55.82 The Storm Before The Calm

Scotch Malt Whisky Society cask 55.82, The Storm Before the Calm, is a 15 year old Highland single malt from the Royal Brackla distillery (SMWS distillery code 55). Distilled on 21 September 2007, it matured for twelve years in an ex-bourbon hogshead before the Society transferred it to a first-fill Spanish oak oloroso hogshead. It was bottled at a cask strength of 55% ABV, with an outturn of 251 bottles. Placed in the Society's Spicy & dry profile, it opens like mulled red wine with almonds, raisins and seeds, delivers a big, bold, slightly funky palate, and then - as the name suggests - calms with water into frankincense, polished wood, leather, creamy Assam tea and fruit cake. Like every SMWS bottling it is unchill-filtered at natural cask strength.

Nose: Red wine gløgg with almonds, raisins and pumpkin seeds; diluted, sweet frankincense, polished wood and clean leather saddles

Palate: Big and bold with a hint of funk; with water creamy, with Assam tea and fruit traybake

Serve: Neat, then with a few drops of water; at full cask strength it opens up noticeably with a little dilution.