SMWS February 2025 Outturn Review


We're back with the Scotch Malt Whisky Societies February 2025 outturn review. This month has a more curated selection of 19 new whiskies. Not the most exciting outturn on paper, however we did find a few gems in here and overall the quality felt higher than other recent outturns.

Not all bottles from the outturn were available at the preview, but check out our social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) to get an updates on any missing bottles and heads up on our other reviews.

The scores below are based on our initial impressions. For full disclosure, we won't spend as much time with a dram as we usually do for a full review, but we hope you'll find the scores useful.

  • 10 - Perfection. One in a million
  • 9 - Outstanding. Exceptional whisky.
  • 8 - Great. Would seek this out.
  • 7 - Good. Quality whisky.
  • 6 - Above average. Happy to have a dram.
  • 5 - Average. Drinkable whisky.
  • 4 - Below average. Passable.
  • 3 - Flawed. Noticeable negatives.
  • 2 - Defective. Significant faults.
  • 1 - Offensive. Pour it out.
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Onto the bottles...

4.388 - Highland Park Distillery

Name: An Island Reverie
Flavour Profile: Peated
Region: Islay
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 62.2%
Age: 14

Price: £85.00

The nose is very light on peat, with dusty cupboards, vanilla, coconut water, rice paper, and marshmallow. It’s a bit oily and coastal too, with some salt water and a light fishiness. The alcohol is not as spicy as the 62.2% would have us assume, it manages to manifest in a dusty, sooty way. The palate has a decently syrupy mouthfeel with lemon balm and dirty water coming up first. Unfortunately the palate then falls off a bit, leaving mostly moss and toffee flavours with a menthol and peat mix that is exacerbated as you breathe out. It had potential but a few flaws on the palate leaves us wanting more.

Score: 6/10

Value: A few pounds cheaper would have been nice, but we won't complain.


10.274 - Bunnahabhain Distillery

Name: Life's a Riot
Flavour Profile: Heavily Peated
Region: Islay
Cask Type: 2nd fill ex-sherry butt
ABV: 60.5%
Age: 10

Price: £82.00

The nose has sandpaper, sweet peat, poached pears, antiseptic, petrol, bandages, vanilla pods, lime zest and lots of caramelised sugar. The nose is explosive, but manages to be incredibly balanced with the sweetness, peat, bitterness and sourness all in check. The palate has sweeter sherry flavours of raspberry and cherry up front, moving into roasted hazelnuts, triple chocolate cookies and sweet onion chutney in abundance. The smoke is aggressive yet balanced, engulfing the mouth but as a background note of petrol and salt fish. The sherry hasn’t overpowered the spirit at all, the Stoisha is shining through and we’re surprised at how drinkable it is at 60%. It’s a winner, if you like your big, bold sherried drams then you’re bound to like this.

Score: 8.5/10

Value: A cracking dram. Our only complaint is that it's more expensive than the Signatory 100 proof range.


19.103 - Glen Garioch Distillery

Name: Delight in the Uncanny
Flavour Profile: Juicy, Oak, & Vanilla
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon hogshead
ABV: 56.4%
Age: 21

Price: £149.00

The nose opens with classic Glen Garioch character, esthery pineapple, mango, a bit of dragonfruit too. There’s a little funk in the background, alongside sweet vanilla and a bit of oak. There’s also some fizzy cola bottles and a bit of strawberry purée too. The palate has much richer flavours of strawberry Jaffa cakes, pineapple chunks in syrup, custard cream biscuits, limoncello and toffee bon bons. The palate is thinner than we’d like, especially since we’ve had some of the sister casks that have shone in that regard, and the finish is a bit shorter than we’d like. It’s a good Glen Garioch, very drinkable, very pleasant, but it’s not blowing us away like some of the sister casks have.

Score: 7.5/10

Value: Same price as the last release of number 19, but we'd still like to see these prices come down.


