ONLIN FRIDA E MIDDAY Y 8 D E A E DT CEMB ER
Celebrating on Friday 8 December Issue 12, 2023
FAREWELL 2023
Stuff your stockings with our last Outturn for the year with some goodies to see the year out.
ONLY THROUGH: SMWS.COM.AU
CONTENTS The wide world of sports Matt Bailey............................................................................... 4 Mighty oaken casks Part #1: Whisky can only be made in cask Chris Middleton. . ................................................................ 34
OUR BOTTLINGS YOUNG & SPRITELY
DEEP, RICH & DRIED FRUITS
Cask No. 122.52 Green eyed beastie . . ...........................................................13
Cask No. 144.5 (Malt of the Month) Nineteen eighties roast dinners ................................. 10
SWEET, FRUITY & MELLOW
Cask No. 6.64 Spanish castanuts .. ............................................................. 18
Cask No. G15.18 Rum, rum, rum, rum away .............................................13
OLD & DIGNIFIED
Cask No. 9.234 Splendiferous! .. .......................................................................14
Cask No. 38.34 Extended telomeres .......................................................... 18
SPICY & SWEET
Cask No. 29.288 (Vaults Collection) Elegant extravagance...................................................... 26
Cask No. 28.78 Orient and Occident .. ........................................................14
JUICY, OAK & VANILLA
Cask No. 9.244 Sheer pleasure ....................................................................... 17
Cask No. 128.19 Pretty wacky! .........................................................................21
SPICY & DRY
Cask No. 82.42 Hayloft happiness ...............................................................21
Cask No. 44.154 Terra firma ............................................................................... 17
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YOUR SOCIETY Membership offer Membership + whisky for a year.............................. 30 Virtual tasting The Merry Malty Virtual Tasting.............................. 32 December promotion WIN a golden ticket.. ........................................................ 33
BUNDLE OFFERS PEATED
BRING THE BEST TO THE XMAS LUNCH
Cask No. 4.333 Surprisingly smoky, so seductively sweet ............22
Cask No. 9.234 Splendiferous! Cask No. 35.310 Marmalade matured cognac
Cask No. 53.411 A treasure trove of char .................................................22
Cask No. RR64 Viscous velvet
Cask No. 16.64 Tannic, shamanic, oceanic ............................................ 24
MIDWEST MAGNIFICENCE TRIO
Cask No. B7.3 Penne pasta arrabiata
Cask No. CW2.3 Buttery baked corn on the cob .................................. 24
Cask No. B7.8 Chilli cherry cotton candy SHERRY LOVERS TRIO
Cask No. B5.7 Speculoos cookie butter ice cream ......................... 25 Cask No. B7.8 Chilli cherry cotton candy . . .......................................... 25
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Cask No. B7.12 Foraging fruits of the forest
CORN WHISKEY
BOURBON
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Cask No. 18.45 Hola oloroso! Cask No. 36.189 Andalusian breakfast Cask No. 41.146 Carved and crafted
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THE WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS BY MATT BAILEY
N
o, I’m not really into “sportsball”. I don’t strictly follow any AFL team. I never supported a rugby team. Sure, the Boxing Day cricket test is a fun sunny day in the calendar, and I love following the F1 racing, and the Australian Open in tennis. Cricket, F1, Tennis. Three very different codes of sports. If I was making a comparison to whisky, that might be like saying Aussie whisky, Scotch whisky, American whisky.
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But yes, I’m making a comparison to sports. Who would have thought that would ever happen, really? I’m going somewhere with this, just trust me. Just recently I was interviewed for an MBA thesis publication, and most of the questions were around the challenges within the whisky industry, and some of the opportunities that may lie ahead for those wishing to get into the trade. This really set my cogs turning as I love helping people get into the trade, and love mentoring wherever I get the
“THE NUMBER OF BRANDS AVAILABLE IN THE WHISKY SPACE WAS LESS THAN HALF OF WHAT IT IS NOW. THAT WAS JUST IN 2013. THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF DISTILLERIES MAKING WHISKY AROUND THE WORLD, AND NOW THERE ARE LITERALLY THOUSANDS.”
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chance to do so. That aside, there was one question (which was admittedly a bit broader) about what I think the next ten years look like in the whisky scene. I think the best way to approach something like this is to examine the last ten years and learn from trends. What was just ten years ago? The number of brands available in the whisky space was less than HALF of what it is now. That was just in 2013. There were hundreds of distilleries making whisky around the world, and now there are literally thousands. The main currency then was shelf space, and now it’s attention and eyeballs. If you’re reading this, you’re already in the 0.1% of 1% really. The amount of whisky ‘availability’ has simply exploded.
