At the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, we’ve never been shy about experimenting with cask maturation. Over the years, we’ve explored just about every cask type imaginable - and discovered time and again how a great whisky can be shaped by an exceptional cask.
As everyone knows, we have a long-standing love affair with sherry casks and the flavour results still surprise and delight us today. Rich, layered, and full of character - it’s a formula we know works. But that got us thinking: if sherry casks can do this much, what about other fortified wines?
With Fortified: Adventures in Australian wine casks, we’ve taken that question to the other side of the world - exploring the impact of casks that once held fortified Chardonnay, tawny wine, and muscat. The result? A new flavour experience, built on the same taste for adventure that defines everything we do.
It’s whisky with a twist. Familiar spirit, unexpected flavour... And you’ll taste it straight away - layer upon layer of unexpected texture, sweetness and spice. Chardonnay brings nutty depth and creamy oak. Tawny wine adds dried fruit, toffee and warmth. Muscat lifts everything with vibrant, floral sweetness. It’s a different kind of cask influence - and a new kind of flavour journey.
Fortified: Adventures in Australian wine casks is a celebration of flavour exploration - where the whisky reaches new levels of complexity and brilliance through its time in far-flung wood.
