NOVEMBER – DECEMBER 2017
CHRISTMAS BUMPER EDITION Ready f or g ifting: Fr iday 17th November
CELLARMASTER’S NOTE Dear Members, The strangest thing happened to me the other day: I actually declined the opportunity to attend a whisky tasting event! Whilst that’s not particularly remarkable in itself, it’s the reasoning behind it which is worth commenting on. Quite simply, I’d recently attended too many whisky events.
A
nd the remarkable thing is this - I never thought I’d ever see the day where I’d write the words “too”, “many”, “whisky”, and “events”, consecutively in a single sentence. It doesn’t seem that long ago that such a scenario seemed as likely as spotting an affordable bottle of Port Ellen! The tasting events organised and hosted by the Society are a bit more fluid and mobile these days, with no particular fixed schedule or rigid program. With a wellstocked warehouse and a different shipping & distribution system in place these days, our State Managers, myself, and Matt Bailey now have greater flexibility to organise and present tasting events as and when needed or requested. Subject to a suitable venue and a quorum of attendees, we can pretty much put on a tasting at our whim and fancy. It’s a very different situation to that which existed from 2002 up until around 2015, where tasting events were reasonably tightly locked into the regular arrival of each new shipment – which was only three or four times a year. Returning to the theme of my first paragraph above, there was once a time when the Society’s three or four tastings in a year might have been the only officially organised public
whisky events on offer to whisky drinkers. I’m admittedly winding the clock back a bit, but from 2005 up until around 2011, some cities (Perth, Canberra, and Brisbane come to mind) were starved of public whisky events, and Society tastings were often all that was on offer. Waiting three or four months for a public tasting to come around was a long time between drinks! It’s a theme I’ve written about previously, so forgive me if I’m beating a familiar drum, but it blows me away that in some cities in Australia today, there are now as many as two or three publicly available whisky tastings on offer each week! It pains me to say it, but I simply can’t get along to them all anymore! It would be misguided and inaccurate for the Society to claim any credit for this change in fortune, but it’s certainly been a journey and a joy for us to play a not-insignificant part of the changing whisky landscape in Australia. As I’m sure you’re already aware, 2017 marks 15 years of the Society’s operations in Australia, and our team continues to take great pride in presenting high-quality, single cask, single malt whisky (and other spirits!) to whisky lovers in this big brown land. This bumper edition of Outturn you hold in your
IT BLOWS ME AWAY THAT IN SOME CITIES IN AUSTRALIA TODAY, THERE ARE NOW AS MANY AS THREE WHISKY TASTINGS ON OFFER EACH WEEK! hands is also a reflection of that growth and development of whisky appreciation in Australia: There’s an incredible 25 bottlings on offer within these pages – 19 individual releases, plus 6 bottlings that have been bundled up in pairs. With Christmas on the horizon and the summer break fast approaching, be sure to grab yourself something for the upcoming festive season. As 2017 draws to a close, I’d like to personally thank and acknowledge our team: Andre on the Board, Matt at the coalface, Suzy and Donelle in the office, and our wonderful team of State Managers – Jenny, Drew, Owen, Fred, Scott, and Jason. And also our crew of official (and unofficial) ambassadors who do wonderful things for the Society at their local
level. And of course last but not least, we’d like to thank you and all our Members across the country, without whom we wouldn’t be here in the first place! All the best for now, and we look forward to bringing you more spirits(ual) enlightenment in 2018! Sláinte,
ANDREW DERBIDGE DIRECTOR, CELLARMASTER & NSW MANAGER
GIVE THE GIFT OF SINGLE CASK WHISKY
CHRISTMAS IS A TIME FOR GIVING, AND THERE’S NOTHING QUITE LIKE UNWRAPPING A FRESH SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP BOX FOR A NEW MEMBER! When you purchase SMWS Gift Membership this festive season (which includes the curiously layered and luxurious award winning Membership Box) we’ll give the recipient a $25 welcome bonus, we’ll give you a $25 referral bonus, and you’ll both receive a complimentary copy of the Explore Whisky book worth $20. That’s $90 worth of value added! It’s win-win! Simply order SMWS Gift Membership from smws.com.au, enter the details of the recipient, and you’re done! We’ll add $25 credit to both your accounts shortly after.
