SCOTCH & SHERRY
INSIDE THE SOLERA
The age-old solera system is fundamental to the world of sherry production, with an intricate process designed to ensure a consistent and complex final product, while also capturing the essence of an individual bodega’s history in every bottle. It’s also found its fans in the world of whisky maturation, as Richard Goslan reports
Cask No. 4.389
YELLOWTAIL SASHIMI AND SMOKED MACKEREL
€109.00
PROFILE Oily & Coastal REGION Highland AGE 14 years ABV 62.7% CASK TYPE 1st fill ex-Bourbon barrel
We grilled on a sandy beach on a sunny day, searing ahi tuna with a lavender-pepper crust and chargrilled sun-dried tomatoes. While we waited for those, we had a bento box with spicy salmon uramaki, smoked salmon and avocado sushi, as well as yellowtail sashimi with truffle ponzu.
After reduction a savoury note appeared: salted crackers, peanuts and oatcakes topped with crème fraîche, salmon caviar and chives. On the palate we found a sweet, salty and smoky combination as two dips came to mind: honey mustard pretzel and smoked mackerel. At eight years of age, we combined selected hogsheads from the same distillery into a variety of different casks to develop further. This is one of those casks.
Cask No. 24.175
ANDALUSIAN DAYDREAM
€160.00
PROFILE Deep, rich & Dried Fruits REGION Speyside AGE 15 years ABV 62.5% CASK TYPE 1st fill ex-oloroso hogshead
We found ourselves transported into a world of flavours, as dried figs and dates were served alongside serrano ham and toasted almonds. Standing in the shade of the bodega, the heavy smell of oak mingled with maturing sherry boasting wondrous aromas of dried fruit.
With a dash of water we discovered a darker side, however. Now cocoa powder rained down on black forest gateau. The slightest suggestion of coal dust merged into molasses and liquorice, before ginger wine, cinnamon and hot chocolate combined on the finish.
SMALL BATCH SINGLE MALT
SPANISH SPLENDOUR
€70.00
AGE 10 years ABV 50.0% CASK TYPE Refill & 1st fill hogsheads Bourbon, Spanish & American oak Oloroso
An abundantly, almost extravagantly, rich aroma filled the room with the scent of chocolate truffles, rum-soaked raisins, butterscotch sauce and prunes stewed in port wine. The taste was just as luxuriant, with flavours of a Seville orange cake prepared with raw forest honey, which is a little less sweet and has a slightly salty note. With a drop of water we cracked the crunchy, caramelised crust of an authentic crema catalana to release the characteristic citrus and cinnamon aromas. On the palate, we cut slices of a cake from Brittany, a Far Breton – a flan-style egg and milk custard with prunes which reminded one of us of a similar dessert served in the Spanish Cantabria region, Quesada pasiega
‘HERESY’ SMALL BATCH DELIGHTS
SPANISH SPLENDOUR
Spanish Splendour is the latest addition to the Society’s non-standard ‘Heresy’ series of small-batch bottlings, and even for this collection, it is a bit of an unusual expression as it is a single malt rather than a blended malt.
Hailing from the Scottish Highlands, Spanish Splendour will provide you with just the right amount of fruity decadence to celebrate the arrival of autumn, as Julien Willems explains
GLOBAL GATHERING
GATHER TOGETHER
Gathering month is upon us here at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, meaning it’s a time to come together and embrace the wonderful community spirit within our whisky world. Society writer Duncan Gorman reveals some of the highlights to watch out for in this jam-packed month of festive fun