Outturn - Nov-Dec 2018

Outturn Unwrap the goodies Friday 16th November Nov/Dec 2018

WRAPPING UP A WONDROUS YEAR OF SINGLE CASK SPIRITS Let’s raise a glass to 2018 and fill your stockings with our biggest ever festive Outturn

PER

E V I T F E S TION! BUM

EDI

GIFTS AHOY AT SMWS.COM.AU

CONTENTS REFLECTIONS ON 2018

ARTICLES

2018: it’s a wrap Matt Bailey.......................................

Let flavour be your guide Back to basics on how to pick a whisky....................................

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Different ways to enjoy your dram Think outside the stemmed copita glass.......................................

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Looking back, looking forward Andrew Derbidge.............................

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Happy dramming André Tammes................................

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Community spirit Suzy Tawse.......................................

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OUR BOTTLINGS OILY & COASTAL

YOUNG & SPRITELY

Malt of the Month The Peated Faerie........................

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Festive bundles Three bundles of joy....................

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Premium Bottling Delighful Gravitas (9.149)...........

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LIGHTLY PEATED

Cask No 26.123.......................... 11

Cask No 112.31.................................. 15

Cask No PTB.MO1 ........................... 8

Cask No 12.16............................. 11

Cask No 10.151.................................. 15

Cask No 93.93 .................................. 23

Cask No 123.26.......................... 11 Cask No 93.92 ........................... 11

Cask No 4.238 .................................. 23

DEEP, RICH & DRIED FRUIT Cask No 63.49................................... 15

SWEET, FRUITY & MELLOW

12 Cask No 135.7............................ 12 Cask No 112.29..........................

Cask No 72.64................................... 15 Cask No 9.149................................... 18

Cask No 54.67.............................

Cask No 35.211............................

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Cask No 122.23................................. 23 Cask No 53.259................................. 23

SINGLE CASK SPIRITS

OLD & DIGNIFIED JUICY, OAK & VANILLA

PEATED

Cask No G14.3................................... 25 Cask No C3.1..................................... 25

Cask No R10.2.................................. 28 Cask No A4.1..................................... 28 Cask No C6.1..................................... 28 Cask No B3.4.................................... 28

YOUR SOCIETY Your adventure 2018 in pictures...............................

The journey of membership Three of our members share their Society journey........................

Share your experiences Win a 35th anniversary tasting kit!........................................

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EVE P26NTS

Events Book in now for Society events across the country................

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Your Partner Bars Visit one today.................................

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Meet your State Managers Their journeys, their favourites.......

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35 years of adventure A timeline of cask strength..............

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2018: IT’S A WRAP Wow. What a year. Welcome to our entirely new-look Outturn! As the Society evolves and grows worldwide, we too like to grow and this is a reflection of that.

A bright and colourful guide to whisky, and in a format that encourages some deeper reading into casks and the goings-on in Australia. We’re changing things up a bit from this issue onwards, and whilst this is in a lovely big A4 format for those who prefer the printed version of Outturn, we’ll be keeping with a sleek A5-sized booklet going forward. But considering this is our bumper Christmas edition, we thought why not!

In this issue we have absolutely everything going on: Member stories, in-depths on casks, some super unique bundles (not least of all some special Feis Ile casks), some amazing offerings from our Single Cask Spirits range of non-single malt spirits, our Christmas events coming up, and more. This Outturn has been designed to be something special for our members, a true statement of where we are, but also where we’re headed as a global club. Let’s delve a bit deeper into that here…

As a club we’re growing, we’re updating, we’re listening to our members. Our range of casks, scope of events, and overall depth of offering both online and offline has been seriously staggering. As those who came to one of my ‘Spoils of Scotland’ experiences earlier in the year, there’s a lot of exciting developments happening.

Two things immediately spring to mind: never have we ever had as much diversity of flavour and distillery offerings before, and never have we ever had such a broad spectrum of experiences to attend. I often like to think of our whisky experiences as the ‘face’ of the Society.

The window into the whisky soul if you like. A place where, in an exact moment in time and place, members can meet old friends, create new relationships, learn about the art, science, flavour and passion behind the ingredients of barley, water, yeast, people and time that make up

the end result. Sometimes we’ll talk in-depth about fermentation, sometimes we’ll just pop some corks and have a party. Either way, it’s in these experiences that the Society has really formed its place as a global authority and inviting host to what I really do think is the world’s best club to be a part of.

The jewel in the crown for me personally, however, has to be The Australian Malt Whisky Tasting Championship. Held every second year just due to the sheer magnitude of the event, when I announced that first prize would be a trip for two to Edinburgh, Scotland, it made for a packed house at the Australian Museum in Sydney. A huge congratulations again to our winners Brooke Hayman, Matt Whisker and Matthew Wooler, and a special thanks again to our friends over at The Balvenie, The Oak Barrel, and our UK branch of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

And on that note, I formally invite you to grab this Outturn, pour a dram, and peruse our biggest offering to members, ever. All bottlings go on sale Friday 16th November 2018 at midday AEDT, and only on smws.com.au. If this is your first Outturn after joining, then the fun has just begun and there’s a whole trove of goodies on how to make the most of it; while, if you’ve been a member for 16+ years, then there’s something that will surely catch your eye and make your festive dramming options easy. I’d like to wish all members and their partners a safe and happy festive season with lots of shared dramming experiences that will be held dear for many years to come.

Matt Bailey ~ SMWS National Ambassador Twitter: @smws_matt / Email: bailey@smws.com.au

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LOOKING BACK, LOOKING FORWARD EACH YEAR AT THIS TIME, I SIT DOWN TO REFLECT AND WRITE ON THE YEAR THAT WAS. I took on the role of Whisky Manager for the Society back in 2006, and so this now the 13th time I’ve pondered the previous 12 months of Society action and reviewed where we started, what we did, what we changed, what we introduced, and – most importantly – what we drank! And it occurs to me now that I’m writing the same thing this year that I’ve written pretty much every year: This has been the biggest, busiest, and most productive year yet!

The annual activities of our branch are shaped by two, often disparate, factors: The first is our own initiatives, launches and program of events that we conceive and implement; the second is governed by what comes out of HQ in Scotland. The second is obviously very much dependent on what casks get bottled and what we can get our hands on, but it also includes major international happenings and co-ordinated activities – such as our 35th Anniversary celebrations.

And so, combined, this last year has been quite the package. The Single Cask Spirits range was introduced as a separately badged line of bottlings (i.e. our rums, cognacs, Armagnacs, bourbons, etc). We introduced

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new events and different tasting formats that were well attended and well received by members. We raised our profile in other corners of the whiskysphere and went on a few marketing exercises that brought new members into the fold. We partnered with other organisations and brought new benefits and offers to our members and guests at tastings. We expanded and improved the Partner Bar network. And, perhaps most tellingly, we held more tasting events than ever before – both public events for our members, plus a tonne of private/corporate events for third parties who booked us to share the whisky gospel with others. The Australian Malt Whisky Tasting Championship broke new records on every front, and we participated in numerous international events that were co-ordinated with other branches around the globe.

But what about life for the average member? Ultimately, when you strip it all back, everything must revolve around the whiskies (or spirits) we bottle and what we offer to our members. And, on this front, it was a stellar year. There were some superb whiskies from all corners of Scotland that genuinely covered all bases. We saw some diverse offerings from Islay, including a number of younger Caol Ilas, plus some stunning Bunnahabhains, to complement the array of incredible Bowmores and Laphroaigs we see more regularly. We ventured north right up to Highland Park (which included some delicious peated casks),

and we featured a number of exciting new casks from Speyside from distilleries we’d not seen for some time.

Or, in one or two cases, were being featured in Australia for the first time!

This, for me, is what membership is all about.