Terms & Conditions: SMWS Gift Membership is valid for purchase from 17th November until 20th December 2017 only. Explore Whisky book offer limited to the first 25 x new memberships, and is valid from 7th November until 20th December 2017 inclusive.
INTRODUCING: THE SOCIETY WHISKY CONCIERGE!
I’m looking for a whisky that is sweet, elegant, and reminds me of a warm Wednesday afternoon at Bondi beach in 1975... No request is too specific for the Whisky Concierge! In this Bumper Christmas Outturn we are introducing the Whisky Concierge to help with recommendations, gift ideas, flavour profiles, cask selection, and membership. Let us find your perfect whisky or gift selection for a friend or family member and make the selection from this massive Outturn a breeze. It’s free!
Simply send us an email with your request, or send us a question about anything on offer to receive your personalised recommendation:
WhiskyConcierge@smws.com.au
MERRY CHRISTMAS! It’s here. A full-flavoured gamut of single cask, cask strength, panel-approved, Society spirit. All new releases will be available online from Friday 17th November at midday AEDT.
Y O U N G & S P R I T E LY
CASK No. 41.75 SOME LIKE IT HOT TASTING NOTES: We stepped into a garden centre with impressions of new wooden furniture, terracotta flower pots, hose pipes as well as earthy aromas of fresh compost. They also sold outdoor wooden saunas and we sat in one and opened a bag of jelly babies, then we ate spicy hot cross buns with vanilla bean cream cheese and drunk a tropical fruit juice. With the addition of water it felt like we were back in the sauna but this time with eucalyptus scented steam rising from the hot stones. After that we needed to cool down and enjoyed an ice cream sandwich. Drinking Tip: Opens up well with water. 11 YEARS 1 S T
1 1 M AY 2 0 0 4
F I L L
5 7. 8 %
B A R R E L
Colour - Newly minted gold coin
PRICE: $160
SPEYSIDE SPEY
1 of 144 bottles (limit of one bottle per member)
$ 1 6 0 R E D U C E D F R O M $ 1 7 6 . 4 8 B OT T L E S AVA I L A B L E .
S W E E T, F R U I T Y & M E L L O W
CASK No. 76.130 F O R E V E R YO U N G ! TASTING NOTES: Dark but very delicate aromas pulled us all deep into the glass and we seemed to be lost forever as nobody said a word for what felt like an eternity. It has got the gracefulness of maturity like antique leather bound books or heavy wellpolished antique oak cupboards but at the same time the youthful vibrancy of juicy ripe pears, blood orange segments and candied limes. It melted in our mouths like a deep dark chocolate panna cotta with orange – a match made in heaven! Add a drop of water, if you so wish and it turned into a smooth, soft, spongy tropical fruit cake. Drinking Tip: Be very careful when adding water. 28 YEARS
24 S E P T E M B E R 1 9 8 7
R E F I L L
53.0%
1 of 186 bottles
H O G S H E A D
Colour - Amber LED light bar
SPEYSIDE SPEY
PRICE: $389
RUM
CASK No. R6.1 C A R I B B E A N S P I C E AT T H E R AC E S TASTING NOTES: It’s a hot afternoon at race day in Barbados. We can smell moist hay in the air and a spiciness that reminds us of a Rum Bloody Mary. Someone in the stands lights up a cigar with their Zippo and the blend of lighter fuel and smoke wafts across our noses. On the palate, there’s scorched leather and rubber saddle on the back of a thoroughbred, kicking up dust as it gallops on the dusty track, ending up in your mouth like a mist of sandalwood. Drinking Tip: Neat at room temperature to release the warm spices. 14 YEARS BARBADOS
1 of 210 bottles
5 7. 3 %
3 1 O C TO B E R 2 0 0 2
R E F I L L
PRICE: $250
B A R R E L
(limit of one bottle per member)
J U I C Y, O A K & VA N I L L A