30.124 - Glenrothes Distillery

Name: Sunshine on the Soul
Flavour Profile: Spicy & Dry
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: Refill ex-bourbon hogshead
ABV: 56.7%
Age: 31

Price: £425.00

The nose gives a real old whisky aroma of dusty bookshelves, sweet oak and vanilla cream. There’s a light citrus note here too, orange essence, mild fudge and some creamy milk chocolate here too. The alcohol feels in good balance, even for the 56% after 31 years, but we do get a bit of dry wood as we continue nosing. The palate has a burst of sweetened vanilla cream, sponge cake, lemon posset, pear skin and apple crumble flavours up front, with very well integrated alcohol, in line with the nose. As the palate develops into the finish, there’s a drying bitter flavour that leaves us puckering our cheeks and chewing the remaining saliva in our mouths. The mouthfeel is thinner than we’d like but there’s still something there, and overall it’s a well aged bourbon cask. It’s a bit mean to put it in spicy and dry, it’s better than that.

Score: 7/10

Value: Feels expensive given it's only 3 years older than 30.123 and £75 more.


35.390 - Glen Moray Distillery

Name: The Land of Make Believe
Flavour Profile: Spicy & Sweet
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-oloroso hogshead
ABV: 62.3%
Age: 9

Price: £50.00

The nose has a lot of rancio, funky. It moves into more traditional sherry aromas of nuts, baking spices and lots and lots of raisins. As we come back, the savouriness kicks back in with serrano ham and beef stock cubes. The palate has a lot of cinnamon and clove up from with fizzy ginger ale and sultana studded bread. The mouthfeel is fine, reasonably thick, but the finish has a real bitter oak riding through which throws the dram off, and there’s a bit too much spice that lingers on. For a heavily sherried dram, the bitterness and spice is a bit too much for us, but some may enjoy that style.

Score: 6/10

Value: It's nice to see more "A" drams.


44.185 - Craigellachie Distillery

Name: Nectarous Tenebrosity
Flavour Profile: Juicy, Oak & Vanilla
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 2nd fill toasted hogshead
ABV: 60.0%
Age: 18

Price: £115.00

The nose hits us with Craigellachie funk, it’s really quite umami, with soy sauce, toasted brioche, slightly mouldy lemon, cheap cured processed ham, and a little sponge cake in the background. It’s not as funky on subsequent nosings, it gets a little sweeter and richer with caramac and dry biscuits. The palate has more meatiness, the processed ham coming through again for us, caramel wafers, light ginger spice, and a touch of milky coffee on the finish. The palate is super thin though, really quite watery, and the finish has a medium length with a bit of Spanish ham and bitter oak. We’re self confessed Craigellachie-sceptics but this is passable for us, not great, but passable.

Score: 6/10

Value: We'd not say no to a couple of pounds off, but it's not a bad price.


53.490 - Caol Ila Distillery

Name: Heather Honey Cashew Nuts Roasted with Sea Salt
Flavour Profile: Peated
Region: Islay
Cask Type: 2nd fill ex-bourbon hogshead
ABV: 57.7%
Age: 12

Price: £84.00

The nose has a coastal quality, fresh shellfish, lobster bisque, tomato water, smoked salmon, warm caramel, and sooty peat smoke. The alcohol is a bit warm, but has a certain dusty quality that is quite pleasant. The palate has more of a chocolate flavour, a tinge of roasted hazelnut, warm caramel and lots of ashy peat smoke. It’s sweeter than expected, with a brown sugar sweetness riding through the background. The alcohol is reasonably balanced, maybe a bit of chili heat, and the mouthfeel is fine. Overall it’s a reasonable Caol Ila, not great, not bad, just consistent.

Score: 6.5/10

Value: Not bad for Islay peat.


59.89 - Teaninich Distillery

Name: Tempura Toast
Flavour Profile: Oily & Costal
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-oloroso butt
ABV: 56.4%
Age: 17

Price: £100.00

The nose has quite an earthy, muddy quality up front, juxtaposed by a nice red berry sweetness. We’re finding salted caramel, red currants, engine oil, star anise and Szechuan peppercorn spice. It’s got quite a texture to the nose, oily, thick, with more leather and ash coming through. The palate has a great texture akin to the nose, it’s got a real oily quality, with glacé cherries, sea salt flakes, ashy embers, and more of that Szechuan peppercorn spice. There’s a good amount of sherry here but it’s not overpowering, the dirty spirit character is still front and centre. We’re also getting something a little metallic, as well as crushed ginger, grapefruit peel and sautéed mushrooms. It’s a real unique dram, quite fiery on the palate but interesting to sit with and explore. We’re fans.

