Outturn April 2021 by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society

NEW RELEASES WILL BE ONLINE AT MIDDAY AEDT, FRIDAY 2ND APRIL

Outturn Peaking: Friday 2 April Issue 03, 2021

ELEVATE YOUR FLAVOUR FRONTIER

Whether you’re tackling a high peak or exploring your surroundings, pick the perfect dram from our colourful collection to take your experience to new heights!

GO WILD AT SWMS.COM.AU

Contents Ambassador’s Address Matt Bailey ....................................................................................... 3 Cellarmaster’s Note Andrew Derbidge........................................................................... 4

Malt of the Month

NEW RELEASES WILL BE ONLINE AT MIDDAY AEDT, FRIDAY 2ND APRIL

Cask No. 64.120 Semifreddo and Spaghetti ice cream............................. 10 The Champs are back! Save the date ................................................................................ 24

Let’s club together How to start a whisky club....................................................... 6

Events Events in your State.................................................................. 26 March Virtual Tasting.............................................................. 27

OUR BOTTLINGS JUICY, OAK & VANILLA

YOUNG & SPRITELY Cask No. 113.40 A sheep in wolf’s clothing.......................................................

SWEET, FRUITY & MELLOW Cask No. 35.273 Flower arranging in the sunshine....................................

Cask No. 48.114 A snow cone for grown-ups.................................................

LIGHTLY PEATED

Cask No. 66.176 Je suis bûcheron et je vais bien............................................ 19

PEATED

SPICY & SWEET Cask No. 64.120 (Malt of the Month) Semifreddo and Spaghetti ice cream.............................

Cask No. 122.32 Punchy Peater................................................................................ 19

Cask No. 112.74 A preternatural good-striker..............................................

Cask No. 93.148 Tour de force.................................................................................. 20

SPICY & DRY Cask No. 26.154 Cream and croissants..............................................................

SINGLE CASK SPIRITS

Cask No. BAT.10 (Blended Malt) Spice Cannon .......................................................................... 23

OLD & DIGNIFIED Cask No. 38.29 Lust for must.................................................................................. 2

Cask No. RW2.1 (Rye Whiskey) Ready-made marmalade................................................ 20

Malt & Magic April is starting to get into the ‘meaty’ part of the year. Amazing casks, incredible experiences, and living in a country as lucky as ours to be able to host events in-person again, while maintaining our busy schedule of virtual experiences.

In writing this month’s address, I’m feeling a renewed sense of energy, of vim & vigour, for everything still ahead this year. Some big announcements, incredible whiskies, and yet another diverse Outturn. Nine flavour profiles, 12 casks, some great tips on starting your own local club and more. Part of this vigour are the offerings of course, but the real excitement is everything happening with our Partner Bars opening up again, our events kicking off, and the shared experiences we have anywhere you might be. This month is about malt and magic. It’s about outdoor pursuits. It’s about starting your own local group and letting us know where we can help! We’ve seen some incredible examples of that in recent times: a special shoutout to our

State Manager Alex Moores for his efforts with #OutturnGang, a group that meet at the tremendous Whisky & Alement and discover the upcoming Outturn. Then there’s the Hobart Dram Club that meet around a selection of great whiskies each month. There’s also the Queensland Malt Whisky Society, hosted by SMWS member Daniel Mathers, who takes themed adventures through malt. Thought about kicking one off yourself? Ask us, talk with us – we are always happy to help out. In the meantime, enjoy this April Outturn, and hopefully see you at an event in-person or online! Cheers,

CONNECT WITH MATT E: bailey@smws.com.au @smws_matt

Matt Bailey ~ SMWS National Ambassador

Simple. At the end of last month, Matt Bailey and I presented our regular Virtual Tasting together. Except that it wasn’t regular. As most readers might recall, it was our “Vaults Collection” virtual, and the line up of whiskies available to taste featured five of our special Vaults Collection whiskies.