CASK No. 108.9 A F T E R N O O N C O C K TA I L S TASTING NOTES: Our extended afternoon tea began in a truly civilised manner with strong earl grey tea, treacle tart, eccles cakes and cinnamon buns sprinkled with desiccated coconut. After sweetening the tea with a spoonful of brown sugar I reached for a chocolate digestive biscuit and proceeded to dunk it in the tea until the chocolate had melted. We then progressed onto cocktails with Manhattans and an Old Fashioned, and debated how spiced rum would taste with cloudy lemonade. Breaking open a packet of dark chocolate with chilli we could smell the fresh oak from the nearby timber yard that gave the air a wonderfully fresh and clean scent. 8 YEARS
58.0%
11 MARCH 2009
1 S T
SPEYSIDE SPEY
1 of 227 bottles
F I L L
B A R R E L
PRICE: $140
L I G H T LY P E A T E D
CASK No. 4.225 A CRUNCHY BRUNCH TASTING NOTES: The nose neat felt like a hearty brunch; smoked mackerels on rye bread with horseradish cream, parsnip and beetroot crisps sprinkled with sea salt, maple-smoked bacon and blueberry pancakes. The taste neat surprised us all, ‘like a dragon breathing fire’ or ‘walking barefoot over hot coals’. After the initial heat, rich dark burnt caramel, toasted malt and molasses with a hint of sweet peppermint mints in the finish. Diluted we dowsed a beach bonfire made out of old fish boxes with sea water whilst on the palate, sherry soaked sultanas and now a warming sweet smoke, chilli pepper pearls marinated in natural sugar cane brine, which added a spicy crunch finish to our brunch. Drinking Tip: A daring proposition neat. 15 YEARS
2 0 AU G U ST 2 0 0 1
R E F I L L
B U T T
Colour - Gold with a light green tint
60.6%
HIGHLAND ISLAND
1 of 580 bottles PRICE: $263
OLD & DIGNIFIED
CASK No. G4.14 AN ABSOLUTE ENCHANTMENT TASTING NOTES: This was an absolute enchantment – attractive, balanced, vibrant and full of interest. The nose had banana toffee, crème caramel, cinnamon swirls and butterscotch; with additional hints of fresh wood, apricots, porridge and Germolene. The palate echoed that sweetness (chocolate, fudge, custard creams) but also found undertones of tobacco, Fisherman’s Friends, spiced rum, nutmeg, orange peel and sugar-coated fennel seeds. The reduced nose added crystallized ginger, Demerara, iced caramels and vanilla. On the palate – coffee and walnut ice-cream mixed with understated muscle rub – easy-drinking, complex and relaxing. After 32 years in ex-bourbon wood we transferred this to a second-fill, toasted oak hogshead. 33 YEARS
50.0%
30 APRIL 1984
2ND FILL TOASTED OAK HOGSHEAD
LOWLAND
1 of 178 bottles
PRICE: $330
S W E E T, F R U I T Y & M E L L O W
CASK No. 134.1 EXOTIC RAINFOREST FRUITS TASTING NOTES: We found ourselves careering at some pace into the realms of the exotic as a profusion of tropical fruits combined with the woody humidity of a rainforest. Generous helpings of sweet mango, ripe banana and passion fruit were teased by light and floral lychee, white lily and carnation. Warming spice entered with cinnamon, nutmeg and masala chai tea with a sweet earthy note that developed into new leather bound books before turning to oregano, lemongrass and camomile. A luscious and rich vein continued throughout like hot toffee, milk chocolate and thick cream and finishing in the most splendid fashion with candied orange and apricot brandy. Drinking Tip: Whilst planning the route for a tropical adventure. 6 YEARS
2 8 F E B R UA RY 2 0 1 0
R E F I L L
Colour - Rich toffee
5 7. 9 %
B A R R E L
PRICE: $310
GOA, INDIA
1 of 174 bottles (limit of one bottle per member) *
*BALLOT SYSTEM - REGISTER YOUR INTEREST! ONLY 15 BOTTLES AVAILABLE. How to buy: Due to the limited availability of 134.1 Exotic rainforest fruits, and the anticipated demand, we’re inviting members who would like to buy a bottle to enter our lucky draw where we’ll pull names at random from a hat. Enter the ballot to buy 134.1 by emailing us at ballot@smws.com.au Closing date for ballot entries: Friday 24th November midday AEDT.
