The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS), has announced the launch of the 30th release - from its experimental small batch Heresy range, which showcases the secondary maturation skills of the club’s whisky team.
SMWS Skooshy Stroopwafel (50% ABV) is an 11 Year Old Speyside single
malt Scotch whisky, which was initially matured in Bourbon hogsheads, before undergoing
a second period of maturation in European oak Sherry butts.
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| SMWS Skooshy Stroopwafel |
The whisky began its journey on April 8, 2013, in Bourbon hogsheads at a Speyside distillery. After eight years of initial maturation, the Society’s Whisky Team found these casks had developed a lovely fruitiness with gentle cereal notes and stone fruit sweetness.
Hunting for deeper, darker flavours, Head of Whisky Creation
Euan Campbell transferred the whisky to four fresh European oak Sherry butts
from the Juan Pino cooperage, each seasoned for 13 months with Pedro Ximénez Sherry,
in Spain’s sherry triangle. The team regularly visit Jerez to taste the wine in
their casks, allowing them to better understand the flavour profiles they would
lend to the whisky and use their expertise to create the final result.
The choice of butts over hogsheads was deliberate - while
European oak Sherry hogsheads can provide quite an intense maturation, the
larger volume of butts allows for a gentler wood influence while still
delivering the sought-after sherry character. After 32 months of additional
maturation, all four butts showed remarkably similar profiles, leading to their
combination into this single bottling.
The marriage of Bourbon and Sherry cask maturation has
created a dram that is said to be both complex and approachable. The society’s
tasting panel found themselves transported to a Belgian fair, with notes of
lotus biscuits, muscovado sugar and whipped cream (known as “skooshy cream” in
Scotland, home of the SMWS, on stroopwafel, all complemented by hints of
pumpkin spice frappuccino.
Limited to 2,382 bottles, SMWS Skooshy Stroopwafel is now
available directly from The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, for a RRP of £55.00.
Posted by Steve Rush