Review #940 - SMWS Blended Batch 13 'Tabanco Time'
The focus of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society has always been single cask, cask strength single malt whiskies; that said, they do bottle other spirits, as well as some blended Scotch whiskies. Here's one of their blended batches: it's a blended malt, specifically, and it's named 'Tabanco Time.' This is the 13th batch product that SMWS produced.
The source distilleries for these batches are generally undisclosed. That's the case here, although they do specify that this is a combination of whiskies from Speyside and the Highland region. The cask makeup is a combination of Oloroso sherry butts and PX sherry hogsheads; based on those casks and the naturally dark color of the whisky, we're expecting a bit of a sherry bomb.
Because these batches contain multiple casks, plus the fact that they're reduced to a strength of 50% ABV instead of being left at cask strength, the outturn volume is quite a bit higher than the typical single casks. Here we get a total run of 2,130 bottles; this was released in 2021 for a somewhat reasonable price (in SMWS terms) of $115.
SMWS Blended Batch 13 'Tabanco Time'
Scotland - Blend
Price: USD 115 (2021)
Age Statement: 11 Years
Strength: 50% ABV
Cask Makeup: Oloroso sherry butts and Pedro Ximenez sherry hogsheads
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; distilled September 28, 2009; 2,130 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 2 times (once blind) over 2 years from a sample. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Oaky and chocolatey, with polished wood, candied pecan, and then some dark juicy fruits like prune and blood orange. Cardamom, anise, and brown sugar add more baking notes; we also find strawberry jam, red licorice candy, cherry cough drops, and a little hint of perfume with the oak. This is a strongly sherried nose.
Palate: The mouthfeel is medium-thick; oily polished oak, perfume, and spices of black pepper and tannins give way to fizzy orange soda, semi-tart grapes, cherry, and strawberries. The complexion grows darker with prune and plum; leather and herbal Benedictine liqueur are accents.
Finish: There's a little hint of malt that peeks through, but soon baking spices and fruits continue to dominate. Nutmeg, brown sugar, oranges, pomegranate seeds, cinnamon... then clove, cardamom, icing sugar, and vanilla. The oak returns in the aftertaste with some drying notes; it's a medium-long finish.
Final Note: As expected, this sherry-matured blended malt is quite the sherry bomb: loads of dark fruit, red fruit, and baking spices, along with a nice accent of nuttiness that you sometimes find in Oloroso casks. It isn't the most subtle whisky with that heavy sherry influence, but it you enjoy the style of heavily sherried whiskies, this is a fun one to get ahold of. Very good whisky, one to take time with and savor.
Because the price is relatively fair in the scheme of SMWS pricing, the value here is actually pretty solid. If you get the chance to buy a bottle of this for anywhere near the original retail price, we think it's well worth it.
Our Rating: 7.9 / 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: 6.48
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 recent blended Scotch reviews:
Review #876 - ImpEx Collection Burnside 14 Year Single Cask
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Review #739 - Maclean's Nose Blended Scotch Whisky
Review #688 - Compass Box Transatlanticism Bespoke Release
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