Let’s not ignore it: There are plenty of offerings and choices available to whisky lovers in Australia these days, and it’s important that the Society continues to stay one step ahead of the pack. This was confirmed earlier in the year with our successes (again) at, not one, not two, not three, but four of the major whisky awards. The Society collected trophies, medals, and “best in show” awards at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in April (where we swept the board, including best in show); the Scotch Whisky Masters in June (including a staggering two Masters and eight Gold awards); the International Wine & Spirits Competition in July (including the coveted Cask Strength Scotch Whisky of the Year title), and then in August at the Spirits Business Luxury Masters, where the Society not only won a swag of awards (topping several categories) but again took out the Best in Show award. All in all, it’s evidence and justification for being a member in the world’s biggest and best whisky club.

And speaking of club activities…..industry legend, author, and long-time Society ambassador, Charlie MacLean,

went through the Society’s warehouse earlier this year and personally picked out 21 casks to be bottled as part of our 35th Anniversary celebrations. The whiskies, which range in age from 8 to 29 years old, feature tasting notes written by Charlie himself, and a number of them are featured in this bumper-edition of Outturn.

Look for the stamp in the listings in the pages that follow.

So as 2018 draws to a close, I wish you all sweet drams over the Christmas break and thank you for being part of our whisky family. And may I publicly express my sincere thanks to the entire Society team – the incredible Suzy and Donelle in the office; Matt in the field (who’s taken a load off my shoulders in recent times); Andre on the Board; and our wonderful State Managers – Jenny, Drew, Fred, Scott, Owen, and Jason.

Sláinte,

Andrew Derbidge ~ Director, Cellarmaster & NSW Manager

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LET FLAVOUR BE YOUR GUIDE Newcomers to the SMWS might be confounded as to what all these words and numbers are in an Outturn, and even where to start once they get their first Outturn in the mail. Longer-term members might just be looking for superstar codes or cask-types they’ve memorised, instead of focusing on exploring and flavour.

Today, I’m stripping it all back and getting back to basics on how to pick a whisky.

FORGET EVERYTHING YOU KNOW ABOUT PICKING A WHISKY That’s right. All the pre-conceived notions of how to pick a whisky are officially out the window as of right now.

Let’s examine what those are: you’re at a traditional bottle shop in Australia, perhaps one that rhymes with Man Durphy or similar. You gaze upon the shelf of options, guided entirely at this point by brand, image, shelf position, and price. Do you recognise the brand? Do you like the look of the label? Is it mostly eye-level single malt you’re eyeing off, or perhaps some odd-looking things on the bottom shelf that are a bit more of a gamble? Then last but not least, you’re guided by price. Label, eye-level, gamble, price. These four metrics don’t give you a lot of room to move. The brand that will win out will likely have the biggest, baddest marketing budget, but doesn’t speak volumes about its output or attention to detail in their spirit necessarily. The image is part of the marketing, which is paramount to big brands and their consistency of design in beckoning you to keep coming back to a trusted image.

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In whisky, consistency is everything. Distillers and blenders have the task of making sure that the bottle of blended Glenwonka this year tastes the same as when you bought it last year: no easy feat! Shelf position in a bottle shop is much the same as position in a supermarket: there’s a reason the on-brand cornflakes are at eye-sight rather than the no frills version, after all! Then there’s price. It’s not an accident that whisky is priced to meet a certain output and attention of the consumer, and a $49.99 whisky will have a sales volume of over twice that of a whisky that is $51.99, and more than twenty times that of one at $79.99 for instance.

START WITH FLAVOUR, NOT DISTILLERY When looking at an Outturn, it can often be a daunting array of words and numbers. We offer up full transparency from our expert Tasting Panel, the tasting note, the age statement, the cask type, the cask number, the ABV (proof or strength) and most importantly, the flavour profile. If you’re a long-term member, you might have a few codes memorised that you like to hunt out, some cask types you seek out, or even a flavour profile you mostly appreciate! However, I implore you to dismiss these pre-conceptions and start again from scratch.

If you’re a new member, you might feel a bit bamboozled by all the codes and words. I aim to unpack at least some of this in this piece, but others over time.

Start with the flavour profile first and foremost.

There are nights when you’ll want something rich and fruity, something spirity and zesty, something smoky and peaty, something with a richness

and oiliness to the spirit, something that really challenges you, something that you can settle in with, something complex, something simple, but overall: something tasty!

We have the twelve different flavour profiles for good reason. They give you a broad overview of the flavour of that cask as determined by our expert tasting panel.

The second thing I recommend looking at is the tasting notes. They are meant to be just a guide as to some of the flavours the panel picked, not the objective “this is what it tastes like”. Sometimes you’ll laugh at them, sometimes you’ll be intrigued, sometimes maybe even offended! That’s the goal. You might read a palate note of “beef gravy, dark chocolate, dried apricots and orange fruit pastilles” in one cask. This doesn’t mean you should feel disillusioned if you don’t taste all those specific notes, just that it’s something to latch onto, or to see what was found in that unique single cask from our panel. If you go entirely off the code, like 66.110 as example, you might wonder what distillery that is, or what their ‘house style’ is like. I’m encouraging you to throw that out the window for now. Think about this: If distillery ’66’ is normally peated (which it is) but then we release an unpeated cask with absolutely no smoke to be found, and matured in a heavily-toasted Madeira cask as a hypothetical, and the tasting notes are a million miles away from the ‘house style’ of that distillery, then what point is knowing the distillery if the profile of that cask is nothing like what you’d find from their commerically available core range offering?

Lastly, look at the nitty-gritty specifics, like cask type, age statement, alcoholic proof, date distilled, region, global Outturn, Australian allocation, and price.

These things don’t tell you much about how it is going to taste and how to make the most of your precious Society purchase, but it will give you that last bit of guidance on what’s in the bottle.

Full transparency, always.

CRACK IT OPEN, SHARE IT WITH FRIENDS This seems like an obvious one, but all too often with unique and often rare single cask whisky, there is a mental challenge to actually opening and enjoying it. The lure is to collect and amass! Each to their own and if you’re a collector, then all the power to you, but I also encourage you to open and enjoy great whisky in great company.

We love seeing members sharing the love of the SMWS with friends, wherever they may be geographically and in their journey in whisky!

So invite that friend over, crack it open, share the gospel, and enjoy great spirits with the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Truly a whisky club like no other on earth.

Sláinte, Matt Bailey ~ SMWS National Ambassador

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MALT OF THE MONTH:

THE PEAT FAERIE BLENDED PEATED MALT Our Christmas Malt of the Month is something rather special, something experimental, something we’re offering up at an absolutely incredible price that will make for some very tasty festive dramming!

THE PEAT FAERIE LIGHTLY PEATED CASK NO. PTB.MO1

$135.00

Reduced from $160

AGE

10 Years

DATE

6 July 2007

REGION

Blended Malt

CASK TYPE

1st fill barrels & refill hogsheads

OUTTURN

1 of 2948 bottles

ABV

50.0%

ALLOCATION 204 available in Australia

What is The Peat Faerie?

After successfully seeking approval from members for The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s first small batch blended malts, (Exotic Cargo from 2017), The Peat Faerie is the next batch in the experimental series. It’s 10-years-old, matured in a selection of first-fill Speyside and Islay casks.

As with previous blended malts, The Peat Faerie is bottled at 50% abv and there are 3,000 bottles available globally.

It is neither chill-filtered nor artificially coloured.

What’s the difference between a blended malt whisky and a blended whisky?

A blended malt whisky is a blend of malt whiskies (i.e. single malts) from two or more different distilleries.

Importantly, all the whisky in the blend is made from 100% malted barley. Blended malts used to be called vatted malts or pure malts, although these terms were banned by the Scotch Whisky Association in 2009.

In contrast, a blended whisky is a blend in the traditional sense – that is, a blend of both malt whisky and grain whisky, where the grain whisky is made from either wheat or corn.

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How on earth did we manage to offer it up for this incredibly low price?