In this case, four of the whiskies were 30 years old, and the fifth malt was 38 years old. Needless to say, it’s a pretty rare tasting event when you assess five whiskies over 30 years old, and it was indeed a privilege to do so. It also drove home to me – for the fifty thousandth time – how special it is to be a member of the Society and to regularly enjoy cask strength, single cask, single malts. The very next day, I was in a suburban liquor store where they had a special on the (now) garden variety Talisker 10yo. I put (now) in brackets, because for many people – certainly Society members - the regular Talisker 10 may no longer hold much appeal or hold pride of place in your liquor cabinet. And, yet, twenty years ago, it was considered one of the finest, special drams you could buy. One of the tragedies of embarking on the whisky journey is that it’s easy to forget or dismiss such bottlings once you dive into the world of single casks. The discount on the Talisker was appealing, so I duly purchased a 4

bottle and cracked it later that night. It was – and I cannot overstate this enough – exceptionally delicious. It was surprisingly sweet; the barley malt shone through in spades. It oozed that soft, signature, Highland peat and coated my tongue with its maritime Skye ozone tang. I chastised myself for having ignored the distillery and the expression for too many years. And I reflected on the contrast of tasting five whiskies over thirty years old, and following them up with a seemingly humble 10yo. Of course, I don’t relay the above account to bore you with my drinking habits, but rather to present the platform of a theme that I regularly return to and write about often: Whisky is a bit like that other adage... sometimes the simple things are the best. It’s so easy to get transfixed or absorbed on the latest exotic cask finish, or the whisky that boasts the highest peat levels in ppm, or the whisky that spruiks a different yeast

or barley variety, or a limited-edition peated release from a distillery that normally doesn’t make peated whisky. It’s the way of the industry right now and the people in charge of marketing: Everything has to be new, never seen before, bigger, higher, older, brighter, stronger, shinier….as if whisky drinkers all have attention deficit disorder and need something new placed before their eyes each week, for fear of dumping the category altogether and switching to some other spirit. One of the things that made the Vaults Collection tasting so special was that four of the whiskies, in particular, did not rely on such tricks to impress. They were simply well-crafted, well-matured delicious whiskies. Three came from “plain” refill bourbon barrels; one was from a non-descript refill sherry butt. Whilst their age made them special and alluring, and the years in cask obviously contributed to their style and character, it was their flavour that justified their status.

And, in many ways, the same could be said for the Talisker 10yo. Never mind the distillery’s reputation, never mind the cask type or the ABV, never mind the age statement – just revel in and celebrate the flavour. It is the one lesson and tip that I give all newer members who receive their first Outturn and want to go looking for the distilleries they recognise or the age statement that appeals. Do not be distracted by such things – you’ll invariably miss the true gems. Sometimes the action takes place away from the spotlight. Focus on flavour instead. It’s certainly the only thing that our Tasting Panel worries about.

Andrew Derbidge ~ Director, Cellarmaster & NSW Manager 5

Let’s club together There’s a whisky club to suit almost everyone. But if you don’t see one that takes your fancy, why not get some friends together, and start your own? Matt Bailey & Iain Russell spoke to founders and members of successful clubs in the UK, Europe & Australia, and asked them for their tips on how to get going.

“The most fundamental thing is to have a bunch of people who you know are keen to participate” Karl Glenn

LET’S CLUB TOGETHER

01 GETTING STARTED First, find some like-minded whisky fans. Karl Glenn believes that “the first and most fundamental thing is to have a bunch of people who you know are keen to participate.” He started the North East Whisky Appreciation Society for friends and family who were getting more into whisky. Other clubs have been formed by enthusiasts who met through doing other stuff: anything from fine dining to hill-walking. Next, says Bryan Simpson of Glasgow’s Hipflask Hiking Club (HHC): “Start with one event. Host a tasting in a small group, and let your creativity run wild. Whatever your group wants your club to be, do it! It’s your whisky club!” The prevailing view is that a club size is best limited to around 22-25 members, to retain the sense of community found at the most successful clubs. But that’s not a rule!