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“THE BATTLE FOR SHELF SPACE SEEMED EASY, THE BATTLE FOR ATTENTION AND ENGAGEMENT NOW IS INSANELY COMPETITIVE. BUT THE BIGGEST CHANGE IN AVAILABILITY I’M SEEING NOW IS JUST IN HOW WIDE THE AVAILABILITY OF OTHER COUNTRIES HAS TAKEN UP SO MUCH BRAND AVAILABILITY.”
Sure, this could be counted as a good thing. The number of people getting into whisky and discovering it more and more in that period has gone wild. I think that’s fantastic. But at the same time, I can’t help but be a little sceptical — how many are too many distilleries? How many releases are too many? The battle for shelf space seemed easy, the battle for attention and engagement now is insanely competitive. But the biggest change in availability I’m seeing now is just in how wide the availability of other countries has taken up so much brand availability. Ten years ago, whiskies from Australia, India, Canada, Japan, New Zealand etc were barely a blip on the radar here. They were the “inferior” alternative to Scotch whisky. They were the “risky” purchase. The bottle you’d seldom take a punt on. For that same $120 you’d be taking home 2x bottles of Glenmorangie 10, or one mysterious bottle of Aussie whisky without an age statement. Pretty easy choice to make at the time. How things have changed for “international” whisky in that time. Back then it was the ‘world music’ section of the record store, where strange recordings that no one wanted went to die. Retailers have since adapted, wholesalers have taken a punt on things, and we’re now way more engaged with world whisky than ever before. Take a look at this month’s rather special Malt of the Month: a hugely exciting, richly sherried, single-cask whisky from Sweden! It’s like a step back in time for Cask 144.5 to the roast dinners you’d have as a kid. I encourage you to take a stab at what’s happening around the world with whiskies like this.
But back to my sports analogy. Every country now has their code. The one or two sports they absolutely bloody excel at. The same is true with countries producing great spirits. Or at least that’s how I see it in my head. It’s been a long year. Thanks for coming for the ride, and here’s to 2024 and beyond. Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and best wishes.
Matt Bailey ~ Branch Director, SMWS Australia
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SWEDISH DELOREAN
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S
trap in your hoverboard, grab your Almanac, and hold on tight. We’re going back in time for Malt of the Month to close out the year. For our younger members, you might need a vivid imagination. Those, however, who spent a bit of time in the 80s will be all over this. That gravox tin, the veal, the off-brand fizzy drink, roast potatoes, and not least the reminder of how insanely good 80’s sherried whiskies were. We hereby invite you to take a sensory journey back in time with Cask 144.5 ‘Nineteen eighties roast dinners’. An absolute Swedish masterclass in sherry maturation and umami brilliance. Big Bovril, Vegemite toast, leaf mulch, mutton stock, aged pinot, and herbal bitters. As a bit of fun for December rounding out our anniversary Maverick year, we’re giving away 1x mega pack of Swedish snacks to enjoy with your Malt of the Month, valued at $200. Just buy a bottle of 144.5 to be in the draw and we’ll pick a lucky winner on our virtual tasting on the 18th. Don’t miss out!
NINETEEN EIGHTIES ROAST DINNERS $299
CASK No. 144.5 See following page for further details
SWEDISH DELOREAN
T MAL HE OF T NTH MO
NINETEEN EIGHTIES ROAST DINNERS
REGION
Sweden
CASK TYPE
1st fill sherry hogshead
AGE
8 years
DEEP, RICH & DRIED FRUITS
DATE DISTILLED
29 October 2013
CASK No. 144.5
OUTTURN
297 bottles
ABV
63.4%
$299
REDUCED FROM $355
AUS ALLOCATION 78 bottles A rather old school and specific profile that immediately screamed: game meat, fir wood, mutton stock, cranberry gravy and things like suet and chicken granules. Roast dinners from yesteryear! We also found some lighter notes of Jamaica cake and balsamic figs underneath. Water enhanced these gamey qualities. Also bringing leaf mulch, umami paste, truffle, paraffin and leather. The palate opened with cooking oils, Bovril, hessians and salted dark chocolate. Some red chili heat and a little salted liquorice too. With water the palate once again became more like bouillon powder, beef stock, peppered jerky, chopped parsley, aged pinot noir and things like Scotch broth and herbal bitters. Curious! One for lovers of a ‘certain sherry style’
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GREEN EYED BEASTIE
REGION
Highland
CASK TYPE
1st fill bourbon barrel
AGE
8 years
YOUNG & SPRITELY
DATE DISTILLED
24 September 2013
CASK No. 122.52
OUTTURN
145 bottles
ABV
62.5%
$169
AUS ALLOCATION 24 bottles The initial nose popped and fizzed with coconut shavings, green under ripe melon, crème Catalan, rum and raisin fudge and a wee hint of buttery shortbread. Water evolved it towards dusty hay lofts, sultanas, honeysuckle and snapped green twigs. We also noted white pepper, pine cones and vanilla foam with a hint of crème caramel. When neat the palate was punchy and peppery with elderflower, nettle tea, brown sugar and lime juice. Some impressions of fruit salad gunk, fermenting banana and lanolin too. With water it was still pretty lively and displayed flavours of banana chips, yellow plum, biscotti, hessian and dried herbs.