Malt of the Month is something special picked out by the team here to give you something fun, affordable, quaffable and, as always, full of flavour, at a price that you can open it over the festive season without any hesitation. Double up and share one around as a stocking stuffer!

How does it taste?

The nose evokes powder puff and Crunchie bars in a leather handbag, some apple and damson crumble – and then tobacco and savoury hints (oxtail stew with mace). The palate starts with sherbet and apple snow, shifts to cinnamon, Fisherman’s Friend menthol lozenges and birnenbrot (dense bread with dried pear) and leaves you chewing willow twigs. The reduced nose shuffles strawberry pavlova, dried pineapple, watermelon and pomegranate with tree bark and perfumed leather.

The palate is now sweeter, smoother and softer – raspberry sauce on vanilla ice-cream, raspberry jam pips and sherbet straws; the dry, gently spiced finish makes this very moreish indeed.

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ATTRACTIVE, LIVELY FUN

MOONLIGHT IN NEW YORK

YOUNG & SPRITELY

YOUNG & SPRITELY

CASK NO. 26.123

CASK NO. 12.16

$165.00

$170.00

AGE

7 Years

AGE

8 Years

DATE

24 September 2010

DATE

29 September 2009

REGION

Highland

REGION

Speyside

CASK TYPE

1st fill barrel

CASK TYPE

1st fill barrel

OUTTURN

1 of 233 bottles

OUTTURN

1 of 204 bottles

ABV

59.4%

ABV

59.5%

ALLOCATION 18 available in Australia

ALLOCATION 18 available in Australia

The nose contained vanilla fudge, sweetie necklaces, syrup and wine gums, but behind that were flower meadows, perfumed candles, linseed oil, PVC coats and rattan chairs. The palate fizzed with pleasant astringency – ginger root, cinnamon, pepper and balsa wood; sherbet lemons and salt and vinegar crisps – leaving bright, tingly impressions that we all enjoyed. The reduced nose offered strawberry blancmange, Bounty bars and Battenberg cake, with hints of white pepper and tobacco. The reduced palate was smoother and easier, with immediate digestive biscuit cereal sweetness; towards the finish we found tree bark, cumin, liquorice and sugar-coated fennel seeds – attractive, lively fun.

A sweet, musky, perfumed aroma like moonlight path fragrance oil (found in soaps, body lotions and candles) filled the room with notes of rose, jasmine, bergamot, lavender, mandarin leaf and sandalwood. Fresh and zingy neat, like a Cape gooseberry salsa prepared with onions, lime juice, white pepper and honey. With water a fizzy sweet fruity pineapple punch and sun-dried raisins soaked in spiced rum for a spiced rum and raisin ice cream. On the palate a little sweeter and creamier as we added vanilla ice cream to our fruit punch or indeed a frothy New York vanilla egg cream.

BLOSSOM FALLING ONTO SPONGE CAKE

FRUIT PIE IN A CLEANING CUPBOARD

YOUNG & SPRITELY CASK NO. 123.26

$167.00

YOUNG & SPRITELY

MER SUM MING DRAM

CASK NO. 93.92

$195.00

AGE

9 Years

AGE

12 Years

DATE

29 August 2008

DATE

21 March 2005

REGION

Highland

REGION

Campbeltown

CASK TYPE

1st fill barrel

CASK TYPE

1st fill barrel

OUTTURN

1 of 216 bottles

OUTTURN

1 of 218 bottles

ABV

61.2%

ABV

57.7%

ALLOCATION 36 available in Australia The nose began with a stroll through the orchard as blossom fell from the trees and white roses bloomed in the hedgerows. Delicate fruit notes of peach, apricot and cherry stood alone but later become enveloped by butter pastry to form shortbread and apple pie. Banana bread sat comfortably beside a hot cup of Earl Grey tea and a slice of vanilla sponge cake. The palate came dressed with spice as chilli, cloves and ginger prickled the tongue before cooling into a menthol breeze. Banana flavouring returned and joined ripe melon with a drizzle of honey before finishing sweet on a bed of white chocolate.

ALLOCATION 36 available in Australia The initial nose suggests oiled wood and fresh-made donuts on waxed paper – maybe some Dabitoff fabric cleaner – then Dolly Mixtures, sugared apple turnovers and a twist of lemon. The palate is sweet, fruity and warming, with good viscosity – apple and sultana pie flavoured with cinnamon and clove – even some chilli on the after-taste. With water, we return to the cleaning cupboard momentarily, before rediscovering confectionery (spearmint chews, Refreshers). The palate gets golden syrup, banana and orange – and a citric, salty combo like salted sherbet lemons or lemon squeezed on oysters (served on slate); the finish produces humbugs and hot-cross buns.

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A LITTLE GLASS OF FASCINATION SWEET, FRUITY & MELLOW CASK NO. 112.29

$219.00

YOGHURT AND FRUIT CANDIES SWEET, FRUITY & MELLOW CASK NO. 135.7

$165.00

’S MATTTION C SELE

AGE

15 Years

AGE

10 Years

DATE

22 July 2002

DATE

13 September 2007

REGION

Highland

REGION

Highland

CASK TYPE

1st fill hogshead

CASK TYPE

2nd fill hogshead

OUTTURN

1 of 297 bottles

OUTTURN

1 of 312 bottles

ABV

53.3%

ABV

58.2%

ALLOCATION 24 available in Australia

ALLOCATION 18 available in Australia

The nose was both captivating and delicious and carried a thick and viscous weight like burnt cream with orange oil.

Light perfumed notes of violets and marzipan mingled with a dusting of soft leather and wool before a flurry of fruit brought to the mix pineapple, cherries and plums soaked in Armagnac.

After an extended deliberation over the nose pleasing nuances we ventured onto the palate, a ginger tingly affair wrapped in layers of malty sweetness and milk chocolate. Another round of fruit followed that combined peaches and apricots into a sticky jam that was spread over the gentle spiciness of rye bread. A large wedge of salted fudge framed a finish of cardamom, pistachio and ginger herbal tea.

The delightful refreshing aroma of a gorse flower cordial (possibly in a cocktail), with a splash of gin and orange juice and a sprinkling of peppermint greeted the Panel - all topped with sparkling water. Smooth, oily and viscous on the palate neat, like a lavender pineapple juice, tinned peaches and nectarines as well as a muscat wine with flavours of toffee and caramel in the finish. When adding water, the nose was sweet and fruity; cherry menthol sweets and strawberry delight pie with a hint of hemp oil whilst to taste; cool and fresh with the flavour of sun-ripened fruit (strawberry, peach and cherry) in yoghurt and fruit hard candies.

SENSATIONAL SIPPING

PUTTING ON THE RITZ

JUICY, OAK & VANILLA CASK NO. 54.67

$235.00

JUICY, OAK & VANILLA CASK NO. 35.211

$330.00

AGE

17 Years

AGE

22 Years

DATE

10 February 2000

DATE

27 October 1995

REGION

Speyside

REGION

Speyside

CASK TYPE

2nd fill barrel

CASK TYPE

1st fill barrel

OUTTURN

1 of 102 bottles

OUTTURN

1 of 207 bottles

ABV

49.0%

ABV

53.3%

ALLOCATION 36 available in Australia A refreshing fruit salad with juicy chunks of pineapple, pear, apple and honeydew melon in elderflower syrup added a mysterious floral sweetness to the mix and made this a real gem.

Almost seamlessly we moved on to the palate where a white wine sangria with Granny Smith apples, lemon juice, blueberries, soda water and a few tablespoons of elderflower liqueur made for a truly sensational sipping experience. A drop of water adds some ripe dark red cherries on the nose and a blood orange Champagne cocktail - soak a sugar cube in blood orange bitter, drop it into a filled flute with Champagne and garnish with a lemon twist.

