The BIG November Outturn 2015 – SMWS

November could be one of the busiest months of the year in the Whisky events calendar – in Scotland it seems to be anyway.

This coming Saturday (14th November) Glasgow becomes host to one of the UK’s biggest Whisky festivals, Glasgow’s Whisky Festival. In its 6th year and sporting a brand new location – our national Football stadium “Hampden Park”, this year is set to rival all others.  With a whopping 49 exhibitors this SOLD OUT event is sure to be ram packed full of new, inviting, special and unique Whiskies all available to sample and sip.

On Saturday you will find me at the SMWS stand where we will be showcasing many of the Single Malt, Single Cask Whiskies freshly outturned from the BIG November List, an outstanding 43 single cask bottlings made it on to the list this year, including a few rarer, seldom seen numbers making an appearance.  But today you will find me at the SMWS’s Queen Street venue tasting a few in preparation for the big day.

What am I tasting: 35.139, 37.67, 46.35 & 3.251 – below are a few of my notes.

35.139 – Punchy Spice Explosion (£76.60) – 20yo 52.3%

n: cotton candy, spun sugar, 20p mix up, chubba chups and vanilla soaked fresh wood
t: pink lemonade, gummy bears and cellophane

37.67 – Tongue Tingling Treasure (£144 .20) – 29yo 57.6%

n: leathery, bright thin varnish, metallic, peach sponge, apple turnover
t: Almonds and the oil, slight touch of sweet tobacco, orchard fruits

46.35 – Confident, Understated Cask (£60.50)- 17yo 54.6%

n: light pastry, custard, Turkish delights, dessert tray
t: tray bakes, fragrant fruits, powder perfume, talc and light wild flowers

3.251 – Engineers Workbench in a Boatyard (£75.60) – 17yo 55.4%

n: sweet sticky jam, gammon, orange boiled sweets, flip flops and toasted tea cakes
t: ribena, damp rich oak,  smooth sweet pipe smoke, leather and liquorice

37.67 was a cracker of a dram, rounded, great mouth feel and complex, so if you’re going to the Festival on Saturday be sure to get a wee taste.

See you Saturday!