42.83 Muscovado Pipe Tobacco

Scotch Malt Whisky Society cask 42.83, Muscovado Pipe Tobacco, is a single cask single malt Scotch whisky from Tobermory in the Highlands (SMWS distillery code 42). Distilled on 5 April 2006, it spent 14 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead before moving to a Spanish oak oloroso hogshead that had previously matured whisky from distillery 29, and was bottled at 17 years old. It was bottled at a cask strength of 57.4% ABV, with an outturn of 252 bottles. The Society files it under its Oily & coastal flavour profile. Treacle, rich fruitcake and blackberry liqueur meet tea smoke and Iberico ham on the nose; the palate is briny and oily with Lapsang Souchong and muscovado-sweetened tobacco, finishing on figs, caramel, smoked bacon and miso. Like every Society bottling it is bottled at cask strength without chill filtration.

Nose: Treacle over iced fruitcake, blackberry liqueur, Assam tea smoke and cured Iberico ham; water adds Jamaica cake, pipe tobacco, apple blossom and a hint of peat

Palate: Brine and oil with Lapsang Souchong and muscovado-sweetened tobacco; water adds cocoa nibs and tamarind

Finish: Figs, caramel, smoked bacon and miso

Serve: Neat, then with a few drops of water to open up the aromas; at full cask strength it rewards patience.