Category: Scotch Malt Whisky Society

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Old Pulteney SMWS 52.25 “A morning at the beach”, 11yo, 2007

Rating34/40
OriginScotland, Northern Highlands
DistilleryOld Pulteney
OwnerThaiBev via InterBev via Inver House Distillers
DistilledMarch 21st, 2007
BottlerScotch Malt Whisky Society
Edition52.25
StyleSingle Barrel Single Malt
CaskRefill Hogshead/Ex-Bourbon
Bottles240
Strength60.3% (120.6 Proof)
RetailerScotch Malt Whisky Society
WhiskybaseWhiskybase

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s 25th bottling of a potent single barrel single malt from Old Pulteney located up in the northern Highlands.

Nose: Wait… is this a Bruichladdich? It feels like I’m experiencing those same typical buttery notes of raw cake batter that I’ve always loved about the Islay distillery’s output. Myriads of tiny citrus-flavored lightning strikes burst forth from that misleading doughy mass, skittering about and leaving hints of caramelized brown sugar in their wake. This is very nice! (8.5/10)

Palate: The first sip skips right past the front of the tongue and gathers as a light and sweet vegetable broth in my cheeks. Leeks? Subsequent sips remain quiet in the front except for a noticeable oily coating that’s building up there. (8.5/10)

Finish: Faint hints of gather in the back of the mouth… perhaps some of the veggies used for the stock were roasted? Mostly, though, there is a salty residue on the tongue and a deep warmth in my chest. Quite lovely. This whisky is surprisingly quiet given it’s high-powered ABV but it definitely works for me. (8.5/10)

Balance: It’s a strange thing to say but this whisky is oddly convincing in its lack of pronounced flavors. I am surprised at how much I like this. It’s not exactly aligned with my usual preferences which I will freely admit, lean somewhat toward the bombastic. Either way, it’s always great to have a different kind of rewarding experience! (8.5/10)

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Bunnahabhain SMWS 10.76 “Duelling banjos dram”, 8yo, 2005/2014

Rating31.5/40
OriginScotland, Islay, North Shore
DistilleryBunnahabhain
OwnerDistell Group
DistilledMay 25th, 2005
BottlerScotch Malt Whisky Society
Edition10.76 “Duelling banjos dram”
StyleSingle Barrel Single Malt
CaskRefill Bourbon Barrel
BottledJanuary 2014
Bottles229
Strength60.8% (121.6 Proof)
RetailerScotch Malt Whisky Society
WhiskybaseWhiskybase

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s 76th bottling of a Bunnahabhain single barrel single malt from Islay’s North Shore.

Nose: I get the canvas but not the burning driftwood from the label. I’m also missing the leather but there is, in fact, some faint shoe polish in there. Also some very mild vanilla flavored wafers. A few moments in someone behind me unwraps a tiny bit of leftover nougat. There is just not all that much here to be honest though much later on a nice autumnal note of drying leaves on trees floats by. (7/10)

Palate: The initial big hit from this beast-strength liquid is quickly subsumed by a velvety, richly buttered dough that is very chewy and thick and that, while not intensely flavorful, sparkles spicily. (7.5/10)

Finish: Again there is not a whole lot of pronounced flavor going on but the whisky does deliver a deep, rich warmth that fills the chest cavity throughout. I can live with this. (8.5/10)

Balance: Everything about this dram is interesting despite being under-powered in terms of strength of flavor. And the whisky ultimately gets lifted up high by the finish. It makes you easily forgive and forget any and all earlier shortcomings. I can barely remember the nose or the palate to be honest. All there is is this deep and cozy warmth everywhere. And I’m good with that. (8.5/10)