The five regions

May is upon us, with its traditional whisky festivals and flocks of malt fiends descending upon Scotland from all four corners of the globe for their annual ‘mating season’. Ok, before anyone takes umbrage, I only mean that figuratively: from Loch Indaal to Elgin and Thurso, it’s all mates from all over the world sharing local drams. That’s what it’s about!

To celebrate this auspicious time, last year we came up with Batch 31: Wandering alchemy, a small-batch blended malt composed of casks from all five of Scotland’s whisky regions. With wisps of smoke, lots of character and honey on its aromatic profile, that whisky was in many ways reminiscent of old-school blends from bygone eras. A heathery peat impression balanced pinewood, camphor and seaweed on the palate, while water added layer upon layer of elegance, oiliness and texture to the experience.

It sounds – and was – delicious. But what we didn’t tell you back then is that after marrying all the casks to make that blended malt recipe, we made an extra-large batch of Wandering alchemy. A portion of the resulting whisky was bottled as Batch 31, but we put the other half back into some of the original casks and left it to marry and relax for one more year. Now we’ve put them together again, to produce Batch 39: The five regions.

As far as regional proportions making up the original 10-year-old Batch 31: Wandering alchemy, just over half the volume of the recipe relies on equal proportion of Highland malt, bringing in weight and texture, while the Speyside element ramps up fruity notes with plums and fresh apples. Almost a third is a selection of both heavily peated and unpeated Islay malts matured in sherry casks, providing the peated elements but also a bit of depth and salinity.

Add to this eight per cent of Lowland whisky that, as head of whisky creation Euan Campbell explains, “lifts everything, like turning up the treble a little on your stereo”. The rest of the volume is supplied by Campbeltown, adding a bit of waxiness and a few more discreet coastal touches.

Matured in a selection of bourbon, oloroso, Pedro Ximenez and HTMC hogsheads, the volume of Batch 31: Wandering alchemy that was not bottled was returned to these casks to marry and mature for another year. This gives members the opportunity to see what difference one additional year of marrying and maturation can make. As Euan says: “The opportunity to compare with Batch 31 provides a fascinating insight for members, tasting the same whisky at different snapshots in time. Of course, it stands alone too!”

Because only a portion of the blended malt made for Batch 31 was put back into wood, not all casks that contributed to Batch 31 were re-filled, though the cask variety was preserved to create Batch 39. Across one year of maturation and in that volume the difference might be marginal. It is still an interesting consideration when marrying blended malts into casks for a reasonably long time, changing the ageing profile slightly.

After a further year maturing in cask, the profile of this whisky has seemingly evolved towards more gourmand chocolate truffles and glacé cherry impressions, giving way to precious woods, smouldering cedar and antique leather-bound ledgers. Behind the smoke, there are more heather blossoms and wild lavender honey. Added water provides a silky-smooth textural experience with blossoming flavours of both ripe and dried fruits, chocolate-covered macadamia nuts, baking spices and freshly roasted coffee beans.

If that sounds delicious, it’s probably because it is! And even at its traditional heretical 50% abv, it’s a dram that will still happily take a bit of water if you are so inclined. On a personal note, I always find adding water is a great way of cutting through the layers of a dram to see what it’s made of. Additionally, it helps protect your taste buds from getting too tired too quickly, thus prolonging the enjoyment of finer, subtle nuances. But as with a great many things, when it comes to appreciating drams and enjoying your whisky, it all comes down to personal preferences. If that’s not your thing, that’s fine too!

As with Batch 31: Wandering alchemy, Batch 39: The five regions tastes older than the 11 years displayed on its label might suggest. Combining flavours from all of Scotland’s whisky regions into one blended malt has created something that is so much more than the sum of its parts. So, while you indulge in your festival dram searching and find the single casks and single malts you desire, leave space for this original and tasty offering. Compare it with Batch 31, share it generously and discuss your impressions with your own flock of mates from near and far, as is the spirit of the season. But first and foremost, enjoy!

Find out more about all of the Society’s ‘Heresy’ small-batch bottlings at https://smws.com/all-whisky/whisky/heresy