SMWS SWITZERLAND June 2018 FLAVORS FOR THE SUMMER smws.ch WELCOME My team and I are proud to present our first Outturn to you in the new design. The Outturn is packed with new bottlings – including the festival bottlings for Feis Ile and SpeyFest 2018. We hope you enjoy reading through it and discovering new things. We’ve also set up our new website and online store. Hopefully, we’ve sorted out as many teething problems as possible. Still, in the event you discover something please let us know. You’ll have to set up a new password to be able to log in to the new web store. Simply enter your user name, click on «Forgot password» and then follow the instructions in the email you’ll receive. Of course, you can also send us your order by regular mail, fax, email or by phone. The only thing that has changed is our address, all other contact details have remained identical. Sincerely, Patric Lutz & Team SPICY & DRY CASK NO. 107.13 ANDALUSIAN GAZPACHO First we noticed the bright golden autumn reddish/brown leaf colour before the engrossing scent of an Andalusian gazpacho followed by Moroccan beef stew with figs, almonds, dried fruits, olives and plenty of red wine made us all lick our lips to try it. Big, chewy and meaty like a pot-roasted beef with prunes and balsamic vinegar served with basil and pine nuts garnished gnocchi. Water added that ‘Christmassy feel’ of mince pies with orange and almond pastry as well as chocolate covered raisins, whilst the taste was that of rich coffee and date walnut cake and in the finish, orange & honey glazed dry roasted macada- mia nuts. 9 YEARS Bottled 2018 65.0% REFILL BUTT Outturn 624 bottles WOOD: OLOROSO CHF 89.– SPEYSIDE LIGHTLY PEATED CASK NO. 53.248 SLAPPED BY POSEIDON’ S GLOVE The sound of waves crashing against jagged rocks could be heard from the glass as a heavy mist of salty sea spray smacked the face like a slap from Poseidon’s glove. The smoke from burning heather whirled over rock pools before swirling around the thick tar that defiantly protected a sturdy wooden pier leaving lobster nets open to the full ravaging of the sea. The smoke permeated deep into our senses; a sweet reek that embraced salted caramel and the chewy familiarity of a charcoal pencil. Strong herbal notes stirred from the depths as fennel seeds spun with rosemary, sage and thyme before joining liquorice stick dipped in salt on the finish. 11 YEARS Bottled 2018 58.0% REFILL HOGSHEAD Outturn 304 bottles WOOD: BOURBON CHF 115.– ISLAY PEATED CASK NO. 3.308 A MARITIME MEANDER The nose was a maritime meander – waxed jackets by the seafood shack, beach bonfire burnt sticks and trawlers in the harbour – also coal-tar shampoo and one panellist got tea-tree, eucalyptus and mescal. The palate, notwithstanding Bakewell tarts and blackcurrant sweets, had powerful brush-strokes of smoke, ash and tar, burnt cork and salted liquorice – enough to satisfy the socks off any peat-freak. The reduced nose – oysters on a ferry, lemon bonbons, lavender, putty and Bovril. The palate now rewarded us with moist gingerbread, clove and salted pretzels – a night-cap dram to evoke ‘the tangle o’ the Isles’ and ensure Hebridean dreams. 13 YEARS Bottled 2018 57.9% 2ND FILL HOGSHEAD Outturn 258 bottles WOOD: BOURBON CHF 129.– ISLAY PEATED CASK NO. 10.140 TASTE BUD-STIMULATING SMOKE We imagined a bonfire barbeque on a pebble beach – aromatic, taste bud-stim- ulating smoke drifting over rock-pools – hot steaming stones and hickory chips provoked a sense of anticipation, as it seemed a magnificent feast was being pre- pared for us – prawns, langoustines, scallops and lobster – all sizzling on the char- coal heat. We couldn’t wait – but this dram kept us amused – tasting of smoke and liquorice, sweet and salty popcorn, teriyaki shrimp and lemon squeezed over grilled tuna steaks – intensely tasty – and with a drop of water, exceedingly more- ish. After 9 years in ex-bourbon wood we transferred this into a first-fill Moscatel hogshead. 10 YEARS Bottled 2017 60.7% 1ST FILL HOGSHEAD Outturn 276 bottles WOOD: MOSCATEL CHF 99.– ISLAY PEATED CASK NO. 42.42 WAITER… THERE’ S ASH IN MY COFFEE! Like sitting atop a campfire we found ourselves engulfed in plumes of scented wood smoke and airborne ash. A salty twang brought the maritime imagery of fish crates and oyster shells on wet sand, perhaps whilst drinking a mocha coffee. The palate carried a tingly spice and the charcoaled sensation of burnt twigs but with the fruity lift of raspberries and blackcurrants with dark chocolate sauce. The finish took a swing towards drier realms and introduced liquorice and burnt herbs with a lingering reek that became sweeter and very moreish with time. After spending 8 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead this was transferred to a new oak barrique for the remainder of its maturation. 