02 RULES AND REGS Whisky clubbers are generally averse to rigid rules and formal structures. Some clubs like to run with a president or ‘Laird’, some like to use a committee, but overall informality to some extent will help move things along and be the key to success. Ioannis Mallios of the Hellenic Malt Whisky Society sees no need to complicate things: “We developed simple rules and followed common practices that evolved year by year.” A chat locally with Daniel Mathers from the Queensland Malt Whisky Society says the key to success with QMWS is “Have clear communication as to the theme of the night, mix it up a bit, and you’ll have a lot of fun with it. Not really ‘rules’ as such, but we like to theme meetups around things like regions, or distilleries starting with T, or independently bottled spirit.” 7

KIT AND CABOODLE A whisky club doesn’t need much kit. It’s worth investing in high-quality glassware of course. And there may be costs for hiring venues – Gemma Tougher of HHC admits that “one of the hardest things at the beginning was finding the right venue and budgeting for that.” Some clubs charge a small annual membership fee to cover costs, or ask for a contribution to meet the cost of venue hire and bottle purchases for an individual event. Members might be invited to bring along an interesting bottle to share. There’s general agreement that a venue tasting is best limited to around 17-20 people, comfortably allowing everyone a generous 30ml pour from one 700ml bottle. But because all costs are shared, membership is invariably affordable. There can be few less expensive ways to explore and enjoy a wide range of great whiskies than by joining or creating your own club.

COMMUNICATE! Setting up a Facebook or WhatsApp group or another account on social media provides a way not only to keep existing members up-to-date with club affairs, but also to attract like-minded souls who might wish to join you. There’s a wealth of whisky groups on Facebook to already join in on and get connected to members around the country, not least our very own SMWS Australia group!

“We have had members mention how important the club has been to them this year” Bryan Simpson

Keeping in virtual touch has other benefits. HHC’s Bryan says: “We have had members mention how important the club has been to them this year [2020],” referring to the benefits of continuing club events online during periods of Covid-related lockdowns and social isolation. And don’t be shy about alerting whisky companies, brands and retailers to your existence. Many have ambassadors available to lead tastings of their products at club events – and they’ve become increasingly eager to participate in online tastings since the start of the pandemic. Ambassadors can offer great insights about the range of products and up-coming offerings from a particular company or distillery.

LOCATION, LOCATION

Some clubs are associated with specific venues – particularly in the UK, where people feel comfortable in their ‘local’. SMWS member Peter Burger’s club in Frankfurt usually meets in the bar he built in his cellar. He refers to a club event as a ‘stammtisch’ – a traditional German word for a friendly social gathering, which perfectly captures the tone of a good club get-together. SMWS UK ambassador Andrew Park believes that ambience is one of the most important factors in a tasting or other whisky event. Intriguing surroundings – in an historic bar, for example, or a fashionable restaurant – enhance the tasting experience and help make it more memorable. SMWS ambassador in Italy Mauro Leoni says that GLUGLU 2000’s members consider that visiting different restaurants, to enjoy great food with like-minded whisky enthusiasts, to be one of the club’s great attractions. Like Mauro, Andrew is an advocate of providing food at events. If you’re not planning to hold your tastings in an eatery, it’s worth thinking about something a bit more interesting than the austere oatcakes or ‘palate-cleansing crackers’ that were once ubiquitous at tastings. You can be as adventurous and quirky as you like – as members of the SMWS in Australia will know some of the expert food pairings we’ve experimented with over the years with the likes of people like Franz Scheurer and countless other flavour-explorers in food, wine, beer, and more.

COMMUNITY SPIRIT

Organising trips to distilleries, Zoom chats, pub crawls and other social events all help build the camaraderie that is so important to the success of a whisky club. Daniel Mathers brings it into frame perfectly when he says “You want to be welcoming and inclusive, but you also want to choose your membership wisely. People that want to be there and share a common goal in flavour and the sharing of great whisky that’s everchanging. We have members in the QMWS ranging from 25 to 75 years of age and we all enjoy whisky and that’s the key here.”

AND FINALLY…

Don’t take our word for it. If you want advice from the horse’s mouth, just contact an existing society and ask – you’ll find them all online. It’s a growing community out there, and a very friendly and helpful one. Just ask! You’ll find a very friendly and welcoming community no matter where you are.

MALT OF THE MONTH The rarity of seeing a code 64 as Malt of the Month makes for exciting news. Located around the corner from distillery 46, the distillate from 64 is barley-driven, tropical fruits, and rarely seen as a single cask, let alone a single malt. A backbone for blenders, the sweet ice cream and spaghetti notes will take you on a Spicy & Sweet adventure through Speyside to relish.

