Each month we go to great lengths to offer up the ‘cream of the crop’ of casks out of Scotland, Japan, America, Wales, Ireland, and recently France! Our Outturns truly offer up the best of the best for members. While no cask is objectively ‘better’ than any other (such is the journey of sampling all the flavour profiles) some of our releases are something very special and limited in release that I feel making just a wee bit of noise about!
Feis Ile, a festival of music and malt in Islay each year, is an opportunity for each Islay distillery to showcase something truly remarkable as a special yearly release. That’s no different for the Scotch Malt Whisky Society as this year we bottled 127.44 ‘Cantina Mexicana’ as a remarkable twelve year old Port Charlotte spirit from the Bruichladdich distillery. A heavily peated spirit matured exclusively in a second fill ex-Oloroso sherry butt and then bottled at natural cask strength of 65.9% (!!!).
The UK tasting panel said of this release:
The powerful nose transports us to the ‘The Great Outdoors’ – campfires and their dying embers on an autumnal evening – commingling with fresh pine needles on a warm breeze. Campfires became BBQ’s – smoked pork, Manzanilla olives and a leafy rocket side salad with a balsamic dressing.
Patience before feasting eventually reveals a clandestine sweetness – toasted almonds, rock candy and salted Moffatt toffee reveal the cask’s heritage.
On the palate it was smoke pork, especially pork scratchings – initially crisp, salty and dry. The BBQ smoke and nutty sweetness of the nose is mirrored in the palate though tasting transforms the nose into a more perfumed, floral, sherried character.
It becomes incredibly salty and maritime – smoked salmon and rock salt on board an old trawler. Despite the hubbub of the fireside camp found in the nose, the palate is deceptively mild-mannered and like the perfect dinner guest, regales and entertains without overstaying its welcome. The finish is peppery and rich, with cinder toffee, chocolate, liquorice and peppered steak.
If you weren’t able to make it to this year’s Feis Ile, then one sip of this whisky does a very good job of transporting you there.
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The first tastings of 127.44 have been at our incredible network of Partner Bars and may have a dram or two left to sample!
127.44 ‘Cantina Mexicana’ goes on sale for $299 at exactly midday on Friday 4th November, only from www.smws.com.au, and only to members of the SMWS Australia.
There’s never been a better time to be a member of the Society!
