NEW RELEASES WILL BE ONLINE AT MIDDAY AEST, FRIDAY 1ST OCTOBER
Outturn Spice up your life: Friday 1 October Issue 09, 2021
TAKE OUR TASTY TRINITY TOUR
Tuck-in to a taste explosion as we explore the tasty trinity of beer and cheese alongside our mouth-watering selection of new whiskies and Flavour Profiles.
POURING AT SMWS.COM.AU
Contents Achieving a PB Andrew Derbidge.......................................................................... 3 Let Flavour be Your Guide Matt Bailey ....................................................................................... 6 A Melbournian Journey Martin Eber ................................................................................... 18
Malt of the Month Cask No. 72.100 Rum in an old tea chest.............................................
8
Events Events in your State.................................................................. 26 Single Cask Whisky & Cheese Virtual Tasting.......... 27
DEEP, RICH & DRIED FRUITS
Makers vs Drinkers World In-depth with Chris Middleton Whiskywise Online Members Only https://www.smws.com.au/news/
Cask No. 44.142 A Mediterranean feast. ........................................................... 13 Cask No. 148.1 Apera for everyone!.................................................................. 16
OUR BOTTLINGS
OLD & DIGNIFIED Cask No. 115.22 Shimmering beauty of butterfly wings........................ 22
SWEET, FRUITY & MELLOW
JUICY, OAK & VANILLA
Cask No. 72.100 (Malt of the Month) Rum in an old tea chest............................................................. 8 Cask No. 39.207 Back seat brewer. ....................................................................... 10 Cask No. 7.253 Who ate all the cakes?.............................................................. 10
Cask No. G9.4 Mr Pineapple and Ms Coconut.......................................... 23
OILY & COASTAL Cask No. 42.54 Adventures by the sea ............................................................ 23
PEATED
SPICY & SWEET Cask No. 28.51 Eminently effervescent.............................................................
11
Cask No. 112.76 Intriguing, enjoyable and conversational...................
11
SPICY & DRY Cask No. 77.69 Getting high on your own supply..................................... 13
Cask No. 10.210 Herbs ablaze ................................................................................ 24
HEAVILY PEATED Cask No. 53.364 Port Askaig meets Sanlúcar . ............................................. 24
RUM Cask No. R11.11 Pushing the frontiers of funk ............................................. 25
2
CELLARMASTER’S NOTE
Achieving a PB T
he drudgery and monotony of lockdown life enjoyed some partial relief recently with the Tokyo Olympics, followed by the Paralympics. As is the case with every Olympics, throughout the games we heard amazing stories of athletes who’ve overcome obstacles, setbacks and challenges to achieve incredible feats. Focus tends to gravitate to the medal dais and the placegetters, but did you witness the joy and sense of achievement visible
in so many athletes who were happy just to get there and compete? Or, more poignantly, those who – even though they didn’t finish with a gong around their neck – achieved a PB (personal best) and were thrilled that they performed their best ever on the world’s biggest stage. Needless to say, it was inspirational stuff, and I won’t deny having a lump in my throat and swelling with vicarious pride when athletes broke through the pain barrier and crossed the line.