SEMIFREDDO AND SPAGHETTI ICE CREAM

REGION

Speyside

CASK TYPE

Refill bourbon hogshead

AGE

13 years

SPICY & SWEET

DATE DISTILLED

15 September 2006

CASK NO. 64.120

OUTTURN

290 bottles

ABV

59.0%

REDUCED FROM $220

AUS ALLOCATION

60 bottles

Limit of one bottle per Member

Let’s enjoy a little of ‘the sweet life’ in Italy, we entered a taverna on the Amalfi coast and ordered a Semifreddo ice cream dessert; candied fruit, mascarpone cheese and generously sprinkled with cherry liqueur. On the palate neat, we ordered Caprese salad, sliced fresh mozzarella tomatoes, sweet basil seasoned with olive oil and salt. After a drop of water, we enjoyed a cup of Earl Grey tea with the additional flavour of Sicilian lemon and honeysuckle and a crystallised sugar swizzle, while to taste Spaghetti ice cream; vanilla ice cream pressed through a spaetzle maker that creates spaghetti type noodles then taking simple strawberry sauce for the marinara and white chocolate for the parmesan cheese.

$185.00

A SHEEP IN WOLF’S CLOTHING YOUNG & SPRITELY CASK NO. 113.40

$165.00

REGION

Speyside

CASK TYPE

2nd fill bourbon barrel

AGE

8 years

DATE DISTILLED

23 May 2012

OUTTURN

246 bottles

ABV

63.8%

AUS ALLOCATION

24 bottles

A refreshing start delivered roses, carnations and fresh coconut as crunchy green apples, plums and pineapple merged with lemon sponge cake and orange icing. On the palate a spicy beast emerged bringing chillies and ginger fizz that touched on apple and lemon sorbet before launching us into liquorice, dark rum and duck fat. With water we found jasmine tea, mango and fermenting apples but now with grassy notes and dried tobacco on a dunnage warehouse floor. The palate retained a ginger and cloves lust for life, now with sweet malty notes, oat cakes and a dry, oaky finish.

REGION

Speyside

FLOWER ARRANGING IN THE SUNSHINE

CASK TYPE

1st fill bourbon barrel

AGE

24 years

DATE DISTILLED

27 October 1995

SWEET, FRUITY & MELLOW

OUTTURN

182 bottles

CASK NO. 35.273

ABV

51.8%

AUS ALLOCATION

30 bottles

$385.00

The immediate nose was delicate and lovely, with freshly polished wood, custard-filled choux pastries and “flower arranging in the sunshine while baking cakes”. However, there was also salted popcorn, old cognac and something from the humidor. The palate was sweet, juicy, fruity, spicy and rich, had spun sugar and salted caramel, Eccles cakes and fig yoghurt, with lemon peel and coconut in the lingering finish. The reduced nose seemed even more floral – jasmine, meadowsweet and flower shop counters; candied ginger and bananas flambéed with brown sugar and cinnamon. The palate now showcased cherry brandy, Mon Cheri chocolates, marzipan, plum jam and tobacco. 12

A PRETERNATURAL GOOD-STRIKER

REGION

Highland

CASK TYPE

1st fill Moselle oak hogshead

AGE

12 years

SPICY & SWEET

DATE DISTILLED

8 August 2007

CASK NO. 112.74

OUTTURN

361 bottles

ABV

56.8%

AUS ALLOCATION

18 bottles

$210.00

IAL SPECISH FIN

CREAM AND CROISSANTS SPICY & DRY CASK NO. 26.154

$175.00

The nose neat was other-worldly – heavily toasted orange peel and coconut with a little honey, burnt malt loaf with raisins. On the palate brimming with dark cherry sweetness and an oily peppery spiciness that brought to mind a member of the Celtic deity, Sucellus (‘the good striker’), that powerful god of agriculture, forests and wine. Careful when adding water, the aroma was now like an exotic/preternatural Tonka bean and hazelnut crème brûlée, while the taste maintained the theme with that magical Indian dessert Rasgulla which is offered at the Puri Jagannath temple. After nine years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, we transferred this whisky into a 1st fill Moselle oak hogshead.

