SMWS G8.17 Candles, kumquats and polished oak

Posted 16 April 2021 by Matt / In Cambus
The Dramble reviews SMWS G8.17 Candles, kumquats and polished oak

Bottle Name: G8.17 Candles, kumquats and polished oak

ABV: 59.7%%
Distillery: Cambus
Bottler: Scotch Malt Whisky Society
Flavour Profile: Old & dignified
Region: Lowlands Age: 31

Well-aged grain time with a trip to Cambus. Production closed at the site in 1993 (so when its gone, its gone), but the buildings have been transformed by owners Diageo into a pretty massive coopering facility – adjacent to the even more massive Blackgrange warehouse complex – where the bulk of your ‘aged by the sea’ whiskies come from 😉

Nose: Beeswax and golden syrup give way to salted caramel popcorn whilst toasted biscuits, vanilla and café latte are joined by lacquered oak, cornflakes, cashew nuts and apple rice puddling. All highly pleasant. Reduction reveals crunchy toffee, vanilla wafers, desiccated coconut and stiff-peaked meringue.

Taste: More overtly grain forward now with polystyrene modelling cement alongside roasted cereals and freshly sawn planking. Golden barley and coffee are joined by milky chocolate whilst old orange liqueurs are peppered up with a sliver of ginger. Dilution is all cask-driven – massive vanilla extract alongside pencil shavings.

Finish: Reasonably long with oaky chocolate, spent espresso grounds and powdered ginger.

A nicely composed, well-aged grain with a lovely nose and a tasty, sweet cereal character throughout. This said, the profile here is very narrow and quite generically ‘grain whisky’. Old - yes, dignified – less so.

Score: 83/100


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