RUM, RUM, RUM, RUM AWAY
REGION
Highland
CASK TYPE
Refill Trinidad Rum barrel
AGE
14 years
SWEET, FRUITY & MELLOW
DATE DISTILLED
24 January 2008
CASK No. G15.18
OUTTURN
211 bottles
ABV
57.6%
$230
RA EXT URED T MA
AUS ALLOCATION 30 bottles We were expecting something rather extreme given the rum cask, but instead we were greeted with a surprisingly gentle aroma of vanilla pods, sweet pipe tobacco, Frangelico liqueur, gorse flower, myrtle and coconut water with citrus peels. Reduction offered up barley sugars, tea tree oils, young sweet wines and pineapple cubes. Some mentholated esters finally betrayed the rum influence. The palate started out with creme de menthe, coffee liqueur and wee notes of bourbon biscuit and chocolate hobnob. Matured for 11 years in a bourbon barrel before transfer to a refill Trinidad rum barrel. 13
REGION
Speyside
SPLENDIFEROUS!
CASK TYPE
1st fill bourbon barrel
AGE
18 years
SWEET, FRUITY & MELLOW
DATE DISTILLED
11 September 2003
CASK No. 9.234
OUTTURN
200 bottles
ABV
55.8%
$260
AUS ALLOCATION 48 bottles Childhood memories of rushing out the door on hearing the jingle of the travelling ice cream van and buying soft served ice cream in a chocolate wafer cone sprinkled with multicoloured sprinkles. Sweet on the palate, a fresh fruit salad with strawberries, slices of oranges and pink grapefruit as well as apples and pears accompanied by a refreshing limeade with mint. Reluctantly we added a drop of water, and the fruity scent was now more exotic and tropical with aromas of pineapple, mango, papaya and lychees while to taste the rounded sweetness of orange Chantilly cream and in the finish, fresh pineapple syrup.
ORIENT AND OCCIDENT
REGION
Highland
CASK TYPE
1st fill bourbon barrel
AGE
9 years
SPICY & SWEET
DATE DISTILLED
21 May 2012
CASK No. 28.78
OUTTURN
186 bottles
ABV
61.2%
$220
AUS ALLOCATION 30 bottles We imagined preparing a fudgy chocolate babka with blanched hazelnuts, chopped dark chocolate and cocoa powder. Through the kitchen window the wind carried the sweet scent of elderflower growing in abundance outside in a hedgerow. The palate started with a mango and mint salad before the main course of a chicken vindaloo with roasted cashews. With water the nose turned creamier with empire biscuits, Eccles cakes and a slice of cream cheese walnut cake. The taste became tamer with flavours of warm salted caramel brownies and a Boston cream pie.
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REGION
Speyside
SHEER PLEASURE
CASK TYPE
1st fill bourbon barrel
AGE
18 years
SPICY & SWEET
DATE DISTILLED
11 September 2003
CASK No. 9.244
OUTTURN
189 bottles
ABV
56.8%
$269
AUS ALLOCATION 36 bottles Nosing this, we entered a country house (polished expensive furniture) fresh from an autumn walk in the woods and were served extravagant fruit salad, Tunnock’s caramel wafers and honeyed golden dessert wine – sheer spoiled pleasure. The palate combined honey and malted biscuits with strawberry sherbet and Love Hearts; then finished with lingering hints of eucalyptus and Fisherman’s Friends. On the reduced nose, pink custard now joined the exotic fruits and we discovered vanilla, coconut, fragrant wood, muesli and cinnamon sticks. The reduced palate delivered custard over jam roly poly, papaya and toasted coconut.