P E AT E D
CASK No. 66.104 HOME SWEET HOME TASTING NOTES: Returning back to dry land after a windswept day out at sea, the aromas of briny air, tarry ropes and wooden fish boxes starting to become a distant memory as we entered a cottage. The roaring peat fire and the scent of making cinder toffee and roasting chestnuts made us all feel very relaxed. We then ate hot smoked salmon, grilled sardines and Arbroath Smokies. After a drop of water we went back outside and enjoyed a beach barbeque of slightly burned lemon and herb sausages. After seven years in an ex-bourbon barrel, finished in a custom made virgin oak barrel. Drinking Tip: Relaxing after a day facing the elements. 8 YEARS C U S T O M
60.1%
2 3 J U LY 2 0 0 8
V I R G I N
O A K
1 of 232 bottles
B A R R E L
Colour - Orange gold
HIGHLAND EASTERN
PRICE: $140
L I G H T & D E L I C AT E
CASK No. 9.119 TA S T Y A N D R E WA R D I N G TASTING NOTES: The nose gave us toffee, caramel and brown sugar, tinned pears, cinnamon swirls, glazed apple cake and plum flan, with suggestions of prawn cocktail crisps. The palate was tasty and rewarding – Cadbury’s chocolate fudge, dry roasted nuts and amontillado sherry, with clove, chilli and burnt wood on the finish. The nose became more delicate with water – oiled wood, apple pie, peach melba and ginger snaps. The palate developed plum jam, Jaffa cakes, vanilla wafers and honeycomb; understated savoury and spicy notes tucked behind – subtle and easy-drinking. After 23 years in ex-bourbon wood we transferred this to a first-fill red wine hogshead. Drinking Tip: To accompany a lazy holiday lunch. 24 YEARS
1 6 N OV E M B E R 1 9 9 2
48.9%
1 S T F I L L C H A R R E D E X- R E D W I N E H O G S H E A D
Colour - Prince Harry’s top-knot
SPEYSIDE SPEY
1 of 185 bottles PRICE: $310
O I LY & C O A S T A L
CASK No. 10.111 “A L L A B OA R D ” TASTING NOTES: We found ourselves on board an old fashioned boat under full sail, wooden deck, slightly tarry ropes and the salty sea breeze in our nostrils as we were received a lesson on celestial navigation using a marine sextant. As the sea got calmer we relaxed in a hammock chair and got served a Hemingway Daiquiri, of white rum, fresh grapefruit and lime juice, Maraschino liqueur and syrup. With water the sun appeared from behind the clouds and after freshening up with some dusty rose and lavender perfume, we enjoyed the sunset with a bowl of Bombay mix and a lemon basil ginger Martini. Drinking Tip: Being on, or dreaming of, a sailing adventure. 10 YEARS
0 6 O C TO B E R 2 0 0 6
R E F I L L
61.3%
I S L AY
1 of 192 bottles
B A R R E L
Colour - Pine tree sap
PRICE: $209
P E AT E D
CASK No. 3.289 DON’T GO FOR THE BURN TASTING NOTES: Herbal, sweet barbequed meat aromas wafted through the room and made all the Panel members feel very hungry. Sticky aromatic pork ribs, honey and mustard roast gammon and herbal pork sausages were being prepared, but while we waited we had a sip. Smoke as well as ash filled our mouths - did we get a piece of Cumberland sausage which had fallen into the hot ash (hopefully recovered within the 5 second rule!)? With water we got a glass of sweetened lime juice, moved on to the beach and had smoked cardamom ice cream with salty honey caramel. Drinking Tip: One, two, three, four … too late! 17 YEARS
25 SEPTEMBER 1998
R E F I L L
Colour - Sandpaper
B A R R E L
60.4%
I S L AY
1 of 150 bottles PRICE: $239
S W E E T, F R U I T Y & M E L L O W
CASK No. 5.55 FLOWER MEADOW IN SPRING TASTING NOTES: The nose is as fresh as a flower meadow in spring – and full of sweet treats (orange fondant chocolates, coconut marshmallow tea-cakes, heather honey). The palate combines mouth-tingling spice (chilli, anise, liquorice) citrus and oak with exploding sweetness (strawberry, Hubba Bubba, orange muscat wine). The reduced nose is gentle but complex, with vanilla, coconut, barley sugars and fruit salad and Pimms served among summer foliage. The palate balances sweetness and oak – soft leather, strawberry laces, red fruits, pick-n-mix sweeties and cinnamon, with a satisfying, lingering finish. After 15 years in ex-bourbon wood we transferred this to a first-fill Pedro Ximenez hogshead. Drinking Tip: A dram to enjoy in the garden. 16 YEARS
