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The seasons are changing, but one thing you can count on, is a great whisky and warm friendships to keep you comfy and cozy on those brisk evenings. Once a year, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society hosts a big event dedicated to great whiskies and and its great community – SMWS The Gathering. Each member room hosts different events each week in September, and I was invited to join the big party in Glasgow – The Gathering goes WEST. I consistently rave about the phenomenal whisky community that the Scotch Malt Whisky Society brings to the table, and the Gathering’s annual event just celebrates that community.
The big Glaswegian party was hosted by the SMWS’s Glasgow Bath Street member room, located at the WEST Brewery. WEST Brewery brews German-style lagers and wheat beers in their Glaswegian home. You’ll often fine WEST Brewery beer on tap at Bath Street. My first whisky tasting at Glasgow’s Bath Street had a special bottling of whisky, which was aged in a WEST dark lager cask. How exactly did that work? (just a quick explanation)
- The whisky started out for 24 years in a former Firkin-cask.
- Then, the guys at Bath Street put a German, Dunkel (dark lager) beer into the barrel (from WEST Brewery), to let the flavors seep into the barrel.
- Then, the beer was taken out.
- And the whisky went back in.
Anyway, if beer gardens, beer halls or just traditional German beers are your thing, swing by WEST Brewery in Glasgow for some drinks and fun! In addition to the drinks, you’ll get to see the super cool building, which formerly housed the Templeton carpet factory. Gotta love an old repurposed building!
Anyway, back to the Gathering!
Table of Contents
1. Glasgow’s SMWS the Gathering: Dinner and Whisky
Of course there’s going to be whisky at the Gathering – it wouldn’t be a whisky community without the piรจce de rรฉsistance, would it? (We’ll get to the whisky…) Similarly, it wouldn’t be a Scotch Malt Whisky Society event without the food! You all know me… my obsession with food (and especially whisky and food) runs deep!
About a week before the event, I got an email asking me to choose my courses for The Gathering’s three-course dinner. It was a tough choice, but I went for:
- Starter: Goat cheese and rosemary tart (alternative: smoked salmon with caper salad);
- Main: Chicken supreme with Heidi-Weisse sauce (alternative: fillet of hake with ratatouille);
- Dessert: WEST apple strudel with ice cream (alternative: chocolate brownie with ice cream).
Somewhere along the way, I lost track of which whiskies were supposed to be paired with which course. However, as whisky aficionados always tell you – you drink your whisky however you like, and don’t let anyone tell you how to enjoy it. Whisky fans aren’t really too fussed about these things, so I’m sure there is a level of forgiveness for the forgetfulness after a night of 6 whiskies.
And now, onto the whisky!
2. The Gathering Whiskies
Everyone get on the bus for great whiskies!
The evening’s official whisky menu had 5 whiskies to enjoy. But there was a SMWS poker chip given to each person, for redemption of a dram at the Old and Rare bar. So, 6 really fine whiskies.
The evening and tastings were hosted by John McCheyne, SMWS Master Brand Ambassador, who’s whisky journey brought him to Islay in 1983, back in the day when single malt whiskies were rare. Without the pandemic, you can find John traveling the world ushering people along in their personal whisky journey. More often than not, you can find him on my fair isle of Islay, working alongside the Islay Whisky Academy.
As our host and emcee, John enthusiastically introduced the whiskies for the evening. For the 5 official whiskies, two of them came from New York (a shock, no??) to start, rounded out by two different Speyside whiskies and a Lowlands whisky, which ranged in age from 4 years (also a shock too!) to 30 years!
2.1 Made in New York, New York – Cask no. 142.1
New York, New York, it’s a helluva town! But also, who knew that there were American whiskey distilleries in New York? I definitely didn’t!
At 6 years old, and yet 66.1% ABV, this was one smooth, young whiskey! Ironically, being the strongest whisky we tried all night, you wouldn’t have known. Not much of an ethanol kick at all, but very sweet, with sugary hints raisins and brownies. The tasting notes included some cough medicine or Virgina tobacco (as specific as that is), but I really only got sweet goodness from it. A whisky website I went to researching this bottling, also included coal-gas, cooked vegetables, sweaty and plastic as its tasting notes. Did I get any sweaty plastic notes? No, definitely not. Maybe my palette isn’t as defined as this whisky website… Either way, it was delightful.
Everyone will always ask me my favorite. Normally I don’t really have one in a tasting. But truth be told, it appeared to be a general consensus among guests that this first whiskey was everyone’s absolute favorite. And that’s not any American bias from me!
2.2 Out of the Ordinary – in a very good way! Cask no. RW2.1
Now, I’ll be the first to admit that most of my whisky drinking career thus far has revolved primarily around single-malt scotches. So this 80% rye, 20% malted barley definitely caught my eye. But, if I’m honest, it wasn’t for me. The name suggested something out of this world, and similarly, the tasting notes pushed the subtitle “in a good way!” and “in a very good way” to raise my expectations to a level which was too high for the whiskey itself.