3
• There are some whiskies that are a bit like dressage – I don’t think I’ll ever understand them. • Courtesy of sulphur taint, some sherried whiskies have a false start and should be disqualified. • Sometimes, you’ll encounter a whisky in a line-up that is a bit like skateboarding at the Olympics…you wonder if it should really be there? • Judging and scoring whisky is a lot like some events in the track and field: The sentimental favourite doesn’t always win. I reflected recently that there are some parallels between the Olympics and whisky. I scribbled down a few examples: • There are some whiskies that I only pay attention to every four years or so. • There are some whiskies that are a bit like the opening ceremony – long, colourful, yet need a lot of interpretation. 4
Continuing the analogy, it’s my opinion that a lot of whisky producers right now are intent on sending large teams to the Olympics, but few are striving to achieve a PB. The portfolio of many distilleries / brands is rapidly expanding with new age statements (or lack thereof), or special finishes, or releases with unique barley/yeast/ cask variations, etc. Some brands are flooding
the shelves with new releases and a growing corerange, giving the impression of diversity, volume, and strength. But, as we all know, sending a large team to the Olympics is no guarantee of success – there’s actually got to be world-beating talent amongst your ranks if your representatives are to stand on the medal dais. Quantity and quality are not necessarily related, and I think a lot of whisky producers are intent on showcasing presence, colour, and fanfare, rather than producing talent or achieving a PB. Sometimes, an unsung minnow country can produce the champion that takes out the field. Rounding out this analogy, there are obvious parallels with Society casks. Whilst size and reputation guarantee that cask numbers starting with 1, 3, 4, 24, 27, 29, 33, 53, 125, etc, etc, get the focus and attention when they appear in an Outturn, it is often the lesser-known codes that take out line honours or achieve a PB. As long-term members of the Australian branch will recall, our Local Tasting Panel used to score all the casks we imported and we would declare which cask was the “Top scoring dram” in each Outturn. More often than not, the TSD was from a lesser-known distillery, and often just a humble ex-bourbon cask at that. Great whisky doesn’t necessarily need a strong training regime, a celebrated pedigree, or careful use of
Great whisky doesn’t necessarily need a strong training regime, a celebrated pedigree, or careful use of supplements…. sometimes, you just compete with raw talent supplements….sometimes, you just compete with raw talent. So next time you’ve got a truly delicious dram in your glass, consider that the distillery might just have achieved a PB. Be sure to give it due applause. Cheers,
Andrew Derbidge ~ Director, Cellarmaster & NSW Manager
5
AMBASSADOR’S ADDRESS
Let Flavour be Your Guide
This year, although strangely shaped through the lens of lockdowns, vaccines, uncertainty, and cancelled events, feels somewhat more communityfocused. It’s evident through members coming together and sharing in the spirit of the Society. 6
T
here was a moment at our Virtual Pub event back in August that made me think about this even more. That importance of coming together, celebrating flavour, and really shaping what it means to be a member of the Society. If you’re reading this, you probably already resonate with this. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you if you’ve recently referred a friend to join: we’ve been fastidiously building 3 x dram packs for new members and referrers all last month again, and we’re going to keep giving them out until we run out! A big shout out here to the heroes behind the scenes: Suzy & Donelle in our office making this production happen, and in separate offices while we navigate these wild times! August was a special month. Our first ever Australian whisky. A moment in both Society and Australian whisky history. September was our Gathering month with in-person and virtual experiences to take us on a flavour journey. We also welcomed the New Sydney Hotel in Hobart to our Partner Bars in Australia! October also has a rather special selection as well, and we’d like to formally welcome distillery 148 to the coding system. It won’t take much to work out where this is from, but it’s again worth noting some of the factoids about this particular selection. Cask 148.1 is: • The oldest private barrel released from this distillery. • Hand-picked by your Australian team, then approved by our expert UK panel. • Distilled, matured, and bottled entirely in Australia. • A few cases are going to the UK for members to see what we’re up to as well. I’ve personally and professionally had quite a history with this distillery and am very excited to hear what members have to say about this
milestone. From the early days of hanging onto every word that David Vitale had to say behind a Tiki bar in Essendon, to mounting televisions in their staff room on a random visit, to helping shape some of their New World Project range, to siphoning off cask strength solera spirit with the production team, to seeing their expansion into Port Melbourne: this distillery is the very definition of an Aussie dreamer giving it a go. For this month, we welcome guest columnist Martin Eber, plus some special quotes from those close to distillery 148 and this release. We also have a monumental in-depth article on the ‘Makers World’ vs ‘Drinkers World’ of Australian whisky written by the Chairman of Starward distillery, Chris Middleton, on our website. This article is too big for an Outturn, but it’s a members-only special piece, so make sure you’re logged in so you can see it under ‘Whiskywise’. Let flavour be your guide, and dive into our October Outturn! Cheers!
