We tasted SMWS 71.38: A Cheese Board in a Library at Meeting No. 25 on June 25, 2014. We rated it exceptionally at 4.09 out of 5. SMWS 71.38: A Cheese Board in a Library ranks 5th overall in Scotch. At a street price of $205, this spirit is expensive, but worth it.
Interestingly, I get no aroma in this one other than alcohol. Drinking this instantly reminds me of taffy. Caramel hints, toffee, popcorn, and bark. Adding water opened up a creamy nose.
Floral and herbal (lavender?) on the nose. Black pepper oil, cinnamon. Fuller body than the SMWS 71.40, but its a lateral move, to my preference. Maybe a bit of cola nut spice in the aftertaste. So much more mellow than you would think. I almost hesitate to add water - there's no need! Elegant, complex my favorite of the bunch by a nose.
Sour patch kids on the nose, followed by basil cheddar pillows. Soft and comforting.
On the nose I'm catching some leather, like stepping into a boot barn store, mixed in with a hint of fruit. On the palate, I definitely caught a peppery flavor, but balanced out with a sweetness that was almost Stevia-like in its finish. I really liked this one.
Plum sugar, cardamon? Other subtleties... Grape and heavy wood with a nice body. Maybe too much age - not as accessible as the previous Glenburgie (SMWS 71.40). Still excellent, but not as high on my list.
Runs up the sinus, wasabi-style. Whisky by brute force. The burning simply will not go away.
1 other member rated this 4.5
3 other members rated this 4.0
1 other member rated this 3.5
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