SMWS Outturn June 2025 goes live on Friday 6th June 2025
Whisky With a Well-Worn Hip Flask – The Scotch Malt Whisky Society releases (outturn) several single cask bottlings of Scotch, Whisk(e)y, Rum and Gin, to name a few, usually on the first Friday of every month.
See below the full list of bottles being released for the June 2025 outturn. If you are not a member, Don’t worry you can join the SMWS here but be quick several of the bottlings sell out as quickly as the day they are released.
(Here is a quick link to last month’s SMWS Outturn: SMWS May 2025 outturn).
Whisky With a Well-Worn Hip Flask June 2025 Outturn bottles:
1.293 – A Cream Sherry by Way of Whisky
59.7% ~ 1st Fill American Oak PX Hogshead & 1st Fill Spanish Oak Oloroso Hogshead ~ 11yo ~ Speyside ~ £80.00
First nosing suggested a rich and aromatically detailed dram, with polished mahogany, rapeseed oil, manilla envelopes and hazelnut skins, plus a touch of rye spice and fresh dill. Water brought out toasted coconut, strawberry jam sponge and rosewater. The neat palate opened with sugar puff sweetness, runny honey, maple syrup, rum and raisin fudge, and lovely, earthy bodega funk with a hint of dried marjoram. Reduction made it richer and thicker in texture, with a burst of fruit liqueurs, melon, strawberry wine, caffè latte, a tingle of red chilli and loads of spiced vanilla custard… read more
8.48 – Flamenco Dancer’s Coffee Break
59.2% ~ 1st Fill Ex-PX Butt ~ 9yo ~ Speyside ~ £60.00
The initial nose was a pleasing mixture of dried cranberries, sloes, plum tart and cherry brandy with leather boots, liquorice, espresso and treacle sponge (a flamenco dancer’s coffee break?). We found more of the same on the palate (red grape fruit leather, cherry and ruby port) but this time the earthier notes were of dark chocolate, game sauce, carob and cheroots. Adding water made the nose seem darker and spicier, with gingerbread, clove, chilli chocolate, marzipan, molasses and sugary espresso dregs…read more
11.58 – Skolebrod Transference
57.8% ~ 1st Fill HTMC Hogshead ~ 10yo ~ Highland ~ £65.00
Admiring the scent of carnations wrapped in fresh linen, we became enamoured with the scent of fresh skolebrød passing by. The baked Norwegian treat translated on to the palate, to be joined by golden syrup, baked orange and stewed apples. Water gave the scent of a new basketball, papaya, toast and a mango decorated with calligraphy ink. The palate now placed more emphasis on orange, with an accompanying cup of black tea and sliced tropical fruits… read more
19.106 – Let’s Get Bready to Rumble
53.0% ~ 2nd Fill Ex-PX Barrique ~ 13yo ~ Highland ~ £85.00
The initial aroma reminded us of a multivitamin juice of blended carrots, orange and turmeric next to muesli with dried strawberries and orange marmalade on white bread. On the palate this was sweet, with fresh notes of sour candy, highland toffee, ginger crystals, candied oranges and a long, sweet maltiness in the finish. After reduction, a basket of various breads – sourdough, pumpernickel, multigrain and ciabatta with herb butter – came to the fore… read more
35.401 – Sugar-Coated Confoundment
59.3% ~ 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel ~ 11yo ~ Speyside ~ £59.00
Not what we were expecting – but a pleasant surprise nonetheless; the nose had confectionery (tooty frooties, rainbow drops, butterscotch), vanilla custard slice and apples stored in wood. More vanilla reached our palates (cream horns, pastel de nata) alongside abundant fruit – bananas mashed with golden syrup, custard apple, gooseberry and grappa – while gentle nutmeg, coconut and oak teased the finish. With water, the nose presented a curious mix of syrupy rice cakes and dolly mixtures, perfumed cigarettes, pink peppercorns and injection-moulded plastic model kits…. read more
36.230 – Country House Complexity
52.6% ~ New American Oak HTMC Hogshead & 1st Fill American Oak Oloroso Hogshead ~ 17yo ~ Speyside ~ £92.00
