SCOTCH & SHERRY – INSIDE THE SOLERA: The age-old solera system is fundamental to the world of sherry production, with an intricate process designed to ensure a consistent and complex final product, while also capturing the essence of an individual bodega’s history in every bottle. It’s also found its fans in the world of whisky maturation, as Richard Goslan reports.
SMWS WHISKY TEAM – SOLERA INSPIRED: The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s Whisky Team has taken inspiration from the bodegas of Jerez and the ‘sherry triangle’ to create its own small-scale solera system, now taking shape at our maturation warehouse in the heart of Scotland’s Central Belt.
‘HERESY’ SMALL BATCH DELIGHTS – SPANISH SPLENDOUR: Spanish Splendour is the latest addition to the Society’s non-standard ‘Heresy’ series of small-batch bottlings, and even for this collection, it is a bit of an unusual expression as it is a single malt rather than a blended malt. Hailing from the Scottish Highlands, Spanish Splendour will provide you with just the right amount of fruity decadence to celebrate the arrival of autumn, as Julien Willems explains.
WHISKY KNOWLEDGE – CASK VARIETY: There are plenty of things that make The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s single malt bottlings special – their individuality, their variety and of course their rarity. It’s no secret that lots of the magic takes place during the spirit’s maturation, but it might come as a surprise just how many strings the Society’s Whisky Team have to their bow, as Duncan Gorman reports.
GLOBAL GATHERING: Gathering month is upon us here at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, meaning it’s a time to come together and embrace the wonderful community spirit within our whisky world. Society writer Duncan Gorman reveals some of the highlights to watch out for in this jam-packed month of festive fun.
UNSUNG HEROES – BALMENACH: The Speyside region is home to some of the most famous names in Scotch malt whisky – think The Glenlivet, Glenfiddich and The Macallan, to mention but three. It is also, however, home to a significant number of whisky-making facilities that are altogether more obscure, and Balmenach is most certainly one such distillery. In the start of a new series on lesser-known distilleries, Gavin D Smith shines the light on this unsung hero of Speyside.
PARTNER BAR – THE LAST WORD, NEW ZEALAND: Scotch Malt Whisky Society partner bar The Last Word is an essential destination for members and whisky lovers in the historic New Regent Street Precinct in Christchurch. Michael Fraser Milne, who heads up the SMWS NZ branch as well as being ‘director of spiritual matters’ at Whisky Galore, explains why.