Whisky Focus - SMWS Mark 35th Anniversary With 21 Bottles Chosen By Charlie MacLean

I am sure most of you will know Charlie MacLean, a whisky writer whose special subject is Scotch whisky. As well as writing some of the leading books (See Here) on the subject of whisky, Charlie also shares his enthusiasm and knowledge by giving talks & tastings around the world and after almost 40 years researching, writing and the most enjoyable part, tasting whisky, I am sure there are very few people around with his knowledge of whisky.

Charlie who is based near Edinburgh has been a long time supporter of the the Scotch Malt Whisky Society; he joined the whisky club at its outset in the early 1980s, and became a chair of its renowned Tasting Panel in 1992. In 2016, he curated a selection of 30 rare discontinued whiskies from auction and his own collection for the Society’s Kaleidoscope bar in Edinburgh.

This year, The SMWS is celebrating 35 years since it purchased its first property, The Vaults, in Leith as well as its decision to open membership to the wider public back in 1983 and as part of the 35th anniversary celebrations they asked Charlie MacLean to use his knowledge of whisky to personally select a batch of 21 new single cask bottlings for The Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

The 21 single cask whiskies, which range in age from 8 to 29 year old and feature tasting notes written by MacLean, will go on sale exclusively to the Society’s members around the world from July. As with all Society bottlings, each one is a limited edition having been bottled from single casks of whisky.

Eight of the bottles will be available to members in the UK, including a Loch Lomond Inchmoan 16 year old from the Old & Dignified flavour category called ‘Red carpet welcome’, only the third bottling of Inchmoan from the society it is described as "full-bodied and oily; sweeter and more complex than expected, with dark toffee, pecan nuts and a trace of sea salt in the long, spicy finish"

The eight SMWS 35th Anniversary single cask, cask strength bottlings which will be available to members in the UK are:

• The SMWS Cask No. 135.3
  Loch Lomond Inchmoan 16 year old, Red carpet welcome, Highlands
   
• The SMWS Cask No. 88.10
  Speyburn 8 year old, Complete sweet treat, Speyside
   
• The SMWS Cask No. 68.16
  Blair Atholl 8 year old, Pleasingly precious, Highlands
   
• The SMWS Cask No. 2.108
  Glenlivet 10 year old, The King O' Malts, Speyside
   
• The SMWS Cask No. 66.117
  Ardmore 18 year old, Teasing spicy smoke, Highlands
   
• The SMWS Cask No. 63.46
  Glentauchers 10 year old, A walk in the park, Speyside
   
• The SMWS Cask No. 42.44
  Tobermory 9 year old, Winter warmer, Islands
   
• The SMWS Cask No. 64.103
  Mannochmore 11 year old, All sweetness and light wood, Speyside

Non-members

While the whiskies are only available to SMWS members, the Society is launching two special membership offers for whisky fans keen to buy any of MacLean’s handpicked selections.

Non-members can buy tickets, which include a membership to the Society, to special whisky tastings in Edinburgh and London hosted by MacLean for only £125 here: SMWS 35th Anniversary

The Edinburgh event on Tuesday 3 July features a tasting, food and screening of ‘The Angels’ Share’, the Ken Loach whisky film in which MacLean made a cameo appearance, at the Dominion Cinema.

The London event on Wednesday 4 July includes a tasting in the atmospheric crypt of St Etheldreda’s Church in Ely Place in London.

From Thursday 21 July non-members will also be able to buy a bottle of ‘All sweetness and light wood’, a Mannochmore 11 year old from the Juicy, Oak & Vanilla profile, plus membership, for £99.

For more info on the 21 SMWS 35th Anniversary bottlings and events or to take up the 35th Anniversary membership offer visit The Scotch Malt Whisky Society
 

• UK Shops
   
• USA Shops
   
• European Shops

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