SMWS 50.52 Tales of the River-bank

SMWS 50.52 Tales of the River-bank, 23 YO, 53,1 %

We have reviewed a quite a few of the whiskies from the independent bottler SMWS here on Whisky Saga. This independent bottler sure knows how to pick the right casks, most of the time I think.

Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) uses numbers instead of the distillery names on their bottles. Distillery number 50 is Bladnoch.

After my very first visit to Islay my husband and I stayed a few days in Glasgow. Today's whisky was one of the whiskies we tasted at the pub The Bon Accord in Glasgow.

The whisky was matured in a refill bourbon barrel, distilled 10 October 1990 and bottled 2013. The outturn was 106 bottles.

Nose (21/25):An interesting and complex smell. Fruity with orange and dried apricot. Sweet and spicy with vanilla and ginger. Oaky with an alcohol bite. It smelled like a warehouse filled with casks.

Taste (21/25): The taste was sweet, spicy and fruity as well. Caramel, ginger, orange peel and orange.

Finish (20/25): The aftertaste was a bit dry with oak, nutmeg and walnuts. Then it turned more fatty with butter and burned caramel. Quite short at first, but longer lasting taste after a while (after more sips).

Balance (21/25): This was a bit of a peculiar dram. Quite gentle.

Score (83/100)

- Tone