Twist & stout

Does it feel like we’ve been talking a lot about sherry? Maybe, and recently, other wines too. But let’s face it, there’s just an awful lot to say about these wonderful drinks and the impact that their casks hold on whisky maturation. Typically, though, grapes don’t grow so well in Scotland (at least not yet… but it’s anyone’s guess how much of a silver lining that is), so don’t expect a sherry-style wine from Scotland anytime soon.

In that spirit, though, as we enter the darker, colder months of the year, let’s remember what liquid comforts Scotland has to offer, that do not require hundreds of miles to ship here. There’s whisky, of course, but also what came long before it – ale.

While blonde, golden ales and lagers and IPAs are certainly mostly associated with crisp flavours and refreshing, summer evening thirst quenching sessions, there’s a seemingly endless variety of other types of fermented grain. There are, of course, some styles much more associated with autumn and winter, great for warming yourself with roasty, malty flavours by a crackling hearth after a bracing, chilly walk. Of course we’re talking about the darker kinds, such as stouts.

So, for this new offering, you’ve probably guessed already what this new heretical offering is about – what it says on the tin, basically.

“For this small-batch blended malt we teamed up with our friends at Tempest Brewing Co in the Scottish Borders,” explains SMWS head of whisky, Euan Campbell. “We dispatched some fresh bourbon barrels and new oak HTMC casks* to the brewery, where they accommodated a rich and full-bodied stout. Once the beer was ready to go, we took the casks back to our warehouse and filled them with selected Speyside malts.”

After roughly 26 months, we put together the first recipe, and on first try the result was a very tropical dram, lots of pastries and sweet banana-bready notes. Additionally, there were some sweet malty flavours akin to a pint of chocolate stout, and a great texture to it too – that’s always a good sign. And with its 14 years’ worth of maturation, this whisky has had time to relax and evolve, bringing forward fruitier, more exotic notes so typical from the Speyside malts making up this whisky.

That all sounds like something I could get on board with. Malty sweet concentrated dark roasty and toasty notes of stout ale, supported by the structure, creamy texture, custardy vanilla and coconut flavours from HTMC casks. I dare say that sounds like a rather appealing prospect. But I can’t help but feel a sense of déjà vu though – and if you have been a member for some time, you may remember a few more efforts in ale cask maturation making their mark on the clear glass bottle range of the Society.

For my part I am particularly fond of Batch 28: Spruce on the loose, with a rather unorthodox dark stout ale from Wasted Degrees brewing eschewing any use of hops and favouring spruce tips instead. But further in the history of ‘Heresy’ bottling, Euan explains, “We have worked with Tempest Brewing Co previously, with Batch 5: Old fashioned and Batch 19: Frazzle dazzle.”

How different is this effort from the previous ones then? Well, Old fashioned used among other things former whisky casks seasoned with Tempest IPA, while Frazzle dazzle relied on the impact of Tempest Smoked Barley Wine to build an off-the-wall flavour profile.

What about this time, then? Twist & stout benefits from an oaky backbone inherited from its bourbon and toasted oak vessels and draws on the natural treacly sweetness of stout ale.

Are you planning a few end-of-year hikes, of fire side retreats to round off 2026? Or simply a few walks in the park in the late autumn leaf mulch-scented breeze? Then for your hipflask or for the well-deserved coorying in after the effort, it would frankly be rude not to treat yourself to the indulgent warmth of Batch 45: Twist & stout.

I have my plans for the weekend, I think you can guess what they are. Happy trails and slàinte mhath!

* Heavy toast, medium char – the type of heat treatment that’s become more or less a proprietary staple of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s new oak cask offering for the creamy, fruity, sweet and spiced vanilla custard and coconut aromas this specific treatment imparts on whisky.