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ALLOCATION 18 available in Australia

AN SELE DRE’S CTIO N

A light and delicate scent wafted through the air of buttery croissants, Amaretto and vanilla panna cotta with toasted almonds and powdered sugar doughnuts. To taste like vanillapear muffins, braided yeast bun (Hefezopf) with a plum jam filling and glazed carrots in orange, honey, sage and rosemary.

Water released soft rich succulent marzipan fruits as well as vanilla oak fragrance oil and then we got served traditional Afternoon Tea, finely cut sandwiches, freshly baked scones with cream and strawberry jam all with a cup of Chinese red rose tea. We finished in style with an Asian pear Martini.

HAPPY DRAMMING So… I sit here contemplating (ok slightly more than contemplating!) the final drop of a Society offering, the memory of which will stay with me for many a long day. The whisky concerned is an 8-year-old Speyside, 7.197 – described as ‘Mature way beyond its years’. What strikes me is the sub-description: ‘Age is a statement of time; maturity however is what happened during that period of time. There are not enough adjectives to do it justice’.

These thoughts about the passage of time turn my mind to the year we are about to finish, how busy this has been and how it marks the 35th anniversary of the founding of the Society. In whisky terms a 35-year-old is venerable; in human terms much remains ahead. What interests me is that whilst, at the age of 35 the Society has indeed matured, its essence or what are these days referred to as ‘core values’, have not changed. One such is conviviality.

When, in 1983, our founder, Pip Hills, pulled together a group of friends and, subsequently, very early Society members (among whom I was fortunate to number) he had in mind the conviviality which a good single malt can generate, not only among whisky aficionados but also among those for whom whisky of such excellence was an entirely new experience. In the intervening years

I, and tens of thousands of members, have not only enjoyed numerous shared engagements and discussions over many a dram, but have often also entered quiet contemplation with the silent partner in the glass before us.

Conviviality indeed...!

This year has been about making ever more possible the shared and individual experience gained through access to some of the finest single malt whiskies on the planet (and now other spirits of excellence). Our small team, supported by our wonderful state managers, has rolled out countless tastings, events, dinners and new partner bar relationships.

The year also marked a further edition of the hugely popular Australian Malt Whisky Tasting Championships – congratulations to first prize winner, Brooke Hayman (who with partner, Julian White, runs Whisky & Alement, our partner bar in Melbourne) and thanks to our principal sponsors, The Balvenie and The Oak Barrel.

As we head into the festive season I wish all members excellent dramming, a year ahead marked by much conviviality, engagement with your Society and enjoyment of all that it has to offer.

Sláinte,

André Tammes ~ Membership Director

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YOUR ADVENTURE: THIS WAS 2018 What a year. It might be all the casks, all the experiences, the travel, meeting people, incredible events and our Partner Bars, but for us, it’s all about the members and what you bring to the Society. Here’s to 2018, here’s to you.

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ALL SWEETNESS AND FIGHT

IN THE DARK OF THE ABYSS DEEP, RICH & DRIED FRUITS CASK NO. 63.49

$185.00

DEEP, RICH & DRIED FRUITS 35THRSARY VE K ANNI TER PAC S TA DRAM

CASK NO. 72.64

$199.00

SPE FINI CIAL SH

AGE

11 Years

AGE

13 Years

DATE

29 June 2006

DATE

23 September 2004

REGION

Speyside

REGION

Speyside

CASK TYPE

Refill butt

CASK TYPE

New oak hogshead

OUTTURN

1 of 549 bottles

OUTTURN

1 of 234 bottles

ABV

60.6%

ABV

59.7%

ALLOCATION 24 available in Australia

ALLOCATION 30 available in Australia

We found ourselves being drawn in by a spectacular opulence as walls of walnuts and figs closed in around us. Things became as dark as bitter chocolate, yet from the shadows we could make out dates and mangos bound in leather and molasses.

The oxidised familiarity of oloroso sherry came whistling from deep below and joined the tangy sweetness of orange liqueur mixed with Chinese 5 spice. This citrus edge evolved into ginger and marmalade with the boozy fruit of a Christmas pudding.

Trekking down through the tenebrosity we tripped over the banana skin of our own imagination and landed amongst nutmeg, almonds and brazil nuts but finally settled on praline and cinnamon with a strong influence of oak.

The panel first noted the striking colour: a burnished autumnal copper. Then a heady aroma of freshly dipped toffee apple, jam Swiss roll, treacle sponge cake, damson compote, mint tea red laces, warming wood spices and a retro-nasal honey roast vegetable aspect. Water awakens parma violets, lavender oil, putty, wet gravel and pine wood smoke. Along with a wee flourish of savoury herb breads. The palate detonates with flintlock, wood char and orange cocktail bitters. Notes of strawberry laces, some prevalent tannins, green apples, gummy bears and a light dusting of coal embers. Reduction brings further red berry sweetness and an immense and sinewy spiciness. Some bitter chocolate, wood ash, caraway and a freshly zested lemon round things off.

Transferred at 12 years old from a first fill white wine hogshead.

ONE FOR THE LOW ROAD

REMINDER OF THE SEA

OILY & COASTAL CASK NO. 112.31

$199.00

OILY & COASTAL CASK NO. 10.151

$190.00

AGE

13 Years

AGE

11 Years

DATE

25 August 2004

DATE

6 October 2006

REGION

Highland

REGION

Islay

CASK TYPE

2nd fill hogshead

CASK TYPE

Refill barrel

OUTTURN

1 of 186 bottles

OUTTURN

1 of 188 bottles

ABV

58.7%

ABV

60.3%

ALLOCATION 18 available in Australia A medicinal dram! With cherry cough medicine, coal, ointments, lapsang souchong, lanolin, a saline Milano salami note and then earth, white fruits, trampled daffodils and ground pepper. Water reveals a deeper thickness with camphor, hessian, lanolin, wax, smoked fish, hemp oil, gravel and black olives.

Something of a fresh mountain stream lingers in the background.

In the mouth it is redolent with herbs, spices, bombay mix, lemon oil, mead, toasted cereals, crushed rocket, soft waxes and a vinaigrette sharpness. With water it becomes fresher and more citric with lemon balm, barley sugar, sugar-dusted cereals, buttered toast and wildflowers.

ALLOCATION 30 available in Australia We imagined having a plate of oysters covered in a squeeze of lemon, a Champagne-vinegar mignonette and freshly grated horseradish by the side. However, before we tucked in, we had a cilantro-infused sweet, spicy and salty jalapeno Margarita cocktail - a truly refreshing and invigorating invitation.

Diluted, more maritime, more coastal on the nose, honey sweetened sugar kelp crisps as well as spaghetti alle vongole (with clams), whilst on the palate a sweet-spicy-salty freshly cut juicy pineapple and a frozen daiquiri that Hemingway so rhapsodically described as “looking like the sea where the waves fall away from the bow of a ship when she is doing thirty knots�.

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BUNDLES ILE F E I SC T I O N SELE

FEIS ILE TWIN PACK

$434.00

18 available

Two of the most desirable whiskies from this year’s festival of music and malt in Islay, Feis Ile, bundled up together for one time only for members.

Cask 3.308 and Cask 10.146 in a twin pack. True casks of distinction from our panel as selected for Feis Ile 2018, don’t miss out!

A MARITIME MEANDER

SWEET SMOKY SUCCULENT SENSATION

PEATED

PEATED

CASK NO. 3.308

CASK NO. 10.146

SUMMER DRAMMING SELECTION

$549.00 6 available

Specially selected by our Ambassador to satisfy some proper summer dramming needs, this triple pack of three never-before seen casks are certain to hit the spot for some sunny dramming with friends with these three bright and exciting single casks.