Matt Bailey ~ SMWS National Ambassador 7
CRACKED AMALT OF CENTURY THE MONTH Welcome Cask 100 from distillery 72! We’re proud to announce that our malt of the month for October is Cask 72.100 ‘Rum in an old tea chest’, the 100th cask from this distillery to pass our expert tasting panel. Distillery 72 is a Speyside gem that has no real core range presence, but produces a delightfully aromatic malt character that is the ‘dressing malt’ for blends like Ballantines, among others. We’ve plucked this single cask out from our Society warehouses this month to bring you something rummy, yummy, fun and sharable. An incredible malt of fascinating quality; share it around gleefully for our October Malt of the Month. Jump aboard this pirate ship, sail into the month of October, and slainté!
REGION
Speyside
CASK TYPE
Refill Panamanian rum barrel
AGE
7 years
DATE DISTILLED
17 September 2013
CASK NO. 72.100
OUTTURN
234 bottles
ABV
62.2%
REDUCED FROM $170
AUS ALLOCATION 54 bottles
RUM IN AN OLD TEA CHEST SWEET, FRUITY & MELLOW
$140.00
Limit of one bottle per Member
RA EXT URED MAT
8
We blew dust off an old tea chest to find coconut laden toasted oak, jasmine tea leaves and red liquorice before opening the rum released a flood of caramel, banana and autumn leaves. A wave of spice greeted the palate that quickly softened into orange, mango and melon with caramel, custard and burnt marshmallows. Water brought funky fruit aromas of guava, papaya and very ripe banana in a bowl with cherries, berries and peaches while cinder toffee and milk chocolate joined rum soaked raisins and salted caramel. Sandalwood now appeared on the palate with toasted oak and coconut ice cream before strawberries and cream merged into liquorice and rum agricole on the finish. After spending four years in an ex-bourbon barrel this was transferred to an ex-Panamanian refill rum barrel for the remainder of its maturation.
9
BACK SEAT BREWER SWEET, FRUITY & MELLOW CASK NO. 39.207
$170.00 IAL SPECISH FIN
P E ST TEM AILABLE V IPA A NLINE! O
WHO ATE ALL THE CAKES? SWEET, FRUITY & MELLOW CASK NO. 7.253
$220.00
REGION
Speyside
CASK TYPE
2nd fill Tempest IPA barrel
AGE
9 years
DATE DISTILLED
10 February 2011
OUTTURN
179 bottles
ABV
61.0%
AUS ALLOCATION 30 bottles The nose opened with ginger cake, cinnamon sticks in a herbal infusion, blood orange and Jelly Tots. Some pineapple syrup, white stone fruits, pomegranate sorbet and trampled white flowers. Water brought out some gentle notes of coffee, freshly cut daffodils, lemon peelings and white balsamic. The palate showed a slight fizziness, Sherbet Fountain, lots of tinned fruit salad syrups, Juicy Fruit chewing gum and passionfruit sours. With water it became more sweetly cereal and full of pollens, glazed vanilla pastries, custard doughnuts and lemon barley water. Matured for eight years in a bourbon barrel before being transferred to a second fill ex-Tempest Old Fashioned IPA barrel.
REGION
Speyside
CASK TYPE
1st fill bourbon barrel
AGE
16 years
DATE DISTILLED
17 November 2003
OUTTURN
217 bottles
ABV
56.8%
AUS ALLOCATION 36 bottles Fragrant aromas merged Turkish delight and violets with vanilla sponge cake as sweet biscuity notes turned to coconut and apricot Danish pastries. The palate also contained a light perfume that carried a clove-like spiciness before softening to raspberry jam with cream tea. A dash of water caused tropical fruits to dominate while brambles, oranges and lemon meringue pie emerged. A touch of charred cask mixed with lovely candle wax textures as we moved onto a palate with great balance. Lemon and coconut returned but now with bananas, almond cakes and custard complementing melon and a touch of mint on the finish.