The starting point for this small batch was two bourbon hogsheads of single malt Scotch whisky. After 13 years one was transferred into a first-fill American oak oloroso hogshead, while the other went into a new American oak hogshead with a heavy toast and a medium char. These casks were then married together for bottling. The result produced heady aromas of snuff and sailing ship-branded aftershave in country houses, clove-studded ham, liquorice-flavoured lozenges and gorse; plus some added zing…. read more
44.191 – Red Stag
60.9% ~ 1st Fill Toasted-Oak Barrique ~ 17yo ~ Speyside ~ £105.00
The neat nose suggested strawberry wine drizzled over sheep’s wool, with hints of balsamic glaze, sweet brisket and venison salami. Lots of deep and funky characters at play, we agreed. Reduction brought cherry cough syrup, camphor, candied hazelnuts and satay sauce. A savoury side emerged too, with bouillon stock and wee sooty touches. When neat, the palate was full of cranberry gravy, venison ramen and pine wood, with a subtle tannic sinew and the balancing sweetness of brown sugar… read more
48.177 – Memories of Holiday and Summer Strolls with Dad
59.3% ~ 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel ~ 12yo ~ Speyside ~ £69.00
Walking through a freshly mown field on a warm summer evening, our noses grazed on pineapple and pear, vanilla and perfume. To taste, though, we dined on nutmeg-infused peach syrup, tangerine zest atop crispy bacon, and sweet cinnamon. Water pulled forward the pear on the nose, while mixing clove into vanilla custard. Water’s influence on the palate was to darken and to dry, giving liquorice and cinnamon icing, a splash of grappa… read more
53.498 – All The Feels
57.2% ~ 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon Hogshead ~ 15yo ~ Islay ~ £99.00
We found an immediately classical and comforting profile full of pink antiseptic cream, gelatinous peaty notes and medicinal qualities such as gauze, mercurochrome and bandages. We also found it to be highly coastal and precise, with seawater and pickling brine. Reduction suggested to us aniseed distillate, a very thick peat smoke, cider apple, a hay loft and iodine. We also felt this one displayed a maturity beyond its years. The neat palate was superbly creamy, thick and peaty, with lovely typical flavours of iodine, phenols, kelp, soy sauce and salt-cured fish… read more
59.94 – Home for the Holidays
62.3% ~ 1st Fill Ex-Oloroso Hogshead ~ 17yo ~ Highland ~ £96.00
This felt homely. We found a comforting, warm lemon sponge on the nose, joined by yesterday’s newspaper on the mantlepiece in an old wood-panelled room, with its thick hessian carpet trodden by leather slippers. The palate was equally embracing, with a triple-stacked toffee – vanilla, treacle and chocolate flavours – dipped in ginger syrup and crowned with freeze-dried hedgerow fruits. Water emphasised raisins and pencil shavings, with a woody nutmeg landing atop grape jelly on honeyed oak… read more
63.188 – Cobblers and Confectioners
58.2% ~ 1st-Fill Ex-Bodega PX Barrique ~ 15yo ~ Speyside ~ £90.00
The Panel stepped into a hybrid workshop as cobblers and confectioners crafted their next commissions; a place where leather and orange oil mingled in the air, accented with pear drops and sugar-roasted hazelnuts. The palate was treacle with coconut shavings, a tickle of mace, cinnamon buns and gingerbread. Water gave us kiln-dried firewood on the nose, joined by green apple, sugar snap peas and cinnamon honey. The palate finished with toasted raisins and treacle stirred into warm custard… read more
68.114 – Fruits of the Earth
59.8% ~ 1st Fill Ex-PX Barrique ~ 14yo ~ Highland ~ £85.00
The nose combined fruits (peaches, persimmons, prunes and fruit loaf) with earthier notes such as jamon, tobacco and wine-stained wood in a tapas bar. The rich, sweet palate had Christmas cake, cinnamon buns, amarena cherries, marmalade, port and churros dipped in dark chocolate. In reduction, the palate developed crème caramel, pastel de nata and a caramel log, with hints of flambéed raisins and bombay mix. The palate, drier now, had fly cemetery fruit slice and dried figs, treacle toffee and liquorice allsorts, finishing with allspice, oak and mustard seeds… read more