REGION
Speyside
TERRA FIRMA
CASK TYPE
1st fill Spanish oak Oloroso hogshead
AGE
14 years
SPICY & DRY
DATE DISTILLED
30 August 2007
CASK No. 44.154
OUTTURN
259 bottles
ABV
60.3%
$230
RA EXT URED T MA
AUS ALLOCATION 36 bottles A spicy and leathery profile at first nosing. Hot cross buns, cured game meats, aged pinot noir and sautéed forest mushrooms. We also had a sense of leaf mulch, petrichor and hoisin sauce. Water brought further meaty vibes such as beef jerky, rib glaze, hessian, putty and jasmine tea. The neat palate was a dive into a spice market, with bitter cocoa, charred steak, some 1950s Fernet Branca and something akin to mulled Buckfast! With water we found big umami things like soy sauce, cocktail bitters, beef stock and natural tar extract. Matured for 11 years in a bourbon hogshead before transfer to a 1st fill Spanish oak oloroso sherry hogshead. 17
SPANISH CASTANUTS
REGION
Speyside
CASK TYPE
1st fill Spanish oak hogshead
AGE
16 years
DEEP, RICH & DRIED FRUITS
DATE DISTILLED
29 August 2006
CASK No. 6.64
OUTTURN
264 bottles
ABV
56.2%
$279
AUS ALLOCATION 42 bottles We collided at some speed into a wall of plums, bruised apples and spicy chorizo before rebounding into the safety of soft leather, fruitcake dough and earthy rhubarb crumble. Hazelnuts, walnuts and burnt coconut began to rain down from above, smashing into mounds of muscovado sugar and cocoa powder. With just a few drops of water a more refined vista appeared, one that bound bananas and fresh figs to cured ham and toasted pine nuts. After 13 years in a bourbon hogshead, this was transferred to a Spanish oak oloroso hogshead.
EXTENDED TELOMERES
REGION
Speyside
CASK TYPE
2nd fill bourbon barrel
AGE
25 years
OLD & DIGNIFIED
DATE DISTILLED
26 July 1996
CASK No. 38.34
OUTTURN
221 bottles
ABV
50.6%
$895
RA EXT URED T MA M MIU PRE TTLING BO
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AUS ALLOCATION 42 bottles At first nosing the panel noted such aromas as manuka honey, sandalwood, foam sweeties, lemon balm and overripe yellow fruits. A beautiful and exquisitely mature profile we all agreed. Further notes of apple blossom, scone mix and fennel seeds were all detected. With water we got heather flowers, mossy tree bark, flower pollens, sun lotion and crystallised citrus fruits. In time a firmer waxy tone developed. A gorgeous dram! At 22 years of age, we combined selected casks from the same distillery. We then returned the single malt into a variety of different casks to develop further. This is one of those casks.
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PRETTY WACKY! JUICY, OAK & VANILLA
CASK No. 128.19
$235
REGION
Wales
CASK TYPE
2nd fill barrel - #4 char 24 month air seasoned oak with toasted heads
AGE
11 years
DATE DISTILLED
25 September 2010
OUTTURN
186 bottles
ABV
59.8%
AUS ALLOCATION 30 bottles
RA EXT URED MAT
Wow, amazing, exotic fruits from a different planet, had the Brecon Beacons National Park got a tropical climate for maturation – all these exclamations from the panel captured the aroma coming from this glass very well indeed. Silky, smooth, and sweet on the palate like a juicy mango filled bubble gum – wacky but it works. Water caused an explosion of those tropical fruity flavours as we now chewed skittles, those colourful crispy shell yet chewy in the middle – ‘we tasted the rainbow of fruit flavours.’ Following eight years in an ex-bourbon barrel, we transferred this whisky into a 2nd fill barrel with a #4 char, 24 months air seasoned oak and toasted heads.
REGION
Highland
HAYLOFT HAPPINESS
CASK TYPE
1st fill bourbon barrel
AGE
10 years
JUICY, OAK & VANILLA
DATE DISTILLED
16 March 2011
CASK No. 82.42
OUTTURN
222 bottles
ABV
59.8%
$230
AUS ALLOCATION 30 bottles Our careful appraisal of the nose suggested tutti frutti icecream and fruity boiled sweets, honey and golden syrup – then more subtle hints of haylofts, pistachios and baskets of dried flowers. The palate was an intriguing bittersweet combination of apricot Danish, gooseberry flan and apple pie, sugared almonds, dark chocolate and crystallised ginger; the finish left chewed pencils, cinnamon rice pudding and lemon zest. The reduced nose found leafy hedgerows, buttery caramelised bananas and marzipan petits fours, while the palate now had marshmallows speared and toasted on birch twigs, pumpkin pie and root beer, then white pepper and mace to finish. 21
SURPRISINGLY SMOKY, SO SEDUCTIVELY SWEET
REGION
Highland
CASK TYPE
1st fill bourbon barrel
AGE
12 years
PEATED
DATE DISTILLED
29 October 2009
CASK No. 4.333
OUTTURN
249 bottles
ABV
62.6%
$220
RA EXT URED MAT
AUS ALLOCATION 36 bottles Aromas of peat smoked candied apples, sweet and salty popcorn as well as maple smoked coconut flakes were just a few of the descriptors before we tried it. Imaginations did run wild as one panel member was reminded of shooting a spud gun when they were young, while others got pineapple grilled over peat reek with vanilla sauce. Following reduction, the scent was that of sun lotion, menthol cigarettes and stroopwafels while to taste the sweet smoke of campfire marshmallows emerged with hints of waxy lemons and pink peppercorns in the finish. 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.