Was $586, for Nov/Dec only $549

LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL PIZZA AND FAIRY TALES YOUNG & SPRITELY

SPICY & DRY

CASK NO. 2.109

CASK NO. 96.19

A LITTLE GLASS OF FASCINATION SWEET, FRUITY & MELLOW CASK NO. 112.29

AROUND THE WORLD IN THREE BOTTLES

$615.00 6 available

Three continents, three remarkable casks, three outstanding flavour profiles. Cask 51.6 from Ireland, Cask B3.4 from the USA, and Cask 35.196 from Scotland. Some of these casks have and will never be seen by themselves in an Outturn again, so don’t miss out.

BUCKING BRONCO BOURBON

JUICY, OAK & VANILLA

CASK NO. B3.4

CASK NO. 51.6

A MOROCCAN ‘SNAKE CAKE’ DEEP, RICH & DRIED FRUITS CASK NO. 35.196

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A FRUITY SMOOCH

COMMUNITY SPIRIT So…where did 2018 go? That seems to be my thought around this time of year, every year of late, just substitute 2018 with the year of the moment.

And it seems to have been yet another jam-packed year with fun events and some amazing new bottlings from new distilleries and old, and from new (to the Society) spirit producers worldwide. “Flavour” definitely seems to have been the flavour of the month/year, and it’s not about to lose its relevance or be dropped from our everyday parlance anytime soon. Flavour and fun.

But The Scotch Malt Whisky Society isn’t just about new single cask bottlings, new releases, new cask finishes and new spirits. It’s also about our whisky community, not just the online version but the humankind version too.

In these times of social media with its all-too-common use for harm, our online global whisky community is a force for good – a place for whisky-lovers to share thoughts on particular bottlings, tips on new pairings not thought of before, or photos of a favourite dram linked to a special occasion or a day of the week (the scaling of a munro, the wetting of a baby’s head, or simply because it’s a cold night or a Friday night!) The list is endless.

What about the Society’s 35th Anniversary global virtual tasting – how amazing was that?! So many Members tasting the same drams and all from different corners of the globe, with live stream from the Society’s origins at The Vaults. That experience produced a wonderful kind of global warming – not the end-of-theworld kind, but the kind that brings us all together with a common pleasure and on a level playing field. It’s not competitive, it doesn’t have a hierarchy, it’s inclusive –

just good folk from all walks of life and of all ages, from Baby Boomers to Gen Z, enjoying a shared experience.

And sharing is all part of the fun. A Member recently gave me a whisky sample from a very special Feis Ile bottling they had managed to buy in the Members Rooms in the UK – not available here. A peated whisky, and anyone who knows me, knows I’m a bit of a peat-head.

Well, that little bottle was recently taken with me all the way back to the UK again and shared with a whisky-loving friend whom I knew would enjoy it as much as me. As I say, it’s all part of the fun. And if I have an open bottle of a cask that was someone’s favourite dram ever, will I be recycling that sample bottle to share the love? You bet ya! (Don’t all write in at once.)

It’s so funny to think back to when I left Edinburgh in 2002, and my then work colleagues took me to this special club they belonged to for a leaving drink/lunch.

I was just two days away from moving to Australia. I’d have to be signed in to this fantouche establishment – how cool is that? And that was my very first experience of The Vaults and the SMWS (a club I’d never heard of), just as I headed off to Sydney… Funny how things work out.

So thanks for being part of our community, whether online, on the phone, coming along to an event or just at home or a friend’s place enjoying a Society dram – it’s thanks to you that we’re all here now. I raise my glass to you and wish you and yours health and happiness in equal measure over the Festive Season and beyond.

Suzy Tawse ~ Director

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PREMIUM BOTTLING: DELIGHTFUL GRAVITAS The festive season is the perfect time for sharing around something sherried, something old, something uniquely special between friends. Cask 9.149 ‘Delightful gravitas’ has been specially selected for this Outturn to share around with people who appreciate a robust and intriguing older dram. This is a truly festive cask to share and care. Take a moment to enjoy some ‘Delightful Gravitas’ this month.

DELIGHTFUL GRAVITAS DEEP, RICH & DRIED FRUITS CASK NO. 9.149

$495.00

AGE

30 Years

DATE

18 April 1988

REGION

Speyside

CASK TYPE

1st fill butt

OUTTURN

1 of 503 bottles

ABV

55.1%

PR BOTEMIUM TLIN G

ALLOCATION 24 available in Australia Our noses got sherbet, orange peel and lemon drizzle cake before something earthier arrived (moist tobacco leaf, polished wood, leather, hay lofts, bodegas).

The palate is similar – honeycomb, blood orange and rhubarb rock brightness – but waxed jackets, tea tree oil, pine resin and custard tarts gave it delightful gravitas. On the reduced nose – hibiscus and blackcurrant fruit-tea led to waxed wood, lino cuts, linseed oil, coconut husks, hazelnuts and old furniture.

The palate is now balanced orange blossom and fruit bars with Demerara, peppery nasturtiums, sultanas, prunes and sherry rancio. Transferred to a first-fill PX butt after 27 years in an Oloroso butt.

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19

THE JOURNEY OF MEMBERSHIP We hear from three of our members as they reminisce about the beginnings of their whisky journeys, memorable moments and casks that made them go “wow!”

MELISSA CLARE I remember my introduction to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society so very clearly, it was a beautiful summer evening in February 2016. My then fiancé, now husband, and I were heading to Shirt Bar for an SMWS tasting.

I’d seen the distinctive green bottles before but hadn’t realised what wonders could be contained in them (at this point, I’m embarrassed to say, my whisky drinking had be limited to official bottlings and bourbon).

As we entered Shirt Bar there was a magical feel about it, the warm air flowed through the two open doors, one side of the room held an array of gentleman’s shirts and accoutrements and the other dark timber furniture and leather couches illuminated by candlelight. It felt as though you were settling in for a luxurious evening, possibly a game of chess and a chat about the classics, however we were there to try three SMWS drams and three cocktails made from the same.

It was the start of a journey from which I have not looked back. Two roads diverged in a darkly lit bar and I took the one lined in green bottles. The first step being 33.133 Whipped with Happiness. Which has long since departed, sadly, but with the journey commenced there was no return.

There is something special and unique in every SMWS bottling, not all find favour with me, but their existence enables lively debate, discussion and consideration,

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not to mention the fabulous ‘Guess the Whisky’ events, as they continue to challenge our preconceived notions of what whisky (or whiskey) should taste like.

The journey continues seeking out SMWS drams across Australia, no Partner Bar is safe! Sitting at the bar in Whisky & Alement with a row of green bottles discussing the flavours in the latest Outturn is a delicious way to discover whisky.

Most recently I was stunned to find myself considering ordering a second dram of 5.66 Toffee and Turf, there was something so enticing about the scent of tomato plants mixed with the taste of overripe peaches and caramel.

Meanwhile at home I have been escaping the cold and dreariness of winter with 39.150 A Tropical Breakfast with its mix of pineapple and mangoes I can imagine sitting on a tropical island, and the stresses of work are eroded with one sip of my beloved 54.55 Autumn Rays through a Pine Forest – that sweet vanilla ice cream and pine needles is captivating. As they say, all good things must come to an end, and when those drams leave me, I will be looking to the Society to once again fill my shelf with a perhaps unexpected, but always delicious dram, that makes me look forward to tomorrow and my continued whisky journey.

Melissa Clare Member since 2016

MICHAEL PARKER

MURRAY HASSAN

My journey in SMWS whisky started in a little room above a restaurant in Richmond with a dog in 2003!

That is where Chris Barnes, the Victorian State Manager at the time, and his dog would hold whisky tastings, usually with a small group of a dozen or so. However, the story goes back further as my good friend and fellow whisky drinker, Craig Morton, became a member in Oxford in the 1980’s due to an unexpected present from his wife. Craig returned to Australia as one of the first members when the Society opened up in Melbourne.

And it was Craig who invited me along to my first tasting in Richmond. I still have my very first letter from the Society dated 8 October 2003 in which my application for membership was approved! Not sure what the vetting process entailed!

