80.57 Bend To The Will Of The Cask

Scotch Malt Whisky Society cask 80.57, Bend To The Will Of The Cask, is a 14 year old single cask single malt Scotch whisky from the Glen Spey distillery in the Speyside region (SMWS distillery code 80). Distilled on 6 December 2010, it was matured in a first-fill ex-bourbon hogshead. It was bottled at cask strength, 56.8% ABV in a 700 ml bottle, with an outturn of 262 bottles, and the Society files it under its Juicy, oak & vanilla flavour profile. A lighter, oak-led dram: vanilla, spiced marmalade and butterscotch on the nose, then sawn oak, baking spice, toasted coconut and tropical mango and grapefruit on the palate. Like all Society bottlings, it is presented without chill filtration.

Nose: Light, with vanilla, spiced marmalade and butterscotch, then cream soda and foam strawberry sweets; water adds lemon zest, menthol tobacco, pine cones and chamois leather

Palate: Wood-forward, with cupboard spices, fresh-sawn oak, toasted coconut, mango and grapefruit; water adds pineapple, spiced vanilla, sponge cake, wood resin and camphor

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