10
EMINENTLY EFFERVESCENT SPICY & SWEET CASK NO. 28.51
$155.00
REGION
Highland
CASK TYPE
1st fill bourbon barrel
AGE
8 years
DATE DISTILLED
21 May 2012
OUTTURN
220 bottles
ABV
61.5%
AUS ALLOCATION 30 bottles A very classical and fulsome aroma greeted the Panel. Honey, vanilla caramel wafers, sugary brandy and liquorice to begin. Then some jumpers full of mothballs, mown grass, pear juice and nectar. Vibrant and vigorous. Reduction brought hints of dried spices from the cupboard, Madagascan vanilla, brown sugar, lemon curd and school pencil case shavings. The palate opened with a lovely syrupy sweetness. Then bags of banana chips, foam banana sweets, doughnuts, cinnamon buns, pear drops, cloves and gooseberry jam. Water made things more zesty, citric and effervescent. Some rye spice, glace cherry syrup and fruit salad gunge.
INTRIGUING, ENJOYABLE AND CONVERSATIONAL SPICY & SWEET CASK NO. 112.76
$180.00
REGION
Highland
CASK TYPE
2nd fill bourbon hogshead
AGE
13 years
DATE DISTILLED
28 December 2006
OUTTURN
237 bottles
ABV
65.0%
AUS ALLOCATION 18 bottles The nose neat was dominated by the colour red as in; liquorice, cola, sour apple sweets, Vimto soft drink, currants and toffee apples. On the palate, however, the colour black took over with flavours of blackcurrants, blackberries, treacle, black pepper and the Turkish Bursa black fig. After the addition of water honeysuckle greenness, an early autumn forest of yellow and green leaves and we were raking green malt on a traditional malting floor with the sun shining through the windows. To taste now fullbodied, mouth-drying, a hint of sweetness from mango chutney with cinnamon and a never-ending finish of butter flavoured with lime zest and pink peppercorns. 11
12
GETTING HIGH ON YOUR OWN SUPPLY SPICY & DRY CASK NO. 77.69
$175.00
REGION
Highland
CASK TYPE
Refill bourbon hogshead
AGE
11 years
DATE DISTILLED
7 April 2009
OUTTURN
294 bottles
ABV
58.0%
AUS ALLOCATION 30 bottles To start we got vanilla custard pies fresh from the bakers. Then coconut-covered chocolate snowballs, some canvas cloth, baking parchments and an even balance between sweetness and earthiness. Honey, dewy grass and a hint of shaving cream. Reduction gave us banana bread, water crackers spread with salty butter, felt tip market pens and lemongrass. The palate bubbled with limoncello, barley sugars, olive oil, lime curd, marzipan, fresh spring vegetables and a leather pouch of loose tobacco. Water added more peachy fruitiness, more marzipan, rosehip tea, cherry throat lozenges, ginger biscuits lemon barley water sloshed on a tweed jacket.
A MEDITERRANEAN FEAST DEEP, RICH & DRIED FRUITS CASK NO. 44.142
$220.00
Limit of one bottle per Member
IAL SPECISH FIN
REGION
Speyside
CASK TYPE
Refill Moscatel barrique
AGE
14 years
DATE DISTILLED
23 October 2006
OUTTURN
242 bottles
ABV
62.3%
AUS ALLOCATION 30 bottles An intriguing, almost decadent nose, balancing olive tapenade, rye bread and Jamon with sweet white wine, pear Belle Hélène, flambéed banana and custard tart. The palate was packed and stacked with flavour; quince jelly with Manchego, pineapple chunks in armagnac and balsamic on figs; the finish encompassed tobacco leaf, ginger snaps and espresso dregs. The reduced nose was a Mediterranean feast – olives and feta, melon and prosciutto, honeyed dates, orange boxes and treacle tart; the palate, a lipsmacking combination of apricot flan and limoncello with hazelnut, chocolate, oak and cheroots. After 12 years in exbourbon wood, we transferred this into a moscatel barrique. 13
SPECIAL RELEASE CASK NO. 148.1
14
“Having been a member of the SMWS since 2017, I’ve always loved picking up the green bottles and knowing I’m about to taste something top notch. After years of working with Matt and the Australian SMWS team from barrel searching, sampling, and getting the approval of the tasting panel, it’s so exciting to finally see 148 on the front label. This is a real highlight for me to see this whisky come to life and soon be in the hands of the members.”
