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Hello my fellow whisky lovers! It’s time to raise a glass and celebrate, because the Scotch Malt Whisky Society is turning 40 this year! And what better way to mark this milestone than with a a yearlong journey exploring SMWS 40th anniversary releases – a range of limited edition bottles that are sure to tantalize your taste buds and delight your senses. I couldn’t be more thrilled to share with you SMWS’ limited releases, each one carefully selected and bursting with flavor. So, grab a dram and get comfy, and join me as I take you through the first release – the Maverick!
If you’re a whisky aficionado or a regular reader of my blog, you may have heard of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (affectionately shortened to SMWS). A membership-based whisky club founded in 1983 by Pip Hills, the society is all about celebrating scotch whisky in all its glory. It’s a great place to connect with like-minded whisky enthusiasts, attend tastings and events, and discover new and exciting whiskies. What’s really great about the Society is that it’s not just about the whisky itself; it’s about the culture and the community that has formed around it.
To read more about Pip’s journey with whisky, check out his book, The Founder’s Tale: A Good Idea and a Glass of Malt.
- If you’re thinking about joining SMWS, get the full breakdown of all the membership benefits!
- and, now is the perfect time to join SMWS! Use promo code: MAVERICK40 and get 40% off your annual membership until March 31, 2023. That makes it only 51 GBP!
Without further ado, onto the first release of the 2023 Limited Edition bottlings!
Maverick 40th Anniversary Bottling
This first bottling pays homage to our maverick whisky pioneer, founder Pip Hills, who’s always pushing the boundaries and exploring new frontiers in the world of single malt. This bold and exciting Speyside malt is aged 12 years, and bottled at 50% ABV. The small batch blends doesn’t get assigned a flavour profile, but if we had to, we’d categorize it with Deep, Rich & Dried Fruits!
From a Speyside single malt sleeping in a refill bourbon hogshead, over to a selection of Spanish oak hogsheads (first fill Oloroso and second-fill PX), the result is a dark and delicious blend, and a true celebration of a sherry cask!
SMWS Tasting Notes:
The aromas of freshly waxed, natural marble floors, mosaics and terrazzo tiles were followed by a fruity scent from apricots, peaches and plums, before a cup of Assam tea and fig, apple and raisin bread pudding joined the party…
For the full tasting notes or if you’ve already decided to purchase this bottle (priced nicely at 65 GBP)… โคต๏ธ
My thoughts:
First nose: gorgeously sweet fruits mixed with some tea (I got the waxed marble floors that the experts did on the second nose, but everbody’s different…)
On the palate, I got some apricots with a richness I couldn’t identify, but there was definitely a tartness that cut through the sweetness in a lovely balance. With a drop of water, it mellowed some of the intense richness and I was left with a beautiful dessert.
Honestly, delicious and complex, I personally loved the blending of the Oloroso and PX sherry casks. But was it a wild, unexpected dram that pushed the boundaries like a Maverick? Not quite to that extreme, but I’ll say the SMWS limited releases are off to a roaring start with the Maverick, and I can’t wait to see what the next release holds!
Parting Thoughts on SMWS 40th Anniversary Releases
These special releases are part of Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s 40th anniversary celebration this year. You may have seen their celebrations kicking off on social media, with members from 13 different countries arriving to the Vaults in Leith to experience and create some tasting notes for some of the special releases this year. (HOW FUN!!!). And although it hasn’t been announced yet, the celebrations will reach its peak at The Gathering (held in September), the annual celebration of whisky, community, and good times.
So, until the next release, let’s all raise a glass to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society on its 40th birthday in the wonderful world of whisky. Slรกinte!
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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