1 1 O C TO B E R 2 0 0 0
56.8%
1 of 306 bottles
1ST FILL PEDRO XIMENEZ HOGSHEAD
Colour - Yellow gold
LOWLAND
PRICE: $248
SPICY & SWEET
CASK No. 50.82 FEEL-GOOD DRAM TASTING NOTES: We found the nose heady, satisfying and ‘feel-good’ – beeswax polished wood, sherbet straws, honey, Danish pastries, buttered corn and delicate floral notes (honeysuckle, hyacinth, wild flower meadows). The palate was sweet and tart (toffee, honey-glazed wings), with a healthy spice kick (ginger cake, toasted hot-cross buns, onion chutney) and leather, tobacco and wood in the finish. The reduced nose had acacia honey, orange blossom, nectarines, dark chocolate, corn candies and cinnamon – ‘something of the Deep South’ (which, in a way, it is). The palate now seemed juicier – orange zest, ginger beer, sticky toffee, fudge and Gran Marnier – delicious and well-integrated. Drinking Tip: For moments of happy reflection – ideally, but not necessarily, in a summer meadow. 25 YEARS
1 5 M AY 1 9 9 0
R E F I L L
B A R R E L
Colour - Marmalade amber
60.8%
LOWLAND
1 of 84 bottles PRICE: $429
OLD & DIGNIFIED
CASK No. 35.153 A SYMPHONY IN FOUR MOVEMENTS TASTING NOTES: Pack your picnic wicker hamper full with delicious food. Don’t forget the bottles of bubbly, as we will be enjoying an outdoor classical concert on the lawn in front of a castle. The air was filled with scintillating aromas of spicy and sweet summer perfumes, elegant polished waxed wood and marigolds in full bloom. On the palate like the crescendo, vibrant and delicate at the same time with sweet, fruity, spicy and woody flavours playing in perfect harmony. A drop of water and a hint of tobacco, hand rolled Cuban cigars, and perfumed wood smoke made this an experience long remembered. Drinking Tip: One way to practise mindfulness. 21 YEARS 1ST
FILL
1 7 N OV E M B E R 1 9 9 4
TOASTED
OAK
56.0%
1 of 222 bottles
HOGSHEAD
Colour - Molten glow sunset
SPEYSIDE LOSSIE
PRICE: $290
P E AT E D
CASK No. 29.220 DRAM FOR A DANISH FISHERMAN TASTING NOTES: The nose found a raft of elegant sweetness (sugary pastries, vanilla, caramelised pear) tossed in the thundering surf of seaweed, iodine, salt air and peat smoke. With water it turned into a picture of a Danish fisherman, chewing liquorice and drinking tea - cigarette ash, singed hay and tarry ropes on a wooden deck – we loved it. The palate also had smoke, ash and salt – plus sweet mussels and scallops simply cooked on a beach barbeque. In reduction, the palate seemed sweeter – but with a dry mouth-feel as the smoke thinned, allowing the wood spices, salt, pepper and mint to develop. Drinking Tip: ‘Wrap me up in me oilskins and jumpers’. 20 YEARS
2 6 N OV E M B E R 1 9 9 6
R E F I L L
H O G S H E A D
Colour - Platinum gold
49.6%
I S L AY
1 of 243 bottles PRICE: $299
S W E E T, F R U I T Y & M E L L O W
CASK No. 1.204 B L A C K B E R R Y L E M O N PAV L O VA TASTING NOTES: Nosing this neat we struck up an acquaintance with a fruity, slightly tart, blackberry lemon Pavlova – tender crisp on the outside, sweet and marshmallow-y inside. It was love at first sniff and we celebrated with a glass of raspberry lemonade Champagne punch and rum-spiked roasted caramelised mangoes. With water we entered a wine cellar in a French chateau and enjoyed sipping sweet wines with patÊ, mousse and cured ham nibbles and as dessert, chocolate-covered grapes. After 18 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, we transferred this whisky directly into a 1st fill American oak Pedro Ximenez hogshead for the remainder of its maturation. 20 YEARS
