Outturn July 2019

Issue 93

Full of flavour and exotic vibes, explore our new selection of summer casks.

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out-turn n. 1 The number of Society bottles produced from a

single cask. Varies from cask to cask. A finite number that will,

sooner or later, run out. 2 The name given to Society bottling lists,

containing Tasting Notes for each recently released Society

bottling of which only a limited number are ever available (see

above).

Each Society bottling is unique. And each can be identified by its

markings. The tasting notes give you an insight into the

characteristics of each whisky, and are the best place to start.

You may find yourself drawn to a “Cowboy’s delight” or have a

preference for “Big and tingly.” Maybe your instincts lead you to a

dram that’s “Like a hug from your Mom” or perhaps to “BBQ

smoke by a rolling sea.”

These curious descriptors are your best clue to what you’ll find

within each bottle, and are at the heart of The Society’s raison

d’être.

With The Society’s monthly selection of single cask malts it’s not

surprising that some members find it hard to focus on their perfect

bottlings. Thankfully it’s not cheating to ask for help. Just call

Kensington Wine Market in Calgary at 403-283-8000 (email:

scotchguy@kensingtonwinemarket.com) or Keg n Cork in

Edmonton at 780-461-0191 (email: dave@kegncork.com) or email

us at curious@smws.ca for advice of an expert nature.

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Exploration is the greatest joy of Society membership, roaming the broad vistas of flavour and aroma represented in our single cask whiskies. But exploration without a map can be frustrating.

So we have created 12 distinct flavour categories, each represented by its own colour, from Young & Spritely to Old & Dignified; Light & Delicate to Heavily Peated. These 12 categories offer an alternative to the more traditional method of categorizing whiskies by their region of origin (Islay, Speyside, etc).

Our flavour map gives whisky lovers a far better way to navigate our vast and ever-changing selection of single cask bottlings, many of which are not typical of their region.

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On the nose neat we felt like a morning walk over the sand

dunes. The reed grass rustled in the sea breeze whilst we

watched the sun appear over the clear horizon and felt the

warmth of the first rays on our skin. We then enjoyed a

sweet porridge with grilled crispy crumpled bacon rashers

as well as sweet and salty peanut granola bars.

Invigorated with a drop of water we started to paint our

beach hut in bright colours and by the end of the day,

having finished, we sat on the veranda and enjoyed a mint-

flavoured Grasshopper cocktail.

CASK NO. 88.11 Speyside

Refill Barrel

8 Years

5 March 2009

224 Bottles

54.8%

Sweet and fragrant scents implied happy childhood

attempts at mixing up cake dough in a giant bowl whilst

being enveloped by a cloud of icing sugar and flour. Drops

of vanilla extract landed in the dough and from the oven

came hot sponge cakes ready to be topped with sticky icing.

The air carried the aroma of ladies' perfume that mingled

with other treats like poached pears with cream, salted

fudge and pink wafer biscuits.

Through the front door the wind blew a fresh whiff of pine

forest with its dry and dusty needle strewn floor. A dash of

water delivered brown sugar on porridge followed by a

dessert of rhubarb and custard. A thick and luxurious

texture was framed by heavy oak, still dusty from the

sawmill and a lasting finish of dry spice.

CASK NO. 71.54 Speyside

Refill Barrel

10 Years

22 February 2007

168 Bottles

60.5%

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Some panellists went corybantic-crazy for this (not sure

they’ve recovered yet!) – the nose bursts with brandy

snaps, banoffee pie, juniper berries, cinnamon and

liquorice – one panellist imagined playing cards in a

mahogany-panelled speakeasy with a gangster’s moll

(living dangerously!). The palate was dry as wood

shavings, with burnt orange, black tea, cinnamon bark,

cloves, dried figs, cherries, marzipan, dark chocolate,

honey and well-torched crème brûlée.

The reduced nose developed all the polished leather of a

rodeo and the Tiger Balm muscle rub required after one.

The palate now found clove and orange pomanders, cherry

brandy, peppermint and astringent wood – quite an

experience!

CASK NO. B3.4 Arkansas

New Oak Barrel

3 Years

26 September 2013

210 Bottles

57%

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This big whisky starts with dry, sweet and savoury aromas

– old hessian sacks, dunnage warehouse, dried apricots,

orange fruit pastilles, marmalade, tomato chutney and a

faint whiff of iodine. The taste is savoury and spicy with

tannic woody notes. Rich roast beef gravy, dark chocolate

and brown sugar it was thick and mouth coating.

Adding water brought out chocolate raisins, brandy butter,

stem ginger, nectarines, plum skins and incense. The big

taste offered a barrage of orange barley sugars, chocolate,

raisins, mint, woody spices and tannins. It developed into

old Baco style Armagnac and Christmas cake with some

smoke at the end. Previously in an ex-bourbon hogshead

for 15 years.

CASK NO. 135.2 Highland

1st Fill Sauternes Hogshead

16 Years

15 March 2001

274 Bottles

52.3%

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The panel found this immediately earthy and organic with

plum chutney, spicy wood, honey cake, molasses,

pomegranate syrup, menthol sweets, lemon butter and

pear liqueur. A little water revealed Jägermeister,

flapjacks, flambéed raisins, throat sweets, orange bitters,

lemon oil, blossom, coriander marmalade and coal hearths.

On the palate there was charred pineapple with herbal

sweetness and some summer fruit barley water. Also notes

of grape must, aged Riesling, wax, mineral oil and dried

tarragon. Reduction gave deeper tannins, malt loaf, honey

comb, cinnamon buns, lanolin, paraffin wax, rosewater and

Earl Grey tea. Matured for 13 years in a bourbon hogshead

before being transferred to a 1st fill PX sherry hogshead for

the remainder of its maturation.

CASK NO. 76.139 Speyside

1st Fill PX Hogshead

15 Years

1 October 2002

266 Bottles

56.5%

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The nose – sweet peat reek, bandages, earthy; plums

soaked in brandy, burnt toast with marmalade and jam.

The taste – earthy, deep, woody – syrup of figs, aniseed,

liquorice; venison with juniper, dark chocolate, fruits of the

forest, red currant, leather and pears poached in wine.

The reduced nose – antiseptic and medicinal, woollen

socks on an Aga stove, venison goulash, banana toffee and

smoke. The reduced palate – chewy and substantial –

toffee apple rolled in embers, pickled ginger and blood

orange – lots going on and great fun. After 11 years in a

bourbon hoggie we moved this into a 1st fill charred red

wine barrique.

CASK NO. 66.128

Highland

1st Fill Barrique

12 Years

21 June 2005

229 Bottles

57.6%

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There’s nothing like sharing a good whisky with a good friend, so

with this in mind we have our Recommend-a-Friend program.

For every new member who signs up on your recommendation or

for every gift membership you buy for that like-minded friend (up

to a maximum of six referrals/gift memberships per membership

year), you'll receive $20.00 off the cost of your $125.00 renewal

fee.

Visit www.smws.ca for more information.

The exclusive retail stores of The Society in Canada:

919 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC

Phone: 250-370-9463

Email: whisky@strathliquor.com

www.strathconahotel.com

1633 Manitoba Street, Vancouver, BC

Phone: 604-331-7900

Email: Darryl@legacyliquorstore.com

www.legacyliquorstore.com

1257 Kensington Road NW, Calgary, AB

Phone: 403-283-8000 (1-888-283-9004)

Email: scotchguy@kensingtonwinemarket.com

www.kensingtonwinemarket.com

3845 - 99th Street, Edmonton, AB

Phone: 780-461-0191

Email: dave@kegncork.com

www.kegncork.com