A TREASURE TROVE OF CHAR
REGION
Islay
CASK TYPE
Refill bourbon hogshead
AGE
11 years
PEATED
DATE DISTILLED
28 September 2010
CASK No. 53.411
OUTTURN
279 bottles
ABV
58.4%
$270
AUS ALLOCATION 72 bottles A combination of sea spray and green seaweed had us diving for gold on a sunken pirate shipwreck. Meaty notes wafted from hot smoked salmon and dill towards haggis with a burnt cream sauce. As if from nowhere, on the palate came a blast of pear drop fruit with honey oozing over walnuts, coal and cask char. The palate retained its fruity demeanour but now with dried cranberries and a fresh sprig of peppermint dipped into lapsang souchong tea served with dark chocolate and heavy tobacco.
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TANNIC, SHAMANIC, OCEANIC
REGION
Highland
CASK TYPE
Refill re-charred hogshead
AGE
8 years
PEATED
DATE DISTILLED
2 July 2013
CASK No. 16.64
OUTTURN
247 bottles
ABV
65.7%
$220
AUS ALLOCATION 42 bottles The nose wafted caramel popcorn and golden syrup, then deepened to sauna wood, burnt twigs dipped in honey, toasted marshmallows and dried seaweed. The palate suggested a bonfire of driftwood and peat, tatties roasted in the embers (with sour cream and chives), burnt sage leaves and a hint of neoprene – sweet, oily and dirty – yahoo! With water, the nose gave us honeycomb in a seaside cave, cured ham, olives in brine and swinging in a hessian hammock between two walnut trees. The taste was now a wow! – tar, liquorice, smoke and iodine, orange, leather, teriyaki tuna and balsamic cooked chestnuts.
BUTTERY BAKED CORN ON THE COB
REGION
Texas
CASK TYPE
Refill Blue Corn Whisky barrique
AGE
5 years
CORN WHISKEY
DATE DISTILLED
31 August 2016
CASK No. CW2.3
OUTTURN
171 bottles
ABV
66.9%
$299
AUS ALLOCATION 48 bottles We noticed at first a nutty, oily and buttery aroma which was followed by hints of vanilla and baking spices as well as buttery baked corn on the cob. On the palate like a chocolate brioche with Sichuan peppercorns salted butter and strawberry jam. Following the addition of water the scent moved towards cinnamon buns, lemon zest and an herbal, lightly leathery note while to taste, fresh corn roasted on the embers of a campfire, a slight char and smoky flavour and then slathered with a sweet and spicy butter. This refill barrique was made from 36 months air seasoned oak staves and had undergone a heavy toast and medium char heat treatment.
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SPECULOOS COOKIE BUTTER ICE CREAM
REGION
Tennessee
CASK TYPE
1st fill charred barrel
AGE
6 years
BOURBON
DATE DISTILLED
22 March 2016
CASK No. B5.7
OUTTURN
210 bottles
ABV
63.0%
$235
AUS ALLOCATION 36 bottles The initial impression was rather shy, but there was plenty to be discovered. We found classic puff pastry, cinnamon raisin bagels, hints of anis, and even lightly smoked cheese, fresh sea air and birch tree sap. A spicy taste was followed by a drying mouthfeel of a long oakaged red wine followed by cured ham, nutmeg, vanilla, ginger and soy sauce. With the addition of water we had two scoops of ice cream, one being rum and raisin, the other caramelised cookie butter with coarsely crushed speculoos biscuits. On the palate, a rum baba with chantilly cream and raisins, and a hint of spicy/sweet wood smoke in the finish.
CHILLI CHERRY COTTON CANDY
REGION
Indiana
CASK TYPE
1st fill barrel - #4 char with #2 char heads
AGE
6 years
BOURBON
DATE DISTILLED
11 November 2015
CASK No. B7.8
OUTTURN
207 bottles
ABV
57.2%
$220
AUS ALLOCATION 42 bottles Cinnamon spiced raspberry soufflé combined with a classic mint julep cocktail was a very promising opening gambit. On the palate a tight battle between sweetness (macarons and dolly mixtures) and spiciness (ginger and cayenne pepper) whereas the judgement was a unanimous draw. Following the addition of water, we had leather chairs and freshly polished furniture with cherry cotton candy popcorn while to taste carrot cake with cream cheese buttercream and a spicy caramel rum sauce. The mash bill for this bourbon consists of 60% corn, 36% rye and 4% malted barley, matured in a #4 char new oak barrel with #2 char heads. 25
ELEGANT EXTRAVAGANCE
REGION
Islay
CASK TYPE
2nd fill bourbon barrel
AGE
27 years
OLD & DIGNIFIED
DATE DISTILLED
4 April 1995
CASK No. 29.288
OUTTURN
178 bottles
ABV
55.8%
$1,595
LTS VAU ECTION L COL
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AUS ALLOCATION 30 bottles Elegant perfumed smoke met juicy ripe tropical fruits in a near-perfect balance. The effect was almost one of hallucination. The taste was almost impossible to describe; some sort of delicate food fusion, so we tried. A sushi grain bowl with smoked sardines, spicy mayo, furikake and tempura crunchies ... we do hope you get the idea. A drop of water and miraculously we were transported to Havana, Cuba, in the 1920s, and the Sevilla Havane hotel, haunt of the rich and famous; the air heavy with sweet cigar smoke, the allure of the most expensive perfumes and the tropical heat – truly extravagant.
