95.93 Truly A Braw Dram

Scotch Malt Whisky Society cask 95.93, Truly A Braw Dram, is a 10 year old single cask single malt Scotch whisky from the Auchroisk distillery in the Speyside region (SMWS distillery code 95). Distilled on 18 October 2012, it spent five years in an ex-bourbon hogshead before transfer to a second-fill oloroso hogshead. It was bottled at cask strength, 61.1% ABV, with an outturn of 271 bottles, and the Society files it under its Deep, rich & dried fruits flavour profile. The Panel likened it to a cranachan made with blackberries, cream and honey; the silky palate offers caramel wafers, ripe plums and baked figs, and water adds stewed apricot, toffee apples and brownies. Like all Society bottlings, it is presented without chill filtration.

Nose: With water, sweet muscat-like florals, stewed apricots, sultana cake and rhubarb trifle

Palate: Silky, with caramel wafers, ripe plums and baked Marsala figs with pine nuts and mascarpone; water brings chocolate-walnut brownies, toffee apples and blackcurrant wine gums

Finish: A sweet millefoglie with basil chocolate ganache

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