REGION

Highland

CASK TYPE

2nd fill bourbon barrel

AGE

8 years

DATE DISTILLED

19 September 2011

OUTTURN

247 bottles

ABV

58.2%

AUS ALLOCATION 54 bottles A soft nose introduced oily elements of croissants and ghee with poached fruit, butterscotch and acacia honey. A whiff of maritime breeze brought mature oak and milk chocolate biscuits while on the palate we noted a warm gingery tingle that touched on peppermint. Linseed oil covered chewy wood and conjured memories of standing at the edge of the pier with a cup of green tea and custard cream biscuits. Water lifted the oak to release perfumed candles and the ripe fruits of apple, banana and mango. Vanilla flavours veered us towards crème caramel, cinder toffee and honeycomb before being joined by rhubarb crumble, cinnamon and nutmeg. A freshness remained of salty air and menthol tobacco while a long finish combined oak staves, green apples and clotted cream. 15

REGION

Speyside

LUST FOR MUST

CASK TYPE

2nd fill bourbon barrel

AGE

25 years

DATE DISTILLED

11 July 1994

OLD & DIGNIFIED

OUTTURN

262 bottles

CASK NO. 38.29

ABV

53.2%

AUS ALLOCATION

24 bottles

$699.00

M MIU PRE T TLING BO

C DISTLOSED ILLE RY

This one is not strictly a single cask, being part of a consolidated parcel we acquired. However, it’s undoubtedly unique and seriously delicious, so we had to share it with you! The nose immediately bursts with waxes, old oily rags, wine cellar must, furniture polish, linseed oil, hessian and gloopy fruit salad juices. Then things like rhubarb crumble, vanilla essence, stewed damsons, honeycomb and posh custard! Reduction brought all manner of complexities. Things like smoked olive oil, aged Calvados, vapour rubs, cough sweets, white stone fruits, yellow plums, marshmallow snowballs, rosewater and kumquat. The complexity is maintained on the palate, an abundance of manuka honey, spiced aged mead, soot, waxes, pollens, dried wild flowers, chopped dark fruits and then smoked herbs and pickled walnut. With water it all crystallises around scented waxes, flowers, aged Gewürztraminer, sandalwood, citronella candles, hawthorn and lime pith. Totally spellbinding old Speyside whisky.

A SNOW CONE FOR GROWN-UPS

REGION

Speyside

CASK TYPE

1st fill bourbon barrel

JUICY, OAK & VANILLA

AGE

7 years

CASK NO. 48.114

DATE DISTILLED

12 November 2012

OUTTURN

246 bottles

ABV

54.3%

AUS ALLOCATION

30 bottles

$170.00

The aroma reminded us of a freshly cut lawn on a warm autumn morning surrounded by an apple orchard, as well as Hawaiian pizza with the pineapple just beginning to caramelise around the edges. Lovely sweet and mouthcoating like a strawberry and cream Frappuccino with plenty of whipped cream on top. After the addition of water, marzipan, crème brûlée and vanilla poached pears with rum and apricot sauce, while on the palate silky, smooth, sweet and minty. This was just the thing to cool you down on a hot day – spiced green apple granita; a frozen blend of apples, sugar, a pinch of sea salt and sriracha.

JE SUIS BÛCHERON ET JE VAIS BIEN LIGHTLY PEATED CASK NO. 66.176

$199.00

IAL S P E CI S H FIN

PUNCHY PEATER PEATED CASK NO. 122.32

$150.00

REGION

Highland

CASK TYPE

2nd fill red wine barrique

AGE

14 years

DATE DISTILLED

9 March 2006

OUTTURN

264 bottles

ABV

60.1%

AUS ALLOCATION

54 bottles

The panel noted a boisterous and playful aroma full of poster paints in an artist’s studio, old oxidatively aged wines, smoked blackcurrant, sautéed frog legs in butter, miso broth, mushroom powder and black peppered biltong. With reduction, we encountered a lumberjack’s woodshed, full of cold axe heads, freshly split logs and oiled chainsaw. Add to that roof pitch, freshly laid tarmac and fermenting lemons. The palate was surprisingly saline with salt-baked venison, caviar, salted pistachios and sheep wool oils. Water brought the warmth of horseradish, English mustard powder, Belgian farmhouse ale, duck eggs, pickled ginger and sweetened cough medicine. Matured for 12 years in a bourbon hogshead before transfer to a 2nd fill red wine barrique.