“Wow. Big apricot and peach notes, chewy Milkbottle lollies, caramel chews, fresh toffee and Manuka honey. Super complex and super delicious. Starward casks set a high barrier as it is, but this goes well beyond. An absolutely unique and stellar dram.” MARTIN EBER, TIME FOR WHISKY
JARRAD HUCKSHOLD, HEAD BLENDER, STARWARD
“Such a rich, decadent dram that brings a level of refinement and complexity you very rarely see in Australian single cask whisky. ‘Apera for Everyone!’ sets a deliciously high benchmark and gives the very best of new word whisky a run for its money, including a certain multiaward winning release from Taiwan” JONATHAN WALCZAK, THE WHISKY LEDGER 15
SPECIAL RELEASE APERA FOR EVERYONE! DEEP, RICH & DRIED FRUITS CASK NO. 148.1
$230.00
Limit of one bottle per Member
IAN RAL IVE T S A U C LU S EX
REGION
Australia
CASK TYPE
1st fill Apera barrique
AGE
6 years
DATE DISTILLED
27 November 2013
OUTTURN
210 bottles
ABV
58.3%
AUS ALLOCATION 180 bottles On the nose some immediate Haigs 70% dark chocolate, coffee grounds, cherry chocolates, beeswax followed by creamy apricot syrup. The palate is espresso, hot cross buns, a dusty walk through an old wine cellar before a stroll through the Melbourne spice market. Diluted; a big Australian aged apera and duck confit with strawberry balsamic. The finish is delicate, soothing, refined and stately. A marvellous balance between spirit and oak for this exciting milestone of Australian whisky.
There will inevitably be much demand for this Aussie bottling. So in case you miss out online, and to share the love, we have reserved a couple of cases for a ballot. The ballot link will go live online at 9am AEST on Saturday 2nd October (please see the online product page) and will be drawn at midday AEST on Thursday 8th October. T&C’s: Successful applicants will be notified by email by 3pm AEST on Thursday 8th October. Only open to Members of SMWS Australia. Multiple submissions will be removed from the ballot altogether.
16
17
I heard a funny comment about the Scotch Malt Whisky Society the other day - that technically only one quarter of their name fully describes what they do. They no longer bottle only Scotch whisky, they no longer bottle only malt whisky, they no longer bottle only whisky...but they are still a Society (one of which I’ve been a devoted member since 2013).
S
ome may think the inclusion of grain whiskies, world whiskies and other spirits has changed the Society, and I agree - it’s changed it for the better. My blog was always about enjoying whisky (and the occasional other dark spirit) on its merits and flavour alone, regardless of where it comes from or how old it is, and that’s a philosophy the SMWS really take to heart. So when SMWS started bottling whiskies from “new world” whisky countries like Taiwan, India, England, Denmark and Sweden, to me it wasn’t a case of “Oh no, they’re deviating from their roots!” it was a case of “Okay, so when will we see an Aussie distillery?” That question was answered last August, when Luke McCarthy’s excellent Oz Whisky Review broke the news that, finally, an Australian SMWS distillery code had been announced. Distillery 147 had the honour, with their 147.1 “Jacaranda Jam”.
18
They say “good things come in threes” and that’s certainly the case here with the news that hot on the heels of 147.1 comes 148.1 (and in 2022, 148.2) - from none other than Melbourne’s Starward! Further down you’ll find further details on this important first release (a huge thanks to Matt & the Aussie SMWS team for the samples & opportunity), but I felt this was a good chance to revisit some key events in the history of Starward, and pull out a few highlights my colleague and friend, Hendy, and myself have experienced over the years. 2013 was the year Starward’s first whisky was released (matured in Australian ex-Apera casks), and was the result of 6 years of hard work, stemming from founder David Vitale’s vision to create a quality, accessible, distinctly Australian whisky. It seems obvious now, looking at Starward’s recent success and immense following, but back then it was a big gamble. My friendship with the distillery goes back to early 2013, when David was kind enough to give up an hour during a flying visit to Sydney to sit down and talk me through the (then) “New World
Whisky Distillery” over a coffee at Shirt Bar. David generously gave me a 200mL bottle of the whisky, and my tasting later that evening confirmed this was one to keep an eye on! Fast-forward a few months to late 2013, and David was again kind enough to give me an in-depth, private tour of the distillery (the old Essendon Fields-based distillery, before the move to Port Melbourne), tasting the various stages along the way - wash, new make, and maturing cask samples. For me this was a fascinating insight into this new Aussie distillery, and a real eye opener as to the differences between UK and Aussie distilleries - which was never more apparent than when I asked about the “spirit safe”. David showed me the open, sheet-metal fabricated box where the spirit ran off the stills, and asked if I’d like to have a taste - by cupping my hands underneath and scooping some up! Something you could never get away with in Scotland!