Score: 8/10

Value: Given it's 17yo and fully matured in Sherry it's not a bad price.


60.41 - Aberfeldy Distillery

Name: It's Time to Spice Things Up
Flavour Profile: Spicy & Dry
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon hogshead
ABV: 57.3%
Age: 10

Price: £65.00

The nose is fairly restrained, with a fair kick of alcohol upfront. Behind this, we’re getting lemon soda, a bit of pineapple syrup, gooseberry fool, and light floral aromas, alongside some pear Schloer. The palate has some strawberries and cherries doused in lemon juice, and lots and lots of oak. The mouthfeel isn’t the best and the finish is a bit short with some grapefruit bitterness and… oak. The spicy and dry flavour profile is pretty spot on, maybe better described as spicy, acidic and dry. Not for us (and not one of Olaf’s).

Score: 5.5/10

Value: This is a year younger and slightly more expensive than the last society release.


80.56 - Glen Spey Distillery

Name: Still life with flavours
Flavour Profile: Light & Delicate
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon hogshead
ABV: 58.6%
Age: 13

Price: £69.00

The nose is fairly vanilla forward, slightly sweetened toothpaste, malty spirit notes, mentos, as well as a bit of butterscotch and a handful of wood chips. It’s quite a tight nose, very spirit forward, with faint hints of green apple .. as if they were far away in the kitchen. The palate has a nice upfront sweetness, with vanilla cream, lemon oils, grapefruit juice, dark chocolate and lots of spirit bite. Surprising for the age (and the colour - it’s fairly dark). The mouthfeel is a bit thin, and the finish has a decent length but is dominated by bitter grapefruit peel and chili spice. Pretty poor, especially for the age, too hot and bitter.

Score: 5.5/10

Value: Reasonable price, it's just a shame the whisky isn't the best.


93.230 - Glen Scotia Distillery

Name: The Coastline in Winter
Flavour Profile: Peated
Region: Campbeltown
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 59.3%
Age: 8

Price: £62.00

The nose as some antiseptic cream, milk bottle sweeties, saltwater, mackerel and a fair whack of ashy peat smoke. There’s also vanilla sponge cake and caster sugar, and warm marshmallow fluff. It’s got good Glen Scotia character and has good balance, however it feels a little simple on the nose. The palate has more peat smoke up front, it gives us more of a heavily peated Bunnahabain feeling. The Glen Scotia coastal and sweet character seems to be buried under the peat smoke unfortunately. The mouthfeel is good and the finish does last a while, but it’s mostly smoke with hints of sugar and the smallest sprinkling of table salt. Not our favourite Glen Scotia, it’s lost a lot of the distillery character that we love.

Score: 6.5/10

Value: This is in line with other society Glen Scotia releases.


105.54 - Tormore Distillery

Name: Rum n Raisin Ice Cream with Florentines
Flavour Profile: Spicy & Sweet
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-oloroso hogshead
ABV: 61.9%
Age: 10

Price: £64.50

The nose opens with a real toffee, hazelnut, chocolate, confectionery aroma. Deep, rich, crunchie bars, but a little rancio and pickled walnuts too. Quite intriguing. We’re also getting some cherry and plum jam coming through. The palate opens with spritzy cherry juice, cooking chocolate, blackcurrants, strawberry laces, with some candied ginger and black pepper spice. The mouthfeel is very disappointing for the other flavours coming through, and the mid palate has completely disappeared, leaving only spice on the finish. We quite enjoyed the nose and the start of the palate, but it just doesn’t last long enough for us.

Score: 6.5/10

Value: A few pounds cheaper would have been nice, but we're not complaining.


108.75 - Allt-a-Bhainne Distillery

Name: Alpine Scene
Flavour Profile: Spicy & Sweet
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 56.6%
Age: 13

Price: £73.50

The nose has meadowsweet, honey, a stack of wheat crackers, blackcurrants, and a little pine too. The alcohol is a bit warm here, making it difficult to really get into the nose. The palate has more blackcurrants, chocolate buttons, some candied ginger, with some oak spice kicking through in the form of clove and black pepper. The mouthfeel is fine, nothing to write home about, and the finish is a bit short. Not too much going on here for us, it’s a forgettable dram unfortunately.