I have been a Society member since 2005, when my then-girlfriend (now my wife) gave me a gift membership.

My first experiences were the tasting nights at the RAC in Sydney. I kept asking questions, always wanting to learn more. I wonder now if I was just annoying!

My most memorable events have to be the Christmas tastings accompanied by the piping in of the whiskysoaked haggis. There are many special bottles over the years but the two that evoke very special memories, and even awe, are:

• 7.38 An old barber’s shop – a 38 year old Speyside from Longmorn Distillery. The Spring Outturn of 2008 described it as a “big, rich, heavily sherried, old, but excellently aged whisky”. Its most important attribute as noted by the panel was the finish “long, smooth, full, and consistent”. The panel’s summary: “A masterpiece”!

• 123.8 In the Spanish mountains – a 12 year old

Along the way, I was lucky to become part of the Local Tasting Panel, to help select bottlings for Australian members. In 2014 I went on the Society’s Ultimate Whisky Tour of Scotland, a true once-in-a-lifetime experience.

These days I help as a Society Ambassador, so you may see me behind a table pouring a dram or two.

What do I love about being a member?

Two main things: the camaraderie; whether it is meeting new members, introducing someone to the Society, or catching up with familiar faces.

The second is being able to try special and unique drams, in good company.

A cask that made me go “wow!”

It’s hard to go past a special one…

1.183 A vibrant enigma. The most elegant, old and refined sherry-aged dram I have ever tried; one of my all-time favourites. Casks like that are one of the many reasons I enjoy being a member of this wonderful group.

Murray Hassan Member since 2005

Highland from Glengoyne Distillery. It was the Director’s Choice in the Spring Outturn of 2014 with the palate described as creamy, rich and full.

However, it had another quality that I value so highly in a whisky. The tasting notes described the finish as “a length so long, it’s almost embarrassing”.

It was described by the Cellarmaster as “one of the best whiskies I’ve ever had the pleasure of tasting”.

I agree!

Michael Parker Member since 2003

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DIFFERENT WAYS TO ENJOY YOUR DRAM! While it may look like all Society drams are enjoyed from a stemmed copita Society glass, it’s not always the case. Here we explore other ways to enjoy your dram!

ANDREW DERBIDGE

MATT BAILEY

INOKA HO

At heart, I’m a whisky purist. I like my whisky neat – no water, no ice, no mixer, and I like it in a decent Glencairn or copita-style glass.

This means I always get the maximum out of my dram, but it also means I rarely step outside the sphere.

For me, the way I enjoy my whisky really relies on that little-mentioned flavour element: mood. What am I in the mood for? Is it neat in a copita?

Is it neat in a giant beer glass?

Is it mixed in with bitters, ice and sugar for an Old Fashioned?

Is it in a simple tumbler on ice?

There’s no right or wrong way to enjoy your whisky. You bought it, you do what you want with it.

My gateway towards sprits (and whisky) appreciation was actually through cocktails, because how could you put together a balanced drink if you don’t understand or appreciate its individual components?

So earlier this year, with a few open bottles at home that weren’t pushing my buttons, I tried some variations – plenty of Boilermakers; the occasional Rusty Nail (whisky with Drambuie); the odd Smoky Nail (peated whisky with Drambuie); and the odd simple whisky cocktail. “Bastard blends” also got a look-in (blending the dregs of what’s left in the bottom of several bottles and hoping the sum of the parts makes something interesting).

And, in the heat of summer, even Scotch in a large tumbler with soda or over ice. These little, simple actions breathed life and interest back into some fairly unexciting whiskies. Could I discern all the nuances and subtleties of the malts?

No, not at all. Did I enjoy the drink?

Abso-bloody-lutely!

Andrew Derbidge Cellarmaster, SMWS Australia

For two years in a row now, Cocktail Co and SMWS have collaborated on ‘Single Cask Cocktails’, where the ethos is that if chefs use the best ingredients to create a dish, then why not use the best ingredients to create a cocktail? Anything goes.

That said, when it comes to fine appreciation of single cask, single malt spirits, I will always take the time and effort to nose and taste it neat and appreciate what’s going on in the glass.

In this very Outturn, I challenge you: try Cask 12.16 Moonlight in New York in a highball, or try Cask 63.49 In the dark of the abyss in a late night Old Fashioned. You’ll surprise yourself.

Matt Bailey National Ambassador, SMWS Australia

These days, while I regularly drink spirits neat, I still enjoy taking them in a cocktail; the challenge for me is to find something to mix with it that brings out a different side of the spirit or showcases a different way of enjoying it. Given I’m mixing at home, I tend to stick with simple twists on the classics, but that doesn’t mean they’re any less flavoursome.

When coming up with a recipe, I also take inspiration from food and how the drink may pair with what we eat because in reality, most of us drinking at home tend to do so in a social setting. And this mostly involves food of some kind, whether it be snacks, chocolate or a full meal.

Two of my favourite whisky recipes are very simple twists on the classic Old Fashioned cocktail. One utilises a splash of pineapple rum that goes spectacularly well with the smoky notes of the Society Bowmore whilst the other uses a fig syrup in lieu of sugar syrup to create a combination suitable to be taken with cheese.

Inoka Ho Cocktail Co

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‘HIGHLY A-MUSING’

SUMMER SEASIDE PICNIC

PEATED

LIGHTLY PEATED CASK NO. 93.93

$249.00

AND SELE REW ’S CTIO N

CASK NO. 122.23

$160.00

AGE

16 Years

AGE

7 Years

DATE

16 February 2001

DATE

11 February 2011

REGION

Campbeltown

REGION

Highland

CASK TYPE

Refill hogshead

CASK TYPE

2nd fill hogshead

OUTTURN

1 of 267 bottles

OUTTURN

1 of 301 bottles

ABV

55.8%

ABV

57.7%

ALLOCATION 30 available in Australia

ALLOCATION 24 available in Australia

Clean and fresh aromas of sea air on a summer’s day with seaweed, tarry ropes. A robust herbal honey, hot smoked salmon and sweet soy sauce. Quite approachable at full strength – charred wood in honey, sweet porridge, vanilla and barbecued sausages.

Water reveals pineapple cube sweets, gingerbread and an exotic fruit salad with background notes of oily rags, biscuit and comforting coastal aromas. The palate is well balanced – sweet, gently smoky, black pepper then menthol, minerals and tangy charred wood with a pleasing finish.

The first nose had the sweet smokiness of honey-cured bacon and curried smoked salmon cubes, followed by liquorice and the light medicinal smell of muscle rub. On the palate a ferocious attack of sweet perfumed smoke but, taking into account the age, all fairly well balanced and quite satisfying in a mysterious way.

With water, like a salt and oil body scrub enriched with Dead Sea minerals, sweet almond oil and a snuffed out perfumed candle.

To taste, a very sweet start before charcoal grilled spiced pork herb sausages arrived and a lengthy slightly bitter finish.

SUCCUMB TO DESIRE

SURRENDER YOUR SOUL

PEATED

LIGHTLY PEATED

CASK NO. 53.259

$185.00

’S SUZYTION C SELE

CASK NO. 4.238

$231.00

AGE

11 Years

AGE

15 Years

DATE

18 July 2006

DATE

20 August 2001

REGION

Islay

REGION

Highland

CASK TYPE

Refill hogshead

CASK TYPE

Refill butt

OUTTURN

1 of 277 bottles

OUTTURN

1 of 474 bottles

ABV

56.8%

ABV

59.7%

ALLOCATION 36 available in Australia What a nose! Beach, salty sea air, barbeque,… but before all that we enjoyed a kale salad with dried sweetened cranberries, toasted pine nuts, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and plenty of rich balsamic vinaigrette. How about the taste? Butter-poached lobster tails with flambé sambuca fennel, brined capers and pickled herring. With water the scent of charred lemon mixed with dill-pickled tuna sandwiches and cucumber smoked salmon bites made us all very hungry. Silky smooth on the palate; campfire baked apples stuffed with raisins and toasted malt loaf with sultanas smothered with salted butter which melted in the heat.