19
It wasn’t long after that that my wife Steph and I moved to Hong Kong. Moving to HK meant leaving behind 99% of our whisky collection and taking only 1 bottle each, but for me the choice was easy - Starward’s very first “New World Projects” Single Cask Release #1. I figured this had to be the only bottle in HK (if not Asia), and I used it to spread the good word of Aussie whisky until the bottle was emptied. I stayed in touch with David, and the following year had the pleasure of arranging Starward’s very first tasting outside Australia, with David taking a small group of HK whisky lovers through an eclectic mix of Starward, new make, and gin. By that point, the Starward range had grown to encompass two core bottlings (a red-wine matured whisky sitting alongside the original ex-Apera product), along with a few weird and wonderful “New World Projects” releases. 20
Funnily enough, six years on I still regularly have whisky catch-ups with some of the same people (often at the same venue) only now they’re bringing Starwards to the tastings themselves (not an easy feat, considering Starward still isn’t officially distributed in Asia)! It’s hard to believe that was six years ago, but since then it’s seemed the distillery can do no wrong, with the move to brand new premises right in the heart of Melbourne (the main reason for my 24hr trip to Melbourne in 2018), multiple new release whiskies (some limited, like the recent Unexpeated and the ever-popular “Ginger Beer Cask” series, some permanent, like the innovative Two-Fold blended ‘Double Grain’, which Hendy had the pleasure of seeing launched at the Distillery in 2019), and even a bottled cocktail series, including 2019’s delicious ‘Red Manhattan’. ...which brings us to today. It’s probably fair to say that as a young distillery, having your stock sought by independent bottlers is a clear sign of your popularity, and Starward has (in the last year alone) been bottled by no less than three well-respected “Indies”: Berry Bros & Rudd,
Now however, Starward can add another feather to their cap: being bottled not just by another independent bottler, but by the world’s leading whisky club, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society.
Adelphi and That Boutique-y Whisky Company. Now however, Starward can add another feather to their cap: being bottled not just by another independent bottler, but by the world’s leading whisky club, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society.
SMWS 148.1 Starward ‘Apera for Everyone!’ will be the first release, a 7yo single cask “dot one” distilled on 27 November 2013, bottled 30 March 2021, and matured in a 1st fill Apera barrique. Sitting in the “Deep, Rich & Dried Fruits” flavour profile, this is the oldest independently bottled Starward ever released, and was distilled at the original Essendon Fields distillery. Bottled at 58.3%, it’s being proudly released in this Outturn, launching via regular and ballot release on Friday 1st October at midday AEST. From an outturn of 210 bottles, most bottles will be made available to Australian members of the Society, with a small allocation also making its way to the UK.
Martin Eber ~ Founder of TimeForWhisky.com
21
SHIMMERING BEAUTY OF BUTTERFLY WINGS OLD & DIGNIFIED CASK NO. 115.22
$595.00 REGION
Speyside
CASK TYPE
Refill bourbon barrel
AGE
28 years
DATE DISTILLED
9 June 1992
OUTTURN
148 bottles
ABV
49.6%
AUS ALLOCATION 30 bottles
M MIUING E R P TTL BO
Pour it into your glass and let the magic unfold like seeing a butterfly opening its wings – a shimmering beauty. Lovely expressive fruit aromas combined with frankincense, French polished tables and in the background the alluring scent of pure vanilla extract. On the palate like a metaphor for a place of happiness, pleasure and delight. Hard to describe but we tried; incense smoked vanilla cream, mango and lychees with the hedonistic sweetness of Cotton candy grapes in the finish. A drop of water if you wish and the story continued with vanilla, fruity and juicy as we imagined sitting in a rocking chair and dreaming of times gone by.