68.130 – Ginger Liquorice Herbal Tea
58.4% ~ 1st Fill Ex-Oloroso Barrique ~ 13yo ~ Highland ~ £80.00
We could not quite get our heads round this one, so we settled on mixing a Tom Collins cocktail using gin, blood orange and lemon juice, as well as Thai basil leaves. The taste was creamy, with a hint of spice from crispy churros coated with cinnamon sugar or spiced strawberry and cranberry jam. After reduction, the scent of white chocolate, baklava and stem ginger mingled, perfectly balanced, with a chocolate and mint muffin. On the palate, golden syrup on a slice of banana and walnut bread was accompanied by a ginger liquorice herbal tea… read more
72.126 – Cheery Cherry Vanilla Pudding
59.3% ~ 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon Hogshead ~ 13yo ~ Speyside ~ £73.50
This opened with plenty of floral and herbal sweetness – lavender petals, patchouli oil and vanilla pods – but at the same time lots of good oak notes and fresh orange slices. On the palate we found further sweetness in the form of creamy caramel, lemon-scented toffee, butter pastries and gorse flower syrup, with a finish of freshly brewed orange blossom oolong tea. Following reduction, we initially noted a hint of star anise before soft floral lavender notes and fuzzy peach aromas took centre stage… read more
78.87 – Like a Back Rub
59.0% ~ 1st Fill Ex-Oloroso Hogshead ~ 10yo ~ Highland ~ £72.50
We rubbed our barbecue ribs with a black beef seasoning, along with the usual ingredients such as salt, pepper, garlic, brown sugar, onion and hot chilli. There was also charcoal in that rub. While waiting for our ribs to cook, we also barbecued smoked bacon lardons, cured meat and venison backstrap in a Worcester sauce marinade. Water added more complexity with aromas of caramelised honey figs, but we soon came back for more meat. This time it was breast of partridge rubbed with a little butter and with a rasher of streaky bacon over the top, all washed down with a salted caramel espresso martini… read more
80.60 – A Gentle Hint
56.5% ~ 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon Hogshead ~ 14yo ~ Speyside ~ £75.00
To start the ball rolling, we poured molten toffee over marshmallows, mixed nuts, lemon zest and ash. The Panel agreed on the presence of peat throughout the tasting. The palate was a platter of sliced pineapple, cut grass, malted loaf, grilled pears and a gentle hint of peat. Water presented lavender and linen on the nose, joined by cold-smoked red apple slices and lemon curd. The palate was now a plate of digestive biscuits, black cherry jam, sweet porridge and a splash of amber ale… read more
85.102 – Mahogany Marquetry
58.2% ~ 1st Fill Spanish Oak Oloroso Hogshead & 1st Fill American Oak Oloroso Hogshead ~ 13yo ~ Speyside ~ £75.00
We followed our noses to the polished mahogany dresser, mixed fennel seeds with plum liqueur, then added a pinch of wet moss, sliced apricot and pine foliage soaked in apple brandy. The palate was a direct flight to Spain, with sherry alongside orange, almonds and apple empanadas. Water introduced chocolate, sugar-dusted ensaïmada drizzled with crème de cassis, and chamomile on the nose. We finished by chewing on red liquorice, supping on a red wine jus, and nibbling set custard with a glass of orange liqueur, sitting by the mahogany dresser… read more
105.51 – Huckleberry Finnale
62.0% ~ 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon Hogshead ~ 10yo ~ Speyside ~ £65.00
Toffees and orange blossom tumbled passed our noses, dropping into tinned peaches spiked with mace, anise and honeysuckle. We tasted sugar snap peas, toffee sauce-dipped wild fennel, pineapples and peanuts. Water served a slice of madeira cake on the nose, with clotted cream on sticky ginger cake and huckleberry taffy to follow. To taste, we now found a dram with less sweetness upfront, but full of cedarwood shavings, nutmeg and pineapple iced tea served in gigantic peanut shells… read more