ALLOCATION 36 available in Australia An incredibly seductive scent of sweet cigar smoke, plum and madeira marzipan chocolates, pan-seared scallops with lemon, fragrant mango and apple chutney and lightly smoked sardines in extra virgin olive oil. An explosion of sweet smoke on the palate at first, before grilled smoked eel in a sweet glaze made out of soy sauce, mirin and caster sugar appeared next to spicy coconut curry chickpeas with lemongrass and sweet basil. With water an Italian seafood salad; gently cooked and marinated shrimp, squid, scallops and mussels with lemon juice, olive oil and a subtle seasoning of spices and sea salt flakes. The taste was now irresistible, sublime sweet, smoky and salty lemon toffee popcorn.

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24

LIGHT, FINE AND SCULPTED

A FRAGRANT RAMBLE OLD & DIGNIFIED

OLD & DIGNIFIED CASK NO. G14.3

CASK NO. C3.1

$549.00

$695.00

AGE

30 Years

AGE

XO

DATE

1 October 1986

DATE

Extra Old

REGION

Lowland

REGION

France

CASK TYPE

Refill bourbon barrel

CASK TYPE

French oak barrel

OUTTURN

1 of 168 bottles

OUTTURN

1 of 558 bottles

ABV

48.7%

ABV

50.9%

ALLOCATION 18 available in Australia The nose is utterly fascinating and appealing – it has frosted corn cereals and clover honey; it’s bourbon-like (in a good way) and it evokes something celebratory – wedding cake and polished dance floors. The velvet smooth palate perfectly balances Demerara, candy corns and cola cube sweetness with the slight bitterness of wood (tea chests, cigar boxes).

A drop of water shifts the nose into something light, fine and sculpted – an artist’s studio (oil paints, canvas), a jeweller’s work bench, moonlit wheat fields, old Calvados and rum and raisin marshmallows. We don’t recommend adding water to this one.

ALLOCATION 18 available in Australia Our journey began in the high mountain meadows dotted with delicate flowers releasing a musk perfume aroma into the air that mingled with linseed oil and fine oak sawdust left over from wood cutting. Descending the air became warmer and we found ourselves firstly amongst bushes of blackcurrants and geraniums and then taylor’s gold pear trees, kumquats, lemon trees and finally pink grapefruit. The air was hot now and carried a spiciness of nutmeg, cinnamon and muscovado sugar. We quenched our thirsts with some fizzy apple juice as we passed a rum agricole distillery to find ourselves now on a dry and dusty plain.

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE For the months of November and December, we have 10 x 35th Anniversary Tasting Kits, valued at $79, to give away!

To win a pack, just refer a friend to the SMWS to join, and both you and they will be automatically entered to win.

Make sure they put your name in the referral box online, so you can both share the taste of the Society this festive season!

25

EVENTS CANBERRA

BRISBANE EIGHT CHRISTMAS STEPS TO HEAVEN

NEWSTEAD BOILERMAKERS XMAS IN BRISBANE

Join us for our end of year Canberra bash. Select your own drams from a roomful of gems for an evening of fun and fine festive spirit.

Brewer, Ambassador, beers, whisky, pizza. What a way to kick off an incredible Saturday together.

Let’s celebrate the year that was, and end it with a big flavour bang!

WEDNESDAY 14 NOVEMBER, 6.15 FOR 6.30PM Location: The Deck at Regatta Point, Barrine Drive, Parkes Host: Drew McKinnie, ACT Manager

SATURDAY 1 DECEMBER, 5.00 FOR 5.15PM Location: Newstead Brewing Co., 85 Doggett Street, Newstead Host: Matt Bailey, SMWS National Ambassador

SYDNEY FESTIVE STEPS SYDNEY WHISKY PARTY

WOLLONGONG CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION WHISKY DINNER

Join us for our last big Sydney bash of the year. Select your own drams from a roomful of gems for an evening of fun and fine festive spirit.

It’s time for our annual Gong Christmas gathering! Delicious drams and fantabulous fare – let’s see the year out with a bang and in great company.

FRIDAY 30 NOVEMBER, 6.30 FOR 7.00PM Location: Royal Automobile Club, 89 Macquarie Street, Sydney Host: Matt Bailey, SMWS National Ambassador

FRIDAY 7 DECEMBER, 6.30 FOR 7.00PM Location: Novotel Northbeach Hotel 2-14 Cliff Road, North Wollongong Host: Fred Apolloni, Wollongong Manager

ADELAIDE CHRISTMAS WHISKY DINNER Join us for a sensational end of year whisky dinner – delicious drams, fine Christmas fare and great craic – fun and flavour, what better way to end the year.

THURSDAY 6 DECEMBER, 6.30 FOR 7.00PM Location: Rob Roy Hotel 106 Halifax Street, Adelaide

MELBOURNE SMWS X STARWARD CHRISTMAS PARTY Join us from 4pm for an end of year Christmas Party at awardwinning Starward Distillery. Society bottlings available by the dram – choose your own Xmas drams!

SATURDAY 8 DECEMBER, 4.00PM–7.00PM

Host: Jenny Forrest, SA Manager

Location: Starward Distillery 50 Bertie Street, Port Melbourne Host: Matt Bailey, SMWS National Ambassador

PERTH – SAVE THE DATE!

SOCIETY SUMMER BARBECUE What better way to start off the year than with a Society Summer Barbecue in the gardens of Bar Lafayette. Select your own summer dramming to pair with your snags!

SATURDAY 19 JANUARY 2019 Location: Bar Lafayette, Brookfield Place 125 St George’s Tce, Lower George’s Lane, Perth Host: Jason Davies, WA Manager

For more information or to book in for any of these events, please visit: smws.com.au/events or contact our office.

26

YOUR PARTNER BARS Partner Bars are inviting spaces around the country operated by teams of incredible individuals, all committed to serving up the Society’s single cask mantra to members, guests, friends and family.

THE LOST ONES

BAR LAFAYETTE

ARCHIE ROSE

Whisky is an adventure to me, and whether you’re sinking into our velvet lounges, or in front of our open fire, or tasting one of our seasonal cocktails, there’s something for everyone at The Lost Ones. With an ever-changing menu of SMWS bottles on pour, there’s something to delight even the most discerning palate.

We have a passion for spirits, stocking a wide range of Australian and international spirits. Come down and join us for free live music on Fridays and Sundays. Down the alley at 14 Camp Street, Ballarat – follow the lanterns.

Bar Lafayette is proudly the premier Partner Bar for the SMWS in Perth.

We love what the Society does and their casks continue to surprise every month. One of the first casks I bought when we formed our partnership still haunts me. G8.7 – Caribbean Banana Fritter. It was a 27 year old, single cask grain whisky from the now-demolished Cambus distillery, finished in a 2nd-fill ex-Sauternes cask, and it was pure magic in a bottle.

Reminded me of Christmas as a kid, running away with the brandy custard like the little jerk I was. I’m a big jerk now.

What we really love about being associated with the SMWS is the depth of knowledge that both the Society brings to our team, what our team shares around, and what our team brings to our patrons. Working in a bar inside a distillery brings a different level of knowledge of whisky to the experience, and the experience at Archie Rose is always inviting and welcoming. Flash your SMWS card for a nice discount off all your drinks and as always, happy dramming!

Brodie Wightman Venue Manager, The Lost Ones

David ‘Xander’ Stucken Bar Manager, Bar Lafayette

Dave Withers Master Distiller, Archie Rose

COME VISIT!

