walk in the autumn woods. Lip-smacking and tasty, the reduced palate gave us Moffat toffees, botanically brewed cola, marmalade and liquorice allsorts.
GLOBAL GATHERING
GATHERED TOGETHER
For Society members, few events evoke the same sense of anticipation as the Gathering. Held all over the world during September with special events at all of our Members’ Rooms, the occasion draws members far and wide. Olga Varvarova caught up with some of those lucky enough to win our competition to travel to our HQ in Edinburgh to find out what the Society means to them