The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is showcasing its reputation for bottling an ever-changing spectrum of spirits and flavours by releasing B4.1 ‘Comforting coconut, bountiful banana’, a bourbon from a new distillery to the Society, based in Chicago.
As well as bottling single cask malt whiskies, the Society regularly explores different spirits such as rum and brandy. As with all of The Society’s whiskies, the releases are all single cask, limited edition releases and there only 114 bottles of its newest bourbon, B4.1 ‘Comforting coconut, bountiful banana’, available in the world.
From the Society’s Spicy & Sweet flavour profile, the 3-year-old bourbon was matured in a new charred oak cask which evokes a taste of coconut macaroons and Walnut Whips.
B4.1 ‘Comforting coconut, bountiful banana’ is the 16th bourbon the Society has released to date and goes on-sale this Friday 5th February.
B4.1 ‘Comforting coconut, bountiful banana’
Flavour Profile: Spicy & sweet
Drinking Tip: Not a bad idea to try this with an ice cube or two.
Age: 3 years
Date Distilled: 11 May 2012
Outturn: 1 of 114 bottles (72 UK)
Cask: New charred oak
Region: Chicago
Alcohol: 62.6%
Bottle Price: £65
Colour: Fiery redhead
Full tasting notes:
The nose was welcoming, sweet and fruity – dried mango, corn candies, bubble gum, vanilla pastries and bountiful banana (banana chips, foamy banana, banana toffee); black pepper and liquorice in the background. The neat taste was ‘fierce’ and ‘explosive’, with quinine, tree bark and resins balancing coconut, cola cubes, red laces, cherry lips and Dandelion and Burdock. On the reduced nose, a charred element brought a frisson of danger and excitement to the sweet, homely aromas of white chocolate, toffee popcorn and pecan pie. The palate was more rounded and comforting – coconut macaroons and Walnut Whips fronting leather and willow twigs.
• The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is an international whisky club which bottles the world’s widest selection of single cask, single malt whisky for its members. Membership costs £122 a year and is available at www.smws.com