22
MR PINEAPPLE AND MS COCONUT JUICY, OAK & VANILLA CASK NO. G9.4
$210.00
REGION
Highland
CASK TYPE
Refill Trinidad Rum barrel
AGE
20 years
DATE DISTILLED
25 July 2000
OUTTURN
216 bottles
ABV
62.1%
AUS ALLOCATION 42 bottles The Panel found themselves sat on a beach quaffing cachaca and lime juice, slathered in coconut sun cream and eating some bananas flambeed in old demerara rum. A heady mix of lime and brine with rose petals and fresh pineapple juice. Reduction brought milk bottle sweets, malted milk ice cream, white chocolate, pecan pie and banana milkshake with custard doughnuts. The palate was initially full of rum baba, spiced honey, cinnamon swirls, peach syrup and syrupy bourbon cocktails. Water brought buttered scones, lime curd, lychee, salted caramel and rum and raisin ice cream. Matured in a bourbon barrel for 18 years before being transferred to a refill Trinidad rum barrel.
ADVENTURES BY THE SEA OILY & COASTAL CASK NO. 42.54
$215.00
REGION
Highland
CASK TYPE
Refill bourbon barrel
AGE
15 years
DATE DISTILLED
3 March 2005
OUTTURN
184 bottles
ABV
61.6%
AUS ALLOCATION 30 bottles We felt the need to sharpen an axe with a whetstone and inevitably an accident happened and as we opened the first aid box, all we saw were salted toffees, ginger cake and Turkish delight. Oh well, we managed as on the palate, we detected a lovely, intriguing interplay between sweet and salty, like popcorn and almonds but then also a ginger, sweet nutmeg spiciness in the finish. Fun activities came to mind after a splash of water, shelling on the beach, a picnic in a pine forest and a trip to the prawn shack as we finished with an olive oil martini.
23
HERBS ABLAZE PEATED CASK NO. 10.210
$195.00
REGION
Islay
CASK TYPE
Refill bourbon barrel
AGE
14 years
DATE DISTILLED
20 December 2005
OUTTURN
186 bottles
ABV
56.1%
AUS ALLOCATION 54 bottles Early aromas combined wood smoked nuts with slightly salty fino sherry before fruity notes of scorched lemons, ripe apples and calvados appeared. On the palate, a large helping of spice complimented thick and syrupy sweetness that morphed into salted red liquorice, cinnamon and ginger. Rosemary and thyme sausages then appeared amid plumes of bonfire smoke and seashells arrived with hot smoked salmon. Seafood platters on the beach transpired with water as nutty, cereal notes returned with old wood char. Rhubarb and strawberries delivered soft fruit along with barbecued bananas while on the palate we found scorched herbs and pickled ginger that faded into lavender and menthol on the salted lime finish.
PORT ASKAIG MEETS SANLÚCAR HEAVILY PEATED CASK NO. 53.364
$175.00
REGION
Islay
CASK TYPE
Refill bourbon hogshead
AGE
10 years
DATE DISTILLED
12 November 2009
OUTTURN
344 bottles
ABV
57.9%
AUS ALLOCATION 48 bottles A typical tropical day on Islay sitting on the beach late afternoon blowing up a beach ball with a peat fired barbeque roasting pineapple slices, peaches and marshmallows. Sharp, clean and clear, that typical gunflint taste as we uncorked and poured a bottle of chilled Sauvignon Blanc wine called Pouilly-Fumé. After a splash of water we needed, due to a small accident, the first aid kit for some disinfectant. All done and we could relax again, this time with a refreshing long drink called ‘Smoke on Blonde’ – Manzanilla and Amontillado Sherry (both from Sanlúcar de Barrameda), spiced pineapple liqueur, orange bitters, fresh cut pineapple chunks and a very liberal dash of smoky whisky.