BUNDLE OFFERS The Xmas season is a time for sharing, gifting, and opening some really special drops over the summer. All will work sipped neat, others you may wish to try in a cool and refreshing highball, or really just enjoy it whichever way you like. We’ve picked out some real winners with some cracking deals just for December.
BRING THE BEST TO SAVE9 THE XMAS LUNCH $8
SPLENDIFEROUS!
$849
MARMALADE MATURED COGNAC
6 available
DEEP, RICH & DRIED FRUITS
A splendiferous, marmalade, velvet explosion. Three decadent and desirable Society casks which will be your top picks at the table this summer. Pour one over the cake, dram on another, and gift one if you’re feeling generous. $938 if purchased individually, or just $849 in this bundle, saving you $89!
CASK No. 35.310
AS A BUNDLE
SWEET, FRUITY & MELLOW CASK No. 9.234
VISCOUS VELVET OLD & DIGNIFIED CASK No. RR64
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BUNDLE OFFERS MIDWEST MAGNIFICENCE TRIO SAVE $559
6 available
5 $7 A BUNDLE AS
It’s rare to have three of the same distillery code in stock sometimes. It’s hen’s teeth to have three of the same bourbon code in stock! The quality of spirit coming out of the midwest of America is shockingly good. Bourbon for us is perfect in warmer weather with its bolder flavours, so settle in on a hot night with this unique bundle offer. Three casks, three unique mash bills. $634 if purchased individually, or just $559 in this bundle, saving you $75!
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FORAGING FRUITS OF THE FOREST BOURBON CASK No. B7.12
PENNE PASTA ARRABIATA BOURBON CASK No. B7.3
CHILLI CHERRY COTTON CANDY BOURBON CASK No. B7.8
BUNDLE OFFERS SHERRY LOVERS TRIO SAVE $599
6 available
1 $A7 BUNDLE AS
The SMWS has been quietly beavering away at maturing and procuring the best ex-sherry wood on Earth. To celebrate, we have three unique sherried and deeply summer-selected casks here to share as a bundle, from three distinctive distilleries. $670 if purchased individually, or just $599 in this bundle, saving you $71!
HOLA OLOROSO! DEEP, RICH & DRIED FRUITS CASK No. 18.45
ANDALUSIAN BREAKFAST DEEP, RICH & DRIED FRUITS CASK No. 36.189
CARVED AND CRAFTED SPICY & DRY CASK No. 41.146
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MEMBERSHIP + WHISKY FOR A YEAR We all lead busy lives. We know you probably don’t get a chance to read every Outturn, inspect every bottling, or discover every flavour profile in a month, let alone a year. That’s where the new ‘Whisky For A Year’ membership options come into play. With this membership option: •
We'll send you 1x bottle every month of single-cask, caskstrength, full-flavoured, whisky. We look after the selections and we promise every single one will be a panel-approved SMWS release. We’ll also endeavour to send you one of each of our 12 flavour profiles, wherever possible.
•
One of the twelve bottlings in the year will be a premium-livery ‘black’ label release, worth well and above the sticker price.
•
Your yearly membership, all postage on these 12x bottlings, and the guarantee of quality are all included. We were going to call it our ‘inflation buster’ membership, but that seemed a bit passé.
Available now online in either yearly or monthly payment options. $2,599 annually or $229 monthly incl GST. Minimum commitment of 12 months. Already a member and looking to upgrade to this membership option? Contact our office today at info@smws.com.au or call (02) 9974 3046.
$E9R PA9CK P
THE MERRY MALTY VIRTUAL TASTING
MONDAY DECEMBER 18 @ 7PM AEDT Let’s see 2023 out with a bang. One last virtual to get us over the line and celebrate the amazing casks and experiences we’ve tasted along the way. We’ve packed this virtual with new releases, and a couple of premium drams — opening $2,340 worth of bottles to make this happen! Join us for Christmas cheer, special guests, and a fun virtual tasting to round out the year. Monday, December 18th, 7pm AEDT, live on YouTube & Facebook.
