44.174 Sun Drenched Cornucopia

Scotch Malt Whisky Society cask 44.174, Sun-Drenched Cornucopia, is a single cask single malt Scotch whisky from Craigellachie in Speyside (SMWS distillery code 44). Distilled on 9 June 2004, it spent 16 years in an ex-bourbon barrel before being moved to a first-fill barrel with a heavy #4 char, and was bottled at 18 years old. It was bottled at a cask strength of 53.1% ABV, with an outturn of 214 bottles. The Society files it under its Deep, rich & dried fruits flavour profile. Everything seems sun-drenched on the nose: golden syrup, toffee, marzipan, honey, dessert wine and coconut. The palate brings tropical fruit, armagnac-soaked cherries and hibiscus tea, with salted caramel, leather and black coffee underneath on the finish. Like every Society bottling it is bottled at cask strength without chill filtration.

Nose: Golden syrup, toffee, marzipan, honey, vanilla, dessert wine, chamomile, coconut and split logs; water adds bubble gum, cherry lozenges and honeyed porridge

Palate: Tropical fruit, armagnac-soaked cherries, hibiscus tea and toasted marshmallow; water brings candyfloss and calvados-flamed raisins

Finish: Salted caramel, leather, black coffee and oak

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