24
PUSHING THE FRONTIERS OF FUNK RUM CASK NO. R11.11
$170.00 REGION
Jamaica
CASK TYPE
2nd fill bourbon barrel
AGE
7 years
DATE DISTILLED
1 June 2013
OUTTURN
259 bottles
ABV
66.9%
AUS ALLOCATION 24 bottles Our noses confronted a firecracker fusillade of funk – stewed fruits (prunes not plums) and leather (razor strop soaked in Brylcreem); then a floral fracas flared – one panellist got gardenia blossoms and dried palm leaves, another ferreted out C.P. on a gooseberry bush and funeral parlour plastic flowers. The flavours included sugar cane, espresso dregs, resin, badly made roll-ups, salt cod, wellies and hessian doormats – pushing the frontiers of funk! Adding water (we didn’t have Coke) had us agreeing about fried plantains (dusted in palm sugar), Germolene, sticky plasters, nail varnish and the inside of a golf ball. Fringefrizzing funkadelia for those attracted to extremes.
25
Save the Date END OF YEAR PARTY
SYDNEY
ADELAIDE
SAVE THE DATE – 13.11.21
SAVE THE DATE – 19.11.21
We’re going to announce a very special end of year bash for our NSW members soon. Keep your eyes open for more detail in our November Outturn and your inbox.
Join us at the Seven Stars Hotel for our end of year Christmas party for our SA members, guests and whisky lovers. All welcome. Keep your eyes open for more detail in our November Outturn and your inbox.
MELBOURNE
PERTH SAVE THE DATE – 25.11.21
SAVE THE DATE – 27.11.21
Perth End of Year Party. Join us at Helvetica for our end of year Christmas party for WA members, guests and whisky lovers.
What a rollercoaster of a year so far. We’re going to announce a very special Christmas party for our VIC members soon, but we can confidently say ‘save the date’ at this stage for Saturday 27 November 2021. Keep your eyes open for more detail in our November Outturn and your inbox.
CANBERRA, BRISBANE, HOBART, WOLLONGONG KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR EMAILS
FOR OUR LATEST EVENT LISTINGS AND TO BOOK ONLINE VISIT SMWS.COM.AU/EVENTS All events listed are dependent on COVID-19 restrictions easing and may be subject to change or cancellation at short notice.
Champs Will Return As you might have seen, we’ve had to again move the sold-out AMWTC 2021 to 2022
SATURDAY 26 MARCH 2022, ART GALLERY OF NSW STILL SOLD OUT! 26
VIRTUAL TASTING
SINGLE CASK WHISKY & CHEESE * 9 6 1 $EACH SET
JOIN US LIVE! FRIDAY 22 OCT, 7:30PM AEDT There’s a certain delight in whisky & cheese pairings, especially if those are single cask whiskies paired with Tasmanian cheeses. In a Society first, we’re bringing a pairing of Bruny Island to SMWS with a full whisky & cheese tasting set, delivered, and hosted from the comfort of your home. Each set has 5 x whiskies, 5 x matched cheeses, and hosted by your SMWS team. Each set has enough whisky and cheese to share between two. Whisky Tasting Packs and Cheese Tasting Packs will each be dispatched separately via Express Post, and starting from week commencing 11th October.
GRAB YOUR VIRTUAL TASTING KIT AND JOIN IN THE FUN! SMWS.COM.AU/SHOP *limited to two sets per member.
CHRISTMAS OUTTURN PREVIEW FRIDAY 5 NOVEMBER, 7:30PM AEDT Join us on Friday 5 November, a week before the Christmas Outturn launches, to preview a selection of the drams ahead for this special Christmas Outturn preview session. More to follow. 27
TUNE IN AT
SMWS.COM.AU
02 9974 3046 Mon-Fri 9.00am - 5.00pm AEST
@SMWS_AUSTRALIA
AUSTRALIANSMWS
SMWS_AUS
Society bottlings are offered and sold through The Artisanal Spirits Company Pty Ltd, Liquor Licence LIQP770017428.
