TASTING: #SMWS “Sensory Adventure Tweet Tasting”

let’s begin

Having been a member of SMWS (Scotch Malt Whisky Society) for years, I jumped at the chance to be involved with a live, interactive tweet tasting to celebrate the public beta of GreatDrams.com on March 13th (lucky for some?)

Three days before the great event each of the ‘hoocherati’ received a care package in the form of a very well designed and thought through box that signals our embarkation on ‘an ever-changing sensory adventure’ with the Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

And wow was this truer than I could have imagined.

 
Opening the box, much like their fantastically well designed membership pack, was an event in itself. First the shirt box-esque outer pack, then you are greeted with SMWS branded tissue paper sealed with a sticker that once opened welcomes you into an ingenious way to pack a bunch of whisky samples; with popcorn.

Inside I found six 60ml samples from single cask Scotch grain whisky and single malt Japanese whisky from these distilleries:

 
Cameronbridge
Strathclyde
Caledonian
Chichibu
Karuizawa
Hanyu
 
The pack sat on my desk in my office for two anxious days as I waited, anticipating, eager to jump in to the samples of both whisky and incredible chocolates made by William Curley of London.
 
Finally the tasting day arrived, I exchanged excitable tweets with John McCheyne, SMWS Brand Ambassador at large, and Joe McGirr, manager of The London Members Rooms of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society and once I had gotten ‘far enough’ with the development work for GreatDrams for one day I set up my ‘tasting space’.

Now, the main event.

 
A gathering of whisky bloggers and enthusiasts collectively logged in to Twitter to congregate around the #SMWS hashtag as be began our six-part quest on this fine evening.
 
First up was the 130.1 titled Dynamic and attractive, which is no longer available through the society, only through auction sites (as most of their xxx.1 releases are nowadays) but here is the product detail:
 
Cask No. 130.1 (Chichibu)
130.1 Dynamic and attractive
Retail price: £123.40
Cask type: First fill ex-bourbon barrel
Age: 4 years
 
Here’s a selection of what we had to say:


Second up was… G4.6 ‘Ray Mears Digestif’ – 55.4% ABV – Single Cask Scotch Grain Whisky from the Cameronbridge Distillery. Date Distilled: 23 February 1988 Colour: 18 carat gold Age: 18 years Flavour : Spicy & sweet Cask Type: Refill ex-bourbon hogshead Whisky Region: Single Cask Grain Whisky

 
Here’s a selection of what we had to say:

 
Third up was… G10.2 Sweet and substantial. Date Distilled: 23 Nov 1977 Colour: Thin marmalade Age: 35 years Flavour : Old & dignified Cask Type: Refill ex-bourbon barrel Whisky Region: Grain
 
Here’s a selection of what we had to say:

Fourth up was… G3.7 Sailing home under a smiling sun. Date Distilled: 17 November 1982 Colour: Apricot mist Age: 30 years years Cask Type: Refill ex bourbon barrel Whisky Region: Single Cask Grain Whisky

 
Here’s a selection of what we had to say:

 
Fifth up was… 132.6 Nite Nurse nipped by piranhas. Date Distilled: 31 December 2000 Colour: Deep ginger gold Age: 12 years years Flavour : Deep, rich & fruity Cask Type: Refill ex-sherry butt Whisky Region: Japan
 
Here’s a selection of what we had to say:

Finally we tasted… 131.2 Magic carpet in a sweetie shop. Date Distilled: 30 June 2000 Colour: Auburn fox tail with crimson lights Age: 13 years years Flavour : Deep, rich & fruity Cask Type: First fill ex-sherry butt Whisky Region: Japan.
 
Here’s a selection of what we had to say:

GreatDrams even had a chance to tease our site pre-launch…
 
Tags: SMWSTweet TastingWhisky
Greg

Greg

My name is Greg, and I’m a brand strategy consultant, writer, speaker, host and judge specialising in premium spirits. My mission is to experience, share and inspire with everything great about whisky, whiskey, gin, beer and fine dining through my writing, my brand building and my whisky tastings.

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