108.76 – Gathering Seasons and Friends
56.5% ~ 1st Fill Ex-Bodega PX Barrique ~ 16yo ~ Highland ~ £96.00
We imagined having a glass of a crisp white wine following a short, sharp spring shower in a daffodil field. To eat, we enjoyed bacon-wrapped asparagus and Mediterranean grilled stuffed peppers followed by kiwi, banana and lime fruit salad, as well as gooseberry fool. After reduction the aroma was that of a melon medley with slices of cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon, cotton candy grapes and green apple crisps. On the palate we had a cup of barley grass juice or a masala chai with dried ginger and mace. The finish served up banana and raspberry ripple ice cream… read more
112.133 – A Hum of Sweet Smoke
60.7% ~ 2nd Fill Toasted Barrique ~ 8yo ~ Highland ~ £57.00
Smoke? Yes, definitely! Not Islay peat smoke but sweet smoke from light embers after a meat barbecue or from a cigar. There were also plenty of fruity aromas as we spotted a wicker basket full of berries. There was a hum of smoke on the palate too, which we described as maple-candied bacon and a pepper steak stir fry. With water, the smoke faded and turned to an oakier note as we had a slice of toasted sourdough bread with butter and anchovies… read more
112.134 – Ladyfingers and Pop Tarts
55.6% ~ 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon Hogshead ~ 17yo ~ Highland ~ £105.00
The nose, although immediately enticing, turned out to be complex too – with candied rose petals, dried mango and cinder toffee, Chinese five spice and savoiardi ladyfingers dipped in bourbon-laced custard. The mouthfeel was impressive and carried flavours of tutti frutti, rhubarb rock, pears in syrup and prunes, with a finish of espresso, ginger snaps, caraway seed and tobacco. The reduced nose suggested sherbet lemons and strawberry pop tarts, a pine forest floor and a sweetie shop next to a florist. We found the palate turning darker and funkier – dark toffee and honeycomb… read more
115.36 – Smoked Sweet Paprika
63.8% ~ 2nd Fill Ex-Oloroso Hogshead ~ 10yo ~ Speyside ~ £70.00
We were greeted by the zesty, fruity note of burnt oranges followed by marzipan, brown sugar garibaldi biscuits, thick set honey and a warm golden syrup cake. On the palate, the fruity liveliness of a cask-matured pear schnapps tickled our tastebuds, while in the finish we found hints of aniseed, lemon zest and ashy smoke. Water added a fresh mineralic scent as well as a spicy dimension via smoke-dried chilli peppers. The taste was that of mushrooms in garlic butter accompanied by a glass of Ribera del Duero Spanish wine… read more
134.19 – Mango Muscavado Memento
58.4% ~ 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel ~ 6yo ~ India ~ £120.00
An abundance of dried mango arrived rolled in dark cane sugar, escorted by apricot jam and marzipan. But deeper layers soon emerged as liquorice sweets joined cocktail bitters, bergamot and bay leaves. Creamy notes unfolded as the mango found its way into a lassi, and flaky filo pastry encased luscious elderflower ice cream. Water guided the mango to one side, allowing poached plums, chocolate orange and muscat dessert wine to come to the fore. Apricot frangipane tarts surfaced amid creamy custard and honey… read more
156.5 – A Glass Full of Summer Vibes
62.1% ~ 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel ~ 9yo ~ Lowland ~ £79.00
A sweet, fresh and fruity aroma greeted the Panel. “A glass full of summer vibes” was one comment, with apple-flavoured boiled sweets, key lime pie and peach melba. On the palate we found lemon meringue pie, vanilla buttercream and a kiwi and coconut parfait, with plum clafoutis in the finish. Following the addition of water a plum fool emerged, a dessert of lightly cooked sweetened plums and freshly whipped cream served with a crunchy gingersnap on top. The taste was now of vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce in a waffle cone… read more
