Cask 139.5 ‘Midnight espresso’
Euan from the SMWS HQ doesn’t mince words when he admits he’s been chasing Kavalan for years. We finally bottled our first casks from distillery 139 this year (pictured), and they’ve quickly become rare and sought after very quickly, including cask 139.5 Midnight espresso. Thanks to the work of Dr Ian Chang and the late Dr Jim Swan, Kavalan has quickly established itself as one of the most important ‘new world’ distilleries on earth with it’s rich influence, careful cask selection, and fascinating spirit. The full history of this distillery can be read here and remember to savour this 2-chip dram tonight!
Cask 10.167 ‘Western wanderer’
Bunnahabhain is an Islay distillery that reeks of an era of Victorian confidence that is well-overdue for a facelift. For years, their main output has been sweet and lightly-peated releases, but more we’re seeing heavily peated runs. This cask however is an example of where unpeated spirit in single cask form makes for an exciting and complex offering. About 70% of their output still goes into blends like Black Bottle among others, but when you spot a fun Oily & Coastal single cask like this, it’s worth remarking on.