SWEET, FRUITY & MELLOW
DEEP, RICH & DRIED FRUITS
OLD & DIGNIFIED
LIGHTLY PEATED
PEATED
CASK No. 42.73 QUIET CONFIDENCE
CASK No. 144.5 NINETEEN EIGHTIES ROAST DINNERS
CASK No. 38.34 EXTENDED TELOMERES
CASK No. 4.316 NOT A GENUINE ‘PHILOSOPHICAL’ PARADOX
CASK No. 53.411 A TREASURE TROVE OF CHAR
GRAB YOUR VIRTUAL TASTING KIT AND JOIN IN THE FUN! SMWS.COM.AU/SHOP
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21 TICKETS WITH OVE
$2,49R 0 WORT H OF VALU
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WELCOME TO OUR GOLDEN TICKET PROMOTION FOR NOVEMBER & DECEMBER! Every single order for a Society bottle placed in the whole month of November & December goes in the draw to receive a golden ticket in their order. We’ll be randomly placing the tickets in orders throughout both months. That means there’s a chance that YOU will receive a golden ticket IF you place a bottle order from our site during these two months!
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What are the golden tickets worth, you may ask? There are three types you could find The Golden Tickets you may find include: • 10x $100 site vouchers • 10x virtual tasting kits (valued at $99) • 1x $500 site voucher Willy Wonka had just 5 golden tickets to give out, and we’re going to 21. With over $2,490 worth of value being randomly placed in your orders. Gotta be in it to win it! 33
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MIGHTY OAKEN CASKS PART #1: WHISKY CAN ONLY BE MADE IN CASK BY CHRIS MIDDLETON
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T
he Scotch Malt Whisky Society and whisky are inextricably bound to the oaken cask. No oak container, no whisky — as defined by 20th-century legislation in the leading whisky-producing countries. Investigating oak cask’s decisive role in whisky flavour development weighs heavily on every Society release as it is the preeminent product point of difference in every release. One oak cask caveat. Outturn is published in Australia, where the Commonwealth product identity laws for whisky only define ‘storage in wood’, not an oak cask, nor is there a minimum or maximum size vessel since the 1906 Spirits Act. The United States mandated ‘oak containers’ after Prohibition for American straight whisky, Scotch ‘oak casks’ must not exceed 700 litres since 1990, and sanctioned 36
under the 2008 EU treaty. Irish whisky also specifies ‘wooden container’ and Canadian whisky in ‘small wood,’ meaning under 150 gallons (700 litres) from 1949. A whisky’s provenance must be scrutinised under the jurisdiction of each country’s laws. Regardless of the wood specification, oak is universally used to mature whisky due to its functional and sensory superiority. There is a broad range of informed and conjectural opinions on how much flavour oak casks bring to whisky. While there is consensus that cask maturation is the most significant contributor to whisky flavour, quantifying the cask’s impact is more subjective than scientifically measurable. That’s because every cask and how it is stored is ever-so marginally different, causing nuanced flavour variances that make a definitive answer impossible. To
“TO ANSWER THIS WE’D NEED A MASSIVE RUBIK TUMBLING OVER 1,200 FLAVONOID AND AROMATIC COMPOUNDS IDENTIFIED IN WHISKY, AGAINST FIFTY MILLION RESTING CASKS WORLDWIDE.” answer this we’d need a massive Rubik tumbling over 1,200 flavonoid and aromatic compounds identified in whisky, against fifty million resting casks worldwide. Opinions on the quantitative organoleptic contributions oak cask maturation deliver to whisky range from roughly 50% to around 80% of its flavour. All can be correct because endless variables determine the flavour profile of every disgorged whisky cask. Contributing factors are oak subspecies, vessel condition due to multiple reuses, cask capacities and entry proofs, environmental locations and exposures, the length of time stored in oak, and the new trend of finishing in another cask. Since 1936, American straight whisky laws only allow maturation in new charred American oak barrels where the oak flavour leans towards the 80% quotient. Younger, two-year-old straight bourbon with less extraction and interaction (oxidation of esters) likely slips into the 70s%, and bourbon over 15 years old can skew towards over-extraction and might exceed the 80% threshold. Bourbon distilleries use the standard 200-litre barrel filled at lower proofs (55% to 62% abv), warehoused in much warmer, multi-storey oven-like tin-clad rick houses. In the colder British Isles, most whisky is stacked only a few casks deep in dunnage warehouses. British distilleries historically
store whisky in larger casks — hogsheads (230L – 250L), larger puncheons (320L), butts and pipes (500L) at higher proof strength to bourbon (63.5% to +70% abv for grain), where the casks experience slower maturation with less water solubility. Malt-based whisky made in Scotland, Ireland, Japan and Australia avoids new oak as extraction is too assertive. Instead, the second-use or multi-filled casks are de rigour. Ex-sherry casks dominated whisky maturation in the British Isles until the 1970s, superseded by cheaper ex-bourbon barrels as global sherry sales contracted. In using seconduse casks, many undesirable compounds are leeched out, notably bitter tannin, while impregnating the staves with traces of the previous occupant’s flavourings — making the taste of whisky resemble Christmas cake (sherry cask influence) or crème brûlée (exbourbon barrel).