REGION

Highland

CASK TYPE

2nd fill bourbon barrel

AGE

5 years

DATE DISTILLED

22 April 2014

OUTTURN

209 bottles

ABV

61.8%

AUS ALLOCATION

30 bottles

There was an immediate rush of antiseptic, mineral salts, smoked sea salt and pure brine – in other words, it’s very salty. Lots of mysterious medicines, potent green olive punch, floor cleaner, mechanical oils, brake fluid, toolboxes, oily racks and peppery mackerel ceviche with powerful citric acidity and freshness. Blind you would never guess the age! With water there’s more direct smoked barley notes, soot, rye bread spice, BBQ char, hot sauce, hessian and chips doused in vinegar. The palate opened with lashings of raw bike chain lubricant, WD40, seawater, olive pickling juices, brine, tar, Ouzo, TCP, aniseed balls and herbal mouthwash. With reduction we got hot smoked salmon in vase water, mineral oils, smoked olives, Lapsang Souchong tea, hessian, clove oil, lambic ales and aged Geuze beers. 19

REGION

Campbeltown

TOUR DE FORCE

CASK TYPE

1st fill Port hogshead

AGE

12 years

DATE DISTILLED

29 February 2008

PEATED

OUTTURN

286 bottles

CASK NO. 93.148

ABV

56.4%

$229.00

AUS ALLOCATION

24 bottles

OUT OF THE ORDINARY - IN A VERY GOOD WAY!

REGION

New York

CASK TYPE

New oak charred barrel

AGE

4 years

DATE DISTILLED

11 August 2015

OUTTURN

193 bottles

ABV

51.7%

AUS ALLOCATION

36 bottles

RYE WHISKEY CASK NO. RW2.1

$230.00

Limit of one bottle per Member

SPE FINI CIAL SH

You have not lived until you have tried a francesinha in Vila Nova de Gaia looking over the Douro to Porto. It is a Portuguese sandwich made with bread, cured ham, smoke-cured pork sausages with garlic and paprika all covered with melted cheese and a hot and thick spiced tomato and beer sauce – big, chewy, oily and powerful! We washed it all down with a Tawny port with flavours of dried apricots, pear and guava accented by apple-wood smoke. With a drop of water, was there a Clyde puffer under the famous Luis I bridge? On the palate imagine a very young vintage port just bottled. After ten years in an ex-bourbon hogshead we transferred this whisky into a first fill port hogshead.

The nose neat was bursting with a ‘monstrously’ (in a very good way!) herbal explosion, but at the same time, a citric sweetness. Difficult to describe but we tried; lemongrass, lemon myrtle, lemon balm, orange peel and sweet blackberry leaves – very unique. That is even more an understatement on the palate; we imagined drinking freshly-pressed sun-dried PX grape juice that must contain the grippy skins, seeds and stems of the fruit. Water cranked up the peculiar volume (in a very good way!) – fig chutney, dried red fruits and spiced carrot flakes were followed by a wonderfully juicy, oily grappa-like flavour with yet another surprise, a white nougat and dried apricot finish. The mashbill was 80% rye & 20% malted barley. The cask was coopered from 36 month air dried staves and charred to a #4.

WELCOME, SPICE CANNON! Sherry sherry sherry! The spice cannon has fired and is exploding forth! Welcome the latest ‘heresy’ bottling from The Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

The cauldron of experimentation and creativity from Euan Campbell and Kai Ivalo in our international team working away on these projects often yields interesting results. Outside the realm of single cask, outside the realm of the cask strength remit. These are opportunities to play with spirit, cask and flavour, and have a bit of fun in the process. That’s where Spice Cannon comes in: a wild ride of a blended malt from multiple distilleries, matured in predominantly ex-Oloroso, ex-Pedro Ximenez, and ex-bourbon casks. Expertly selected casks and blending of malts from our spirits team, Spice Cannon is a ridiculously enjoyable, rounded and fascinating experiment into blended malts that only the SMWS knows how to do.