53.5%
0 5 M AY 1 9 9 4
1ST FILL AMERICAN OAK PEDRO XIMENEZ HOGSHEAD
SPEYSIDE SPEY
1 of 233 bottles
PRICE: $310
D E E P, R I C H & D R I E D F R U I T S
CASK No. 30.94 RIDING A DUCK BAREBACK UP MOUNT ETNA TASTING NOTES: We stood at the foot of the volcano; a towering eminence of tightly packed fruitcake and sticky toffee pudding, and gazed up towards the bellowing clouds of pork crackling infused smoke. Climbing onto the back of a giant duck and gripping the leather reins we began our ascent with the spicy smell of nutmeg, clove and cinnamon becoming heavier as we advanced. The ground shook as figs, dates and roasted chestnuts were blasted high into the sky and rivers of molten toffee passed nearby. Sipping exportstrength navy rum to steady our nerves we bravely continued further towards the summit passing boulders of macadamia nuts, honeycomb and salted chocolate. Drinking Tip: Drink whilst reading Tolkien stories to the devil. 9 YEARS
0 6 J U N E 2 0 07
64.5%
1 ST F I L L S PA N I S H OA K S H E R RY B U T T
Colour - Polished conkers
SPEYSIDE SPEY
1 of 666 bottles PRICE: $170
COGNAC
CASK No. C4.1 A TA N TA L I S I N G T I G H T R O P E TASTING NOTES: The panel found this a most sophisticated nectar with light and fruity pear drops, fermenting apples, gooseberries and dessert pears with floral lavender oil, violets and a twist of fresh eucalyptus leaves. Then heady linseed oil on printer paper, artist’s varnish and almond oil came to the fore closely followed by freshly sawn pine wood and a dew sprinkled Limousine oak forest at dawn. The superbly clean palate trod a thin tightrope between fruity and dry as black cherries, fresh pomegranate, physalis and chilli heat performed their dance. With water came herbal notes of rosemary and sage with rhubarb liqueur and dusty tannins. Drinking Tip: The perfect match for cherries and dark chocolate. XO
5 7. 5 %
XO
C O G N A C
1 of 478 bottles
B A R R E L
Colour - Russet apple gold
COGNAC
PRICE: $270
(limit of one bottle per member)
S W E E T, F R U I T Y & M E L L O W
CASK No. 48.87 FRISKY WHISKY TASTING NOTES: The welcoming nose had something floral and woody, like a fuchsia hedge – also coconut, mango and pineapple; French fancies, honey and chocolate. The neat palate was lively – those fruits again, some citric sharpness, dark chocolate with ginger and a few other woody spices (nutmeg, anise); mouth-filling, mouth-watering and tongue-numbing all at the same time. The reduced nose was an explosion of fruit and honey sweetness – tuttifrutti, soft stone fruits, crème caramel, barley sugars and rice pudding with cinnamon. The reduced palate combined sensual chocolate caramel wafer and bourbon biscuit sweetness with playfully frisky fruitiness and warm ginger cake and chilli spice. Drinking Tip: When feeling frisky! 11 YEARS 1 S T
29 MARCH 2005
F I L L
Colour - Rich gold
B A R R E L
58.4%
SPEYSIDE SPEY
1 of 204 bottles PRICE: $170
E XC LU S I V E B U N D L E S H O G S H E A D H E AV E N These amazing hogshead casks are from a Sauternes hogshead and a white wine hogshead respectively. Perfect for wine & whisky lovers!
$449 SAVE $85
REDUCED FROM $534 TO $449
7.155 D E E P, R I C H & D R I E D F R U I T S
84.22 Y O U N G & S P R I T E LY
MAKING CAKES BY THE CRACKLING FIRE
REFRESHING AND BRIGHT
26 YEAR OLD ~ ALC 58.0
26 YEAR OLD ~ ALC 58.0
WONDERFUL WORMTUBS Both distilleries are amongst the last to still be using traditional wormtub condensors – taste the difference! REDUCED FROM $450 TO $375
36.120 S W E E T, F R U I T Y & M E L L O W
44.80 D E E P, R I C H & D R I E D F R U I T S
TEA-ING OFF TIME
ROCKING ROLLERCOASTER RIDE
19 YEAR OLD ~ ALC 56.9 (REFILL BARREL)
13 YEAR OLD ~ ALC 58.9 (EX-BOURBON HOGSHEAD)
S E N S AT I O N A L S E C O N D F I L L S Try matching these sensational second fill casks with your festive season Christmas cake or mince pies.
