44.180 A Forage Into Orange

Scotch Malt Whisky Society cask 44.180, A Forage Into Orange, is a single cask single malt Scotch whisky from Craigellachie in Speyside (SMWS distillery code 44). Distilled on 31 May 2005, it spent 15 years in ex-bourbon wood before further maturation in a new oak hogshead with a heavy #4 char, and was bottled at 18 years old. It was bottled at a cask strength of 60.1% ABV, with an outturn of 252 bottles. The Society files it under its Deep, rich & dried fruits flavour profile. True to its name, orange runs throughout: maple candy and duck à l'orange on the nose, then Jaffa cakes, orange jelly babies and bitter-orange liqueur with vanilla and espresso on the palate. Water adds charcoal, sauna wood and clove, then mandarin cheesecake and spiced rum. Like every Society bottling it is bottled at cask strength without chill filtration.

Nose: Maple candy, barley sugar, golden syrup and duck à l'orange; water adds hay barns, charcoal, sauna wood and clove

Palate: Jaffa cakes, orange jelly babies, bitter-orange cognac liqueur, vanilla and espresso; water brings mandarin cheesecake, spiced rum, black pepper and tobacco

Finish: Sugared fennel seeds and crystallised ginger

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