Continuing the tasting notes we come to the third (not counting the bonus one) of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s offerings.

Bottling 35.32

34 years old, 55.1%, 183 bottles

Colour

Light

Nose

Pear drops, liquorice, someone mentioned spangles - a real blast from the past. I immediately started to feel that this one would not match my preferences.

Taste

Initial taste
Complicated and confusing rather than complex, my impressions were of a fiery, coarse nature. On this one I found the society’s tasting notes completely at odds with what I was getting from the whisky. Pear drops again, a sourness, flavours of allspice (which is a spice I don’t like), and a type of bitter citrus rind that I couldn’t pin down.

Later taste
Water improves it (not something I often say) but it’s still a very back of the throat taste that I found quite unpleasant.

Finish

More of that pear drops lingered rather  too long

Conclusion

After about three tastes I gave up on this one as it was not to my taste at all. While there are malts that I am not keen on I honestly have never disliked one as much as this. I suspect it was probably at the lower end of most of my fellow taster’s preferences too, although one of them rated it her favourite of the night. It takes all sorts - you couldn’t pay me to drink this one!

It was a relief to move on to the fourth.

Bottling 28.22

19 years old, 57.8%, 631 bottles

Colour

Very pale

Nose

Spirity, wood, and a curious scent that eventually reminded me of ham and pea soup.

Taste

Initial Taste
Front of the tongue, warm, rich,  nutmeg, dark. The flavour improves with time, with hint of charred steak and bitter orange. Quite drying though. Once again I found the supplied notes a little different to my own impressions with none of the Thai curry they mentioned or apples. Though it was interesting that someone had mentioned that pea soup that I got in the nosing.

Later Taste
Water produces a very palatable taste with lemonish notes and gets rid of that dryness. I wouldn’t go quite as far as the chocolate limes one of the original tasting panel had mentioned but it was certainly quite sweet.

Finish

Not the longest but very satisfying.

Conclusion

If drinking it neat I can imagine an Ardbeg drinker quite enjoying it, although it comes from a very different area, but if you don’t like a dryish palate then you’ll probably want to use a little water at which point it opens out into a sweeter character altogether.

On to our last of the evening and it was a really interesting choice, not at all what we were expecting from knowing the name, an Islay generally associated with maritime imagery.

Bottling 10.70

11 years old, 55.7%, 283 bottles

Colour

Very pale

Nose

A flashback to a childhood smell of swimming pool towels, lanolin, and after discussion with Mike we settled on a hint of potassium permanganate.

Taste

Middle of the tongue, rising up the gums. A strong pungent taste which, while not the normal taste for this distillery, was identifiably that complex signature that Islay drinkers love and others seldom come to terms with.

Later Taste

More of the traditional saltiness that this malt is usually associated appears with a little water, but it holds up very well and I can agree with the notes mention of leather and heather.

Finish

Substantial

Conclusion

You’ll either love it or hate it. If you like Islay then I’d definitely recommend giving it a try.

Our thanks again to the Society for their hospitality and another interesting selection.