$471 SAVE $75
REDUCED FROM $546 TO $471
35.144 OLD & DIGNIFIED
55.41 S W E E T, F R U I T Y & M E L L O W
PUNCH WITH A PUNCH
SOOTHING AND INVITING
29 YEAR OLD ~ ALC 50.7 (2ND FILL HOGSHEAD)
15 YEAR OLD ~ ALC 57.9 (2ND FILL SAUTERNES HOGSHEAD)
$375 SAVE $75
AMBASSADOR’S NOTE
W H AT A Y E A R . W H A T A J O U R N E Y. What an incredible number of super-high quality unique casks and spectacular events we’ve had this year! So much so, just thinking about all that’s happened this year alone is enough to make my head spin. Let’s take a quick recap...
W
e’ve had the celebration of our 15th birthday of the Society in Australia, alongside our special release of 73.83 ‘Anzac biscuits and cricket bats’ which has now completely sold out. I’m positively ecstatic that so many members around the country helped celebrate this milestone of the SMWS with us and I’m certain many of you are still dramming on that bottle. We’ve had pairings with artisan bread,
distillery focus nights with Ambassadors and Distillers from Scotland, whiskypaired dinners in historic buildings, tastings right inside distilleries, single cask cocktail experiments, pizza and whisky parties, classic single cask celebration tastings, and more. We’ve had an SMWS stand at Whisky Freedom in Perth, Independent’s Day in Melbourne, and spread the gospel about the most unique single casks far and wide!
MATT BAILEY - SMWS NATIONAL AMBASSADOR
bailey@smws.com.au @smws_matt
So after all that, we’re now releasing the absolutely BUMPER Christmas Outturn which has been generating some serious buzz both in the SMWS office and with members’ anticipation. I absolutely loved helping put this issue together for members, as there’s just so much on offer both in membership, new casks, and new features. First up, take a look at the added benefit to joining the Society in November and December. Along with all the incredible benefits to being a member, we’re also throwing in a complimentary copy of Explore Whisky, valued at $20, for every new member while stocks last. Also, following on from the success of last year’s ‘Invite a Friend’, it’s back! Read on to see more. I’m also introducing our very own Whisky Concierge service to this month’s bumper Outturn. In a nutshell, navigating your way through all these flavour profiles, all these casks, all these gift ideas can be somewhat daunting, for new members and old. What our Whisky Concierge service aims to do here is to help take the hassle out of picking casks – just ask us for recommendations, and make it easy to find you your perfect whisky! Read on for more. So at this point you must be wondering, what’s next? I’ve been busy jotting down all the timelines and planning for a monster 2018, and as you would have read in Andrew’s previous Cellarmaster’s note from
October, there’s some absolutely stellar casks coming through along with an even broader diversity of unique spirit such as Rum, Cognac, Armagnac, Bourbon, and more. We also welcome the two newest codes to our single malt lineup: distilleries 133 & 134, one hailing from Seattle Washington and the other from Goa India. Both still single malts, so very much fitting into the normal numerical lineup along with our Scottish, Japanese, Welsh, Irish, and now Indian and American single malts! Lastly, I want to extend a special thanks to all members for their love and dedication to full-flavour and the rich and delightful experiences throughout this whole year with the Society. I absolutely love the social events, dinners, and serious exploration of full-flavour that the Society continues to lead the charge on around the country. I hope you have a marvelous and safe festive season with a stunning single cask on hand. Take note of the shipping schedules for this Outturn on the back page and see you in 2018! Cheers,
FESTIVE ORDERING This is your Christmas 2017 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. Free shipping for regular post. For delivery in time for Christmas, we recommend placing your order by Friday 8th December. Left it a bit late? For Express Post, it’s $35 for up to three bottles in one package. Just select the ‘Express Post’ product from the online shop or contact our office. Last orders date for dispatch before Christmas – Wednesday 20th December.
SOCIETY FESTIVE SEASON OPENING HOURS The Society’s office will be closed from 12 noon AEDT on Friday 22nd December, re-opening at 9am AEDT on Friday 5th January 2018 for our First Friday releases of the New Year! We wish you and yours a safe and happy Holiday Season.
W W W. S M W S . C O M . A U
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All day every day
Mon-Fri, 9:00am–5:00pm AEDT
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Society whiskies are offered and sold through The Wine Empire Pty Ltd, Liquor Licence LIQP770010175.