Review #785 - SMWS 64.154 'We're All Going on a Summer Holiday' - Mannochmore 16 Year
The vast majority of the production from Mannochmore distillery goes into blends, especially the Haig blend, but we do get a chance to taste this distillate when we turn to independent bottlers. The Scotch Malt Whisky Society has bottled quite a few single casks from Mannochmore - here's the 154th cask, a release which they've named 'We're All Going on a Summer Holiday.'
This distillery was built in the early 1970s with efficiency in mind, in contrast to its older sister distillery Glenlossie. It's quite a large distillery these days - 10 years or so ago, the capacity was expanded to roughly 6 million litres per annum, based on the eight stills used in production. Despite that desire for efficiency back when the plant was built, Mannochmore now uses a relatively long 100 hour fermentation in their process, which should give this whisky a brighter, more estery side.
The spirit in this cask was distilled back in 2008, and the first 13 years of maturation were spent in a standard ex-bourbon hogshead. After that, roughly 3 more years were spent in a first fill HTMC (high-toast, medium char) hogshead, which should add a nice wood impact to this whisky.
SMWS 64.154 'We're All Going on a Summer Holiday' - Mannochmore 16 Year
Scotland/Speyside - Single Malt
Price: USD 170 (2025)
Age Statement: 16 Years
Strength: 55.7% ABV
Cask Makeup: Ex-bourbon hogshead, finished in a first fill high-toast, medium-char hogshead
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; distilled May 14, 2008; 269 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 5 months; bottles at 100%, 80%, and 70% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Strong perfumed oak notes, quite woody, a bit of wood polish. Lots of sweet fruit behind that: peach, nectarine, oranges to start, then passionfruit and a hint of prune later. It's slightly musty, and we get vanilla, brown sugar, and a whiff of candied pecans.
Palate: Peppery polished oak, quite waxy in both flavor and texture, and some antique polished furniture. Peach and mango combine with chili powder for a sweet-spicy element, and floral heather notes are accented by vanilla. Again, we get a tropical passionfruit at the end, but it's quite oak-forward in general. The mouthfeel is medium-thick.
Finish: Warming, still quite oaky, lots of polished wood and leather. Cranberries, oranges, tinned peach, and tangy nectarine keep the fruity side going, and we get almond and some malty grain on the back end. The aftertaste has a fizzy element; it's a long finish.
Final Note: This is another example of why Mannochmore is becoming one of our favorite distilleries to seek out from the SMWS. We enjoy a whisky with a nice oak influence, and these teenage Mannochmores always seem to present as older than their age statement would suggest. There's moderate complexity here but nothing outrageous; we also love that semi-tropical fruit element in the background, especially the stone fruits. A good combination of sweetness and wood spice; this is a great whisky.
Value is a little below average due to the higher price point of $170. Value, at least the way we calculate it, does tend to erode at these sorts of prices, though, and we think this Mannochmore is a good way to spend that sort of money. This specific cask is sold out, but because of our good experience here and with other whiskies from the distillery, we'll be on the lookout for more of these releases.
Our Rating: 8.0 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 5.78
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
Check out our other Mannochmore reviews:
Review #599 - Single Malts of Scotland Mannochmore 16 Year Single Cask - Storied Company Selection
Review #578 - SMWS 64.149 'A Cake Walk in the Black Forest' - Mannochmore 17 Year
Review #250 - SMWS Distillery 64 Rare Release 'Luscious Velvet' - Mannochmore 15 Year