Score: 6/10

Value: Not bad for the distillery and cask type.


121.109 - Arran Distillery

Name: Isle of Ambulance
Flavour Profile: Peated
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 61.0%
Age: 8

Price: £57.00

The nose opens with the aromas of a hospital supply cupboard, the society were on the money with the name of this one. Antiseptic, bandages, rubber gloves, as well as a slight metallic tinge. Behind this sits classic bourbon notes, vanilla, fudge, marshmallow and a little salted caramel too. The dram has really good integration, and we’d never have guessed a 61% ABV just from nosing. The palate begins with sweet coconut water, but then a wave of peat smoke engulfs the palate. We’re still able to detect some of the fruiter spirit character, stewed apples, peach, but most of the palate is made up of those medical supplies, ointments and antiseptic notes. The mouthfeel is a tad thinner than we’d like but the bold flavours on the palate make up for it. The alcohol is warmer than the nose would suggest, presenting mostly as white pepper, but we’re able to drink it neat without much issue. We enjoy peated Arran, and this one manages to maintain a good amount of spirit character alongside the sweet bourbon cask notes and medicinal peat smoke. It’s not overly complex, but we still enjoyed the dram.

Score: 7/10

Value: The price is in line with other releases of Arran from the society.


122.69 - Loch Lomond (Croftengea) Distillery

Name: Smile and Nod Folks, Smile and Nod Folks
Flavour Profile: Young & Spritely
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 58.4%
Age: 9

Price: £55.00

The nose is perfumed, floral, fabric softener, light peach, lemon peel, white wine and a little spirit kick. There’s something slightly more tropical in the background, pineapple and papaya, but it’s dependent on which angle you nose it from. Fairly light and sweet, pleasant. The palate has an explosion of icing sugar, limoncello, sliced apple, candy canes, pear drops and vanilla syrup. The mouthfeel is decent, like a thin syrup, and the finish has a medium length. The palate has a bit too much barley sugar and spirit kick, it definitely tastes the age. It’s impressed us more than we thought, however it’s a really pleasant younger whisky. We’d happily drink a dram. It almost gets a 7, but due to the mouthfeel and bite, it’s a 6.5/10.

Score: 6.5/10

Value: Not bad for cask strength whisky.


135.62 - Loch Lomond (Inchmoan) Distillery

Name: And Me and My True Love Will Yet Meet Again
Flavour Profile: Spicy & Sweet
Region: Highland
Cask Type: HTMC new oak hogshead
ABV: 55.1%
Age: 16

Price: £95.00

The nose is very juicy, lots of black and red berries, currants, it’s like a mixture of all the cordials vatted together. There’s also a richness of dark chocolate and coffee appearing too. The alcohol feels nicely balanced too. The palate continues with the theme of the nose, lots of berries macerated with sugar, some baking spices, a bit of vanilla and some digestive biscuits too. The mouthfeel is nice and syrupy, and there’s a little bit of sweet and sour flavours appearing as we keep sipping away. This is pretty good, not overly complex but the flavours are all working together and it’s well balanced. Nice.

Score: 7/10

Value: Feels a touch pricey for Loch Lomond.


RW1.10 - Few Distillery

Name: A Rose-Tinted Spectacle
Flavour Profile: SCS - Other Spirit
Region: Chicago
Cask Type: #3 Char new oak barrel
ABV: 61.7%
Age: 4

Price: £75.00

The nose opens with a lot of rye spice, lots of cinnamon and clove, alongside raspberry jam spiked with a large helping of lemon juice. We’re also getting a lot of caramel, Irn Bru and black pepper, with alcohol that’s fairly punchy but there’s enough aroma jumping out of the glass to get past this. The palate has a bit of rubber and lots of orange essence, it’s a very orange-forward dram. Behind this sits star anise, cinnamon sticks, cherry syrup and lots of ginger spice. The alcohol knocks us around, but actually it’s not a bad dram, one of the better rye whiskies from the SMWS for us.

Score: 7/10

Value: The price is in line with other Few releases from the society.


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