BAR LAFAYETTE

SHIRT BAR

ARCHIE ROSE

Perth WA

Sydney NSW

Sydney NSW

HIPPO CO

WHISKY & ALEMENT Melbourne VIC

ROCKPOOL BAR & GRILL

EAU DE VIE

Canberra ACT

THE LOST ONES Ballarat VIC

MELBOURNE WHISKY ROOM Melbourne VIC

Sydney NSW

ROB ROY HOTEL

Melbourne VIC

LARK DISTILLERY Hobart TAS

Adelaide SA

27

THREE SPICE CRÈME BRULEE

ELEGANT AND INVITING ARMAGNAC

RUM CASK NO. R10.2

$490.00

CASK NO. A4.1

$180.00

AGE

26 Years

AGE

15 Years

DATE

31 December 1991

DATE

Vintage/2002

REGION

Trinidad

REGION

Bas Armagnac

CASK TYPE

Refill barrel

CASK TYPE

Armagnac barrel

OUTTURN

1 of 240 bottles

OUTTURN

1 of 546 bottles

ABV

61.3%

ABV

49.1%

ALLOCATION 24 available in Australia

ALLOCATION 30 available in Australia

The aroma neat reminded us of a hot sweet, spicy and sultry cherry pie with a golden pastry, tender cherries and the juices oozing served straight out of the oven with a scoop of cinnamon vanilla bean ice cream. Surprisingly mellow on the palate neat like a spiced poached pear in a hot chocolate sauce. With water the nose got even richer - if that is at all possible – a caramel apple bread pudding with a Bourbon vanilla sauce and to taste, rum and raisin fudge and a three spice (cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg) Crème Brulee.

This copper coloured Baco grape Bas-Armagnac offers aromas of apple pie with caramelised sugar, gentle spices (cinnamon and cloves), dried flowers and winey freshness. Fruits develop with dark cherries and then caramelising melted butter.

Hints of black tea together with tobacco, resin and a slight woody character contribute to a drying nose. The refined taste has gentle tannins and woody spices balanced with vanilla custard, prunes and apples. This turns slightly nutty with wax furniture polish. It is sweet and warming with a short and drying finish that leaves you wanting more. This small estate and ineyard was purchased by the current owners in 1990. Only eight hectares are used for making Armagnac.

WOOD FIRED WONDER JUICE

BUCKING BRONCO

COGNAC

BOURBON

CASK NO. C6.1

$280.00

CASK NO. B3.4

$190.00

AGE

XO

AGE

3 Years

DATE

XO

DATE

26 September 2013

REGION

Cognac Borderies

REGION

Arkansas

CASK TYPE

Cognac barrel

CASK TYPE

New oak barrel

OUTTURN

1 of 510 bottles

OUTTURN

1 of 210 bottles

ABV

67.9%

ABV

57.0%

ALLOCATION 30 available in Australia This Cognac was distilled in a wood fired still and shows notes of pumpernickel bread, sourdough and toasted seeds on the nose at first. Followed by brioche, freshly churned butter, hessian and warm cereals. With time there is also a light and elegant green fruitiness. With water we get camphor, jelly babies, icing sugar and caraway. The palate is powerful and filled with notes of tar liqueur, white stone fruits, mead, quince paste and hawthorne.

Water brings grated nutmeg, olive oil, bracken and mineral oil.

An elegant earthiness emerges in the finish.

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ALLOCATION 30 available in Australia Some panellists went corybantic-crazy for this (not sure they’ve recovered yet!) – the nose bursts with brandy snaps, banoffee pie, juniper berries, cinnamon and liquorice – one panellist imagined playing cards in a mahogany-panelled speakeasy with a gangster’s moll (living dangerously!). The palate was dry as wood shavings, with burnt orange, black tea, cinnamon bark, cloves, dried figs, cherries, marzipan, dark chocolate, honey and well-torched crème brûlée. The reduced nose developed all the polished leather of a rodeo and the Tiger Balm muscle rub required after one.

The palate now found clove and orange pomanders, cherry brandy, peppermint and astringent wood – quite an experience!

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MEET YOUR STATE MANAGERS Right across Australia, the Society has Managers in every State to run events during the course of the year. Members have the opportunity to share the love of our single cask bottlings at these events as well as providing the opportunity to try before you buy. These whisky (and other spirit) superhumans are our local heroes.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

QUEENSLAND

WOLLONGONG

I believe enjoying whisky is a social occasion. That’s why I’m usually found with my best buddy and tasting offsider, Alan, when I’m looking to enjoy a dram. Single malts, particularly the rare and delicious bottling from the SMWS, are an important part of my incredible journey through the wonderful things life has on offer! Distillery visits and tastings in Scotland, Japan, India and Australia have provided me insights into pleasurable whisky drinking and the passion this drink engenders in others. My favourite? Well, anything I fancy from my SMWS home cellar!

My whisky journey has deepened my connections to my family’s past. My Great-Grandfather was an Independent Bottler. For centuries, my mother’s family have lived as neighbours of Lindores Abbey, site of the first recorded reference to distilling Scotch. Since my friend Peter Johnston introduced me to the Society I’ve undertaken a grand tour of the sensory delights of single cask, cask strength whiskies. It’s a privilege to enjoy an endless array of unique casks. Each Society event and Outturn means a new adventure. The journey continues.

My journey is lived through the members and experiences I have within the SMWS and being state manager is something that I absolutely love bringing to the Society.

We’ve had pizza and whisky nights, we’ve had our traditional whisky masterclasses at the Novotel, and we’ve had Boilermaker beer & whisky pairings with local Wollongong breweries! What more really could you ask for to stand in front of incredible members and enjoy what the journey in flavour is all about. Here’s to 2019 and beyond.

Jenny Forrest South Australia State Manager

Scott Mansfield Queensland State Manager

Fred Apolloni Wollongong State Manager

NEW SOUTH WALES

VICTORIA

WESTERN AUSTRALIA SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Andrew Derbidge NSW State Manager

Owen Smythe VIC State Manager

Jason Davies WA State Manager

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Drew McKinnie ACT State Manager

35 YEARS OF CASK STRENGTH ADVENTURE Since we first started bottling cask strength whisky drawn from single casks for our members in 1983, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society has brought together a community of whisky-loving kindred spirits in the UK and around the world.

1983 1984 1987 1992 1993 1999 2002 2004 2006 2008 2017 2018

SMWS ESTABLISHED IN EDINBURGH AND RELEASES FIRST FOUR WHISKIES FIRST 1,000 MEMBERS

MEMBERS’ ROOMS OPENS AT THE VAULTS, LEITH 100TH DISTILLERY BOTTLING SMWS BRANCHES OPEN IN BOTH JAPAN AND US MEMBERS’ ROOMS OPENS AT 19 GREVILLE STREET, LONDON AUSTRALIAN BRANCH OPENS MEMBERS’ ROOMS OPENS AT 28 QUEEN STREET, EDINBURGH FIRST SINGLE CASK GRAIN WHISKY UNFILTERED MEMBERS’ MAGAZINE LAUNCHES SINGLE CASK SPIRITS AND THE VAULTS COLLECTION THE SOCIETY TURNS 35 YEARS OLD! 31

FESTIVE ORDERING This is your Christmas 2018 edition of Outturn.

Time to sort out your stocking fillers and select your seasonal spirits to tide you over the festive season!

Make sure you order early for delivery in time for Christmas.

SHIPPING For delivery in time for Christmas, we recommend placing your order by Friday 7th December.

Left it a bit late? For Express Post or Courier delivery, please contact our office.

FESTIVE SEASON OPENING HOURS The Society’s office will be closed from Monday 24th December, re-opening on Thursday 3rd January, the day before our First Friday releases of the New Year!

We wish you and yours a safe and happy holiday season.

GIFTS AHOY AT SMWS.COM.AU

02 9974 3046 Mon-Fri 9.00am - 5.00pm AEDT

@SMWS_AUSTRALIA

AUSTRALIANSMWS

SMWS_AUS

Society whiskies are offered and sold through The Wine Empire Pty Ltd, Liquor Licence LIQP770010175.