9 YEARS Bottled 2017 61.2% NEW OAK BARRIQUE Outturn 276 bottles WOOD: FR FINE M+ CHF 99.– HIGHLAND DEEP, RICH & DRIED FRUITS CASK NO. 35.203 FERIA DE JEREZ A deep amber colour built up our expectations and we were certainly not disappointed. A full aroma of roasted sweet potatoes with dried figs and a rum baba with caramelised apples and Chantilly cream awaited us. The taste neat was massive, chewy, and lively; dark chocolate covered figs and Sherry soaked Medjool dates. With water we were transported to the Feria de Caballo de Jerez a stunning display of the finest horses, riders in traditional costume on expensive leather saddles, the air filled with Flamenco music and impregnated by the smell of Sherry. An experience for all your senses - and yes, there were some fireworks going off too! 21 YEARS Bottled 2017 60.1% REFILL BUTT Outturn 720 bottles WOOD: OLOROSO CHF 155.– SPEYSIDE DEEP, RICH & DRIED FRUITS CASK NO. 78.41 A REAL SHERRY MONSTER The nose took us to straight sherry-land – raisins, figs, fruit cake, cinder toffee, custard flan, sweet pipe tobacco, almond biscuits and Madeiran molasses cake – a resonating cello of a dram. The neat palate was a real sherry monster – treacle toffee, PX, muscovado, liquorice, Eccles cakes and tongue-etching coal tar – fire-breathing dragons arrived from the bodegas of Jerez. With water however, the nose became syrupy sweet – crème brûlée crust, caramel wafers, bramble cheesecake and date loaf – actually a pleasure in its own right. The palate became candy sweet – tablet, chocolate brownie and toffee; an after-tingle of ginger cake – now a sheer delight. 19 YEARS Bottled 2017 57.1% REFILL BUTT Outturn 726 bottles WOOD: OLOROSO CHF 125.– HIGHLAND JUICY, OAK & VANILLA CASK NO. 123.21 PLAYFUL DELIGHT On the nose neat an array of aromas surprised the Panel and descriptors ranged from a tangy blood orange sage Martini over a lemon & lime drizzle cake to brandy soaked raisins and figs in rum syrup. The taste revealed a sim- ilar diversity from bramble jam, dried oranges, Swedish limpa rye bread with marmalade, molasses and anise to fresh fruit chutney. With water we imagined holding a buttercup flower under our chin before aromas of lemon sherbet jammy dodgers, mixed fruit flavoured Turkish delight appeared. On the palate now coconut-almond sweet rolls and a moist nutty banana bread with rum soaked raisins. 9 YEARS Bottled 2017 62.0% 1ST FILL BARREL Outturn 234 bottles WOOD: BOURBON CHF 84.– HIGHLAND LIGHT & DELICATE CASK NO. 96.15 LIVELY AS A BASKET OF BEES The nose is sweet and mild – apricot jam, dried mango and fruit gums, custard slice and raspberry sauce on vanilla ice-cream – quite summery and floral too. The palate starts sweet and citric – orange peel, lemon pastry tart – the Haribo dummies and sherbet notes make it lively as a basket of bees. Slowly it develops perfumed notes and eventually tobacco strands and pick- led ginger. The reduced nose is on the green and citric side of fruity, but you can also find honey, chocolate Swiss roll and Oreos. The palate is now sweet, easy and delightful, with playful effervescence and mild lip-tingling heat. 11 YEARS Bottled 2017 59.7% REFILL BARREL Outturn 210 bottles WOOD: BOURBON CHF 89.– SPEYSIDE OLD & DIGNIFIED CASK NO. G14.3 LIGHT, FINE AND SCULPTED The nose is utterly fascinating and appealing – it has frosted corn cereals and clover honey; it’s bourbon-like (in a good way) and it evokes something celebra- tory – wedding cake and polished dance floors. The velvet smooth palate per- fectly balances Demerara, candy corns and cola cube sweetness with the slight bitterness of wood (tea chests, cigar boxes). A drop of water shifts the nose into something light, fine and sculpted – an artist’s studio (oil paints, canvas), a jeweller’s work bench, moonlit wheat fields, old Calvados and rum and raisin marshmallows. But water slightly highlights the bitterness on the palate – so maybe just don’t. 30 YEARS Bottled 2017 48.7% REFILL BARREL Outturn 174 bottles WOOD: BOURBON CHF 185.– LOWLAND SPICY & SWEET CASK NO. 2.104 DECLARATIONS OF THE HEART The nose gave us apples, pears and fresh, open grasslands, varnished pine and bas- ketry and then vanilla candles and parchment – reminiscent of nights spent writ- ing declarations of the heart; composing poetic passion by proxy. The palate had delicious pear Belle Hélène (pear, ice-cream and chocolate) and juicy pineapple, with a Victory V, hot-cross bun and ginger snap spice that warmed the cockles of that heart. The reduced nose – apple crumble with brown sugar, cinnamon and hazelnuts; cinema popcorn and candied angelica.