2024 ROUNDUP
THE SOCIETY UNCORKED
It’s been another busy year here at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, with plenty of drams and memories shared among our members. But have you ever wondered exactly how many?
The Society’s Duncan Gorman uncorks some of the Society’s most interesting statistics from 2024.
Cask No. 35.384
SOY SAUCE ON CHRISTMAS CAKE
£60.00
PROFILE Deep, Rich & Dried Fruits REGION Speyside AGE 9 years ABV 62.3% CASK TYPE 1st fill ex-oloroso hogshead
This was a headlong dive into a world of intense sherryaromas. We got beef extract, cured game meats, andburnt brisket ends slathered in barbecue sauce, plussticky malt loaf, Christmas cake and some deeply umaminotes of nori and soy sauce.
With water it became woodier but in a wonderfullycomplex and spicy way. There were also more dark-grained breads on display, along with tobaccos andspiced dark fruit chutney. The palate showed intenseand concentrated sherry influence, with loads of sultanas,raisins, clove, cinnamon and nutmeg. With water it veeredinto green walnut liqueur and natural tar extracts, withsome ruby ales and pickled fruits in the aftertaste.
Cask No. 68.120
CHRISTMAS IN THE ORANGERIE
£95.00
PROFILE Spicy & Sweet REGION Highland AGE 15 years ABV 55.0% CASK TYPE 1st fill ex-oloroso barrique
Additional time in this first fill oloroso barrique, after 12 years in a bourbon hoggie, gave the nose manuka honey sultanas, marmalade and bourbon biscuit sweetness; fruity aromatics (blackcurrant, tangerine, blood orange) and wood (pine forest, wine oak, hay barns). The neat palate was easy-drinking, with orange blossom honey, walnut whips, marrons glacé and sugary espresso dregs balancing tannic oak, Armagnac, tobacco and leather.
The reduced nose was subtle and complex – beeswax, rosewater and rosemary crackers, toffee, brown sugar and peach syrup. The palate had cherry pieces in dark chocolate, orange peel, ginger and a finish of hessian, currywurst and Christmas spices.
CASK No. 128.22
MUSCAT GRAVY
£73.00
PROFILE Sweet, Fruity & Mellow REGION Wales AGE 6 years ABV 59.9% CASK TYPE 1st fill ex-Muscat barrique
The neat nose quivered with big, juicy dark things likeChristmas pudding, mincemeat stewing in Cognac, orangeoils, hardwood varnish, rosewater and Turkish delight.Beyond that we also found peach schnapps, orangecocktail bitters and aged Cointreau.
With water we found pear chutney with winter spices,chocolate spread on brown bread, mineral oils, shoeleather and crystallised orange peels. The neat palateopened with cinnamon swirl pastries, pink grapefruit,Australian muscat wine and blood orange segmentsdrizzled with pomegranate molasses.
SCOTCH & SHERRY
SALUD!
What a sherry-soaked year it’s been. And what a pleasure to be able to immerse ourselves in the world of all things Andalucía, to take the time to explore the ‘sherry triangle’ and to celebrate the craft of everything from forestry to coopering to winemaking across Spain
While sherry is a focus for The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, we’re also searching far and wide for other types of wine casks to mature our whisky and delight our members.