SPICE CANNON BLENDED MALT CASK NO. BAT.10

$130.00

Limit of one bottle per Member

HER BOTTLESY ING

REGION

Blended malt

CASK TYPE

Oloroso, PX & ex-bourbon casks

AGE

10 years

DATE DISTILLED

17 June 2009

OUTTURN

1496 bottles

ABV

50.0%

AUS ALLOCATION 60 bottles This latest small batch expression draws from a complex selection of casks. It includes whiskies from Speyside & the Highlands, matured in Oloroso & Pedro Ximenez sherry casks coopered from both Spanish & American oak. The combination reveals a rich dram, with sweet, nutty & spicy qualities. Bottled at 50% ABV for optimal balance. Freshly baked apple pie arrived with a heavy dusting of cinnamon and nutmeg, while the dark intentions of demerara coated walnuts and macadamias bathed in a spicy fruitcake mix. Then a burst of oils from singed orange skin introduced marmalade and black cherries as we ventured into a palate of rich spice. Marzipan and almonds now merged with dark chocolate as raisins and liquorice complimented hazelnut liqueur in hot cocoa. A dash of water opened a big butt of sherry infused fruit that combined oxidised apples and pears with rhubarb crumble and sultanas. Chocolate truffles and praline gathered around ginger bread on the finish before leaving us with pink grapefruit and cloves. 23

The Champs are back! And they’ll be better than ever. The Australian Malt Whisky Tasting Championship will return to Sydney in 2021 for its biggest ever outing and 30th anniversary. Keep an eye on our socials and amwtc-smws.com for all the previews and details coming up. Book your flights ~ the champs are back!

Save the date

Saturday 24 July, 2021

Events

WOLLONGONG

SYDNEY

Let’s kick off 2021 back at our ancestral home in the Admirals Room at Novotel Northbeach with magical malts and a delicious full supper.

An evening exploring some of the fascinating flavours we’re starting to see out of the USA. Limited to just 40 x guests, the historic ISC room at the RAC is our space for the night as we take a trip across the US.

MALT AND MAGIC

FRIDAY 16 APRIL, 6.00 FOR 6.30PM

Novotel Northbeach Hotel 2-14 Cliff Rd, North Wollongong Host: Fred Apolloni, Wollongong Manager

PERTH

WELCOME BILLIE H!

Join Jason Davies at Billie H, our exciting new Partner Bar in Claremont WA, as we welcome back the return of real in-person tastings! Some amazing drams will be on pour in the fun, relaxed environment of the bar. Let’s catch up for a long-overdue gathering.

THURSDAY 22 APRIL, 6.00 FOR 6.30PM 26

Billie H. Bistro & Bar, 34 St Quentin Ave, Claremont Host: Jason Davies, WA Manager

AMERICAN WHISKEY EXPLORATION

FRIDAY 23 APRIL, 6.30 FOR 7.00PM

The Royal Automobile Club, 89 Macquarie St, Sydney Host: Matt Bailey, National Ambassador

To book in for an event, please visit our website or contact our office: SMWS.COM.AU/EVENTS

All event listings are considered final, however may change at short notice due to evolving restrictions. Please keep an eye on our website for detail and updates.

JOIN US LIVE! SATURDAY 24 APRIL AT 7:30PM AEST

Virtual Tasting

Malt & Magic In April we explore the malt and magic that the Society embodies through a special selection of casks that will surprise, amaze, and challenge your palate in ways you never thought possible. 5 x unique and fascinating Society releases that will take you on a flavourful journey of Malt & Magic!

Join us live on Saturday 24 April at 7:30pm AEST, or anytime later at your own leisure. Follow along on our YouTube channel or Facebook group, and bring your questions and comments!

VIRTUAL TASTING SET $99*

GRAB YOUR VIRTUAL TASTING KIT AND JOIN IN THE FUN! SMWS.COM.AU/SHOP *Includes 5 x 30ml drams of the above bottlings, two tasting mats and full tasting notes.

NEW RELEASES WILL BE ONLINE AT MIDDAY AEDT, FRIDAY 2ND APRIL

TAKE YOUR EXPERIENCE TO NEW HEIGHTS

SMWS.COM.AU

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

@SMWS_AUSTRALIA

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Society bottlings are offered and sold through The Artisanal Spirits Company Pty Ltd, Liquor Licence LIQP770017428.