B5.17 – Go West, Young Man
64.3% ~ New Charred Oak Barrel ~ 7yo ~ Tennessee ~ £74.00
On the nose, we were sawing wood, mostly pine and railway sleepers; as a reward for our efforts we got toffee nut brittle and chocolate-covered fondant eggs. The palate combined a juicy sweetness (pecan pie, hard toffee sweets and cherry bubblegum) with a dry, spicy element of liquorice, menthol and mace. The reduced nose had us jogging along in a covered wagon through the California redwoods, enjoying cinder toffee, walnut fudge and cherry cake… read more
R9.14 – Thunder and Lightning Scones
63.4% ~ Re-Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel ~ 15yo ~ Panama ~ £82.00
Warm baking spices next to vanilla syrup, honey and marzipan were the initial aromas mentioned. Given time, the scents of nutmeg, bananas and a soft, lightly musky note of cashmere wool appeared. We were all surprised by the spiciness on the palate neat; pepper, ginger and cinnamon. There was also sweetness in the form of a warm ‘thunder and lightning’ scone. Water released the scent of a blackcurrant frangipane tart, vanilla slices, cognac liqueur-grilled orange slices and barbecued mangoes with pistachio nuts and honey… read more
G10.44 – Coffee and Cake
59.1% ~ 1st Fill STR Barrique ~ 19yo ~ Lowland ~ £79.00
We followed our noses to the local café, ordering a cup of coffee, a slice of madeira cake drizzled with clove-infused toffee sauce and toasted ciabatta loaded with crispy bacon. The palate was as full as the nose suggested, with notes of rye, hibiscus, bubblegum and mango. Water offered barley sugar sweeties on the nose, with orange oil and malt loaf. The palate finished lighter, with white chocolate and pencil shavings, followed by lime and lemon bonbons. After 16 years in an ex-bourbon barrel, we transferred this to a shaved, toasted and re-charred first fill American oak barrique… read more
G15.30 – Pleasing and Delightful
62.1% ~ 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel ~ 8yo ~ Highland ~ £50.00
A bourbon vanilla sweetness – combined with a lightly spiced pinewood aroma, the scent of a new marble slab and oak-aged matured pear schnapps – made this a pleasing and delightful offering. On the palate neat, we enjoyed a combination of highly flavoursome oak with vanilla and coconut cream, followed by a peppery, spicy kick in the finish. This takes water well and, following reduction, we found crème caramel, shortbread, lemon tea biscuits and linden blossom essential oil on the nose. To taste, grapefruit came sprinkled with sea salt and crispy green apples… read more
GN7.3 – An Artsist, An Apothecary and a Triple-Sec Mule
49.9% ~ 2nd Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel ~ 1yo ~ England ~ £39.00
The neat nose evoked grappa and kümmel (caraway), lemon and mandarin skins, some juniper and opening an artist’s paint box (paints, turps, linseed oil). The palate was smooth, juicy and fresh-flavoured, with lemon drops, pineapple, sugar-coated fennel seeds, cinnamon toothpaste and hints of cherry throat sweets. To the nose, adding water suggested an apothecary’s leather bag, a waxed jacket (in a cleaning cupboard) and a triple-sec mule with lime and ginger beer. The palate seemed to become fresh and salty – clear boiled mints or licking your lips after a dip in the sea… read more
RW6.1 – Finnish “Slapped Ears”
55.4% ~ New Charred Oak Barrel ~ 6yo ~ Finland ~ £85.00
Initially we felt like opening a jar of tomato and basil chutney made with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, ginger and brown sugar. Given time the sweetness of a Finnish cinnamon roll called korvapuusti (which translates as “slapped ears”) appeared. We certainly found cinnamon on the palate. Combining this with tea tree oil, hibiscus tea and heather honey and sure enough we had a delicious proposal. Following dilution, we found freshly baked pumpernickel bread and blueberry scones on the nose before we enjoyed a glass of sweet vermouth… read more