SMWS Distillery 68 Rare Release Bake Off 2008 14 Year Old

SMWS “Bake-Off” is a 14-year-old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky released as the Society’s Distillery 68 Rare Release for the 2023 Highland Whisky Festival. Distilled on 22 February 2008, this small-batch release combines whisky matured in first-fill and refill Oloroso sherry and bourbon hogsheads. Bottled at 53.5% ABV with an outturn of only 1,174 bottles, it sits in SMWS’s Deep, Rich & Dried Fruits profile, delivering baked pastries, dark fruits, chocolate, honey and warming spice. 

Food Pairing: Pair with fruitcake, cinnamon pastries, dark chocolate, sticky toffee pudding, roasted walnuts, mature cheeses or orange-and-chocolate desserts.

Tasting Notes: Rich and dessert-like, combining confectionery, baked pastries and dried fruit with Oloroso-driven richness, warming spices, chocolate and citrus.

Nose: Lemon sponge cake with pomegranate molasses, coffee crème caramel and aromatic Oloroso character, developing into cherries, marzipan and orange liqueur.

Palate: Hot cross buns, fig jam and cinnamon pastries combine with rich trifle, runny honey and fruit compote, followed by dark chocolate, Turkish delight and candied walnuts with water.

Finish: Long, warming and richly sweet, with lingering citrus, dark chocolate, dried fruit and baking spice.

Serve: Enjoy neat initially, then add a small amount of water to reveal additional rum fudge, ginger cake, peppermint, leather and tobacco notes.