SMWS launches Swedish exclusive single cask

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society has released an exclusive single cask malt available only in Sweden.

The 10-year-old ‘Burning scarecrows by the sea’, from the Society’s Peated flavour profile, went on sale on Thursday 12 October on the Society’s online shop and will only be available in Sweden.

As with all Society bottlings of single cask whiskies and other spirits, it is a limited edition, with only 234 bottles available. The Society’s Tasting Panel describe the whisky, which was matured in a refill hogshead ex-Bourbon cask, as having notes of “pebble beach, seaweed, sun-dried driftwood, bonfire, smoked mackerel and cigar boxes”on the nose, with“blow-torched pineapple and toasted marshmallows”on the palate.

In August, the SMWS launched its first official partner bar at The Ardbeg Embassy in Stockholm. This relationship sees the bar offering Society whiskies and holding monthly Society tasting events.

The tastings take place on the last Wednesday of each month and are hosted by local SMWS ambassador Patrik Axelsson. The next three events are:

• Wed 25 October: Preview tasting of November’s SMWS releases
• Wed 29 November: SMWS Single Cask Spirits tasting featuring rum, bourbon and armagnac.
• Old & rare whisky tasting – sampling old and hard-to-find SMWS whiskies.

The SMWS, which releases around 20 new whiskies and other spirits each month in Sweden, is also staging a tasting at the SPIS restaurant in Kiruna on Saturday 18 November with local SM9WS ambassador Tommy Calner.

In the coming months, the SMWS will announce plans to stage more tasting events in other locations across Sweden, such as Gothenburg.

Local SMWS ambassador Patrik Axelsson says: “The release of ‘Burning scarecrows by the sea’ exclusively in Sweden is a great opportunity for our existing members and other like-minded spirits enthusiasts to enjoy a classic example of the single cask whisky that makes the Society unique.

“Through our tasting events at our partner bar the Ardbeg Embassy and the new selection of whiskies and other spirits we release each month, this is a really exciting time to be a member of the Society in Sweden.”

12 October 2017 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, news editor