SMWS 37.67 Tongue tingling treasure

By Barry Bradford on November 24, 2015 • ( Leave a comment )

Cragganmore 29 Years Old 1986 37.67 Tongue tingling treasure (57.6%, SMWS, Refill Bourbon HH, 127 Bottles, 2015)

Category: Speyside single malt scotch whisky
Origin: Cragganmore Distillery
Bottling: Scotch Malt Whisky Society Cask 37.67 Tongue tingling treasure
ABV: 57.6%
Cost: £144.20
Score: 89/100

What they say:

37.67 Tongue tingling treasure

Cask No. 37.67

Different people were transported to different places. Some were in an enchanted forest, the home of fairies and boggarts with magical woodland aromas of Scots pine, gorse, hawthorn, honeysuckle and angelica. Others were on the deck of an old wooden clipper bringing tea and exotic spices back from China. In the taste, like an old secret treasure chest but at the same time an unexpected agility. With a drop of water we were riding Route 66 on a Harley Davidson and at the end of the day enjoyed a bottle of vintage Champagne with this fine balance between excitement and finesse.

Drinking tip: With plenty of time and without interruption

Date Distilled: 11 June 1986 Colour: Liquid toffee Age: 29 years Flavour : Old & dignified Cask Type: Refill ex-bourbon hogshead Whisky Region: Speyside Spey Outturn: 127 bottles

What I say:

Sampled at the SMWS Big November Outturn preview tasting on 10th November 2015

Colour:

Amber 18ct gold (8/20)

Nose:

Massively floral and herbal, Cragganmore at its best, angelica, honeysuckle, heather honey, golden syrup sweetness, sponge pudding and vanilla/victoria sponge cakes with dessicated coconut and vanilla frosting

Taste:

Gently fruity and sweet, apple and pear juice, move into rose syrup, more vanilla sponge cakes in here, crème brulee and coconut icecream, the kind served in the shell, syrupy in mouthfeel a little well-aged oak wood presents as caramel and toffee sauce lightly drizzled over the above, gently herbal and floral – like a herb garden in full bloom gently wafting on a summer breeze – I can almost hear the industrious buzzing of the honey-bees…