1. Cant 2. Head 3. Chime 4. Croze 5. Head Hoop 6. Rivet
7. Quarter Hoop 8. Bilge Hoop 9. Bung Hole 10. Bilge 11. Stave 12. Stave Joint © Copyright Mark Littler LTD
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The age of modern whisky is intimately bound to cask maturation. Modern whisky is only two hundred and fifty years old. Before the late 18th century, whisky was exclusively the native spirit of Ireland, Scotland and inchoate North America, and most compounded as cordials or sold as raw distillate for adding to punches. Rum dominated domestic spirit consumption in Scotland and North America until the 1780s and England until the 1860s. Sea-voyaged rum from the tropical West Indies and imported French brandy taught drinkers the sensory benefits of cask maturation and a willingness to pay a premium for a smoother and more flavoursome aged spirit. The relationship between cask and whisky shares origins with Celtic culture. The Celts were the inventors of the cask, and their beer culture is direct lineage to their diaspora through Western Europe to the British Isles, where they distilled beer. The Celtic language peregrinated to Ireland and later Scotland giving the vernacular Gaelic terms uisce-beatha (Irish Gaelige) and usquebaugh (Scottish Gaidhlig), from the Latin aqua vitae, the water of life. Anglicised and abbreviated
to whisky in the early 18th century, this Anglo term was universally adopted. Many Celtic designations identifying cask types trace their etymology to the Celtic language. Future issues of Outturn will decode cask meanings and the importance of different oak species in contributing to the dominant flavours in whisky.
Chris Middleton is the director of Whisky Academy, founding management member of Starward Distillery, and longterm SMWS member. We look forward to reading his next instalments to this series over the coming Outturns.
“FUTURE ISSUES OF OUTTURN WILL DECODE CASK MEANINGS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF DIFFERENT OAK SPECIES IN CONTRIBUTING TO THE DOMINANT FLAVOURS IN WHISKY.”
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SPICY & SWEET OLD & DIGNIFIED
ROAST ROSEMARY LAMB KIPPERS FIRST AID BOX HERBAL SMOKE SHIP'S ENGINE ROOM SMOKY BACON CRISPS PHENOLIC
CIGAR BOX SCENTED CANDLES POLISHED WOOD MAPLE SYRUP OLD BOOKS APPLE STRUDEL PERFUMED PEAR
OILY & COASTAL
TOASTED OAK CORIANDER SEED BANANA SPLIT ROOT GINGER PASSIONFRUIT CARPENTER'S WORKSHOP PINEAPPLE SORBET
GINGERBREAD HOT CROSS BUNS BALSAMIC STRAWBERRIES FRESH OAK MULLED WINE CARDAMOM THAI SWEET CHILLI CRISPS
TARRY ROPE OYSTERS BEACH BONFIRE BARBECUED PRAWNS SALTED CARAMEL BOATYARD PEBBLE BEACH
HEAVILY PEATED
SWEET, FRUITY & MELLOW
SMOKED SALMON LAPSANG SOUCHONG TEA ROCK POOLS SEA BREEZE BURNT TWIGS DENTIST'S WAITING ROOM GARDEN BONFIRE
DEEP, RICH & DRIED FRUITS
LIGHT & DELICATE
BANANA CHIPS HONEYDEW MELON COCONUT ICE CREAM GREEN TEA BREAKFAST CEREAL WHITE PEPPER FRESH LAUNDRY
TREACLE TOFFEE SALTED CARAMEL MINCEMEAT PIE ORANGE PEEL PRUNES DEMERARA SHERRY TRIFLE
JUICY, OAK & VANILLA
SPICY & DRY
TOASTED COCONUT CHILLI CHOCOLATE PIPE TOBACCO PENCIL SHAVINGS SANDALWOOD NUTMEG CHARRED STAVE
WATERMELON PIMMS TURKISH DELIGHT APPLE PIE CANDIED ORANGE SLICES APRICOT CUSTARD SWEETS
PEATED
YOUNG & SPRITELY
BITTER LEMON BEESWAX SPARKLING WINE SOUR APPLE SWEETS MENTHOLS PLUM TARTS RHUBARB
LIGHTLY PEATED
THEPROFILES 12 FLAVOUR PROFILES THESMWS SMWS THE 12 FLAVOUR OFOFTHE
CHIMNEY SOOT SMOKED MACKEREL GUNPOWDER CIGAR BUTTS FARMYARD WOOD BURNING STOVE STEAM TRAIN
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Society bottlings are offered and sold through The Artisanal Spirits Company Pty Ltd, Liquor Licence LIQP770017428.