The tasting notes suggested a very herbal nose and flavor, indicating flavors that I’d expect from a heavy botanical gin – lemongrass, lemon myrtle, lemon balm, and orange peel. That, combined with the initial cask being a new charred oak barrel, there was just a bit too much competing flavors.
While this one wasn’t for me, not every whisky will be – and that’s ok! This one was aged 4 years, and made in New York as well. The rye/malted barley whiskey was at 51.7% ABV.
2.3 Timeless and Magnificent – Cask no. 65.7
Finally a scotch! I’m biased, I know. I was excited to try this 30 year old Speyside. For me, it was a little spicy and peppery, with tasting notes hinting at cardamom and ginger, and caramels. Delightful for a cold evening, but for me, unexpectedly spicy for the evening!
At 52.9% ABV (a lower percentage this evening), it felt surprisingly strong. And actually, even stronger than the first whisky (which was alarmingly 66.1%!). It’s interesting how percentage alcohol doesn’t directly influence how much of an alcohol kick you get out of the drink.
2.4 Seductive Whispers of Oak – Cask no. 97.23
Old whisky lovers rejoice! A second 30 year old scotch to enjoy. This time, a Lowlands whisky, at 58.2% ABV, aged for 30 years in a 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel. Prior to reading the tasting notes for this one, I thought – hmm, this is kind of delightful, with vanilla and toffee flavors. But you know how your sense of taste and smell are heavily influenced by external factors? Well, this one was described as a “chorus of church pews, leather, tobacco strands and spiced rum.” And later on, “sugary espresso dregs.”
And that was it, it was all leather and old church pews from then on. Tasting notes can be a strange thing – sometimes it can help you identify the aromas and tastes that you already know, but can’t put a name to. Other times, like inception, it will plant a seed in your mind that you can never get over. To conclude, this one never moved past the church pews and leather, even though I knew sweeter flavors were there!
2.5 Encased in Leather – Cask no. 35.271
From one leather to another! Just kidding – even though this 25 year old Speyside had leather in the name, it was a softer leather taste than the previous one. This one had more sweet notes of warn baked orange and cinnamon, with some nutmeg and other autumnal spices. At 56.4% ABV, it wasn’t too heavy, and was the perfect dram to finish off the evening. I drank this with my apple strudel, which paired beautifully, with the cinnamony flavors being brought out by the strudel.
3. The Old and Rare Bar
Get yourself to the old and rare bar for some drams that are exactly that – old and rare. With Alan helming the bar, you were sure to get a phenomenal recommendation on what to drink with your free token! Alan is by far one of the most enthusiastic whisky drinkers I’ve met, and the tastings he hosts at SMWS Bath Street are always a delight!
For me and my plus 1, it was “The Three Chocolatiers” (Cask no. 46.99) for a deliciously sweet and smooth 27 year Speyside.
4. Parting thoughts on SMWS The Gathering
What an incredibly fun evening! Everything about the evening was absolutely phenomenal! From the food, to the guided tastings, and then the whiskies! It’s a rarity when you can have a tasting with two 30 year old whiskies (and a 26 year old as a free dram!). Those two 30 year olds are retailing for 495ยฃ. Not suggesting that price equates the quality of the whisky, but wow!! Definitely in the old and rare category!
Before the music started, the room was a bit on the louder side, so I wasn’t really able to chat with the folks at my table. That didn’t diminish the lively feel of the evening. And then, when the band started, it was just such a great vibe! Glaswegian-based The Easy Winners played a great set list, including “You are my Sunshine” from Johnny Cash, and one of my all-time favorite Disney hits – “The Bare Necessities” from the Jungle Book.
All in all, I had a really great evening. I mean, with the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, when do I not? But all joking aside, it’s wonderful to have found a hobby that connects you with a group of fun-loving people, always ready to jump down a whisky rabbit hole with you. The global whisky community that SMWS has created is something extremely special, and I’m grateful to be embraced within this community.
While I was gifted this delightful evening, along with a plus one, all opinions in this piece are my own. I have no obligations to enjoy all of the whiskies I tasted. I am also an affiliate of SMWS, which means should you purchase anything from the links in green, I may receive a small commission from that.
If you’re still on the fence about SMWS membership, feel free to check out some of the other posts I’ve written:
- For those curious about SMWS membership, or those wanting to commit to membership immediately;
- What about pairing surf and turf with whisky?
- Or dessert and whisky? Only the best combo!
Until the next delightful whisky event, I bid you all adieu and slainte mhath! Take care and be safe!
Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.ย She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!ย She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.
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