8.46 Sweet Strawberry Syrup

Scotch Malt Whisky Society cask 8.46, Sweet Strawberry Syrup With A Lemon Tang, is an 8 year old single cask single malt Scotch whisky from the Tamdhu distillery in the Speyside region (SMWS distillery code 8). Distilled on 19 November 2015, it was matured in a first-fill ex-bourbon barrel. It was bottled at cask strength, 59.8% ABV in a 700 ml bottle, with an outturn of 162 bottles, and the Society files it under its Young & spritely flavour profile. Bright and fruity, it opens with lemon shortbread, vanilla fudge and macerated strawberries, and the palate delivers strawberry syrup and lemon curd; water leans into lemonade, cream and butterscotch. Like all Society bottlings, it is presented without chill filtration.

Nose: Lemon shortbread, vanilla fudge and sugared strawberries with citrus zest; water brings old-fashioned lemonade, chantilly cream and butterscotch

Palate: Sweet strawberry syrup with a lemon tang, crumpets with lemon curd and clotted cream; water adds Greek yogurt with lemon compote, Lady Grey tea and jam-filled brioche

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