Bowmore 18 Year (SMWS 3.349 "A Whirpool of Flavor")

At this point it's just a widely acknowledged public fact that Bowmore stinks at bottling their own whisky. Basically every single scotch whisky reviewer or community says this, and all them report that independently bottled Bowmore is simply fantastic. Who knows what's wrong over at Bowmore? Let's just be glad they keep selling casks to people who do the right thing, like (in this particular case), the Scotch Malt Whisky Society ("SMWS"). 

Tamdhu 7 Year (SMWS 8.43 "Shaded by Flowers")

 

Tamdhu is an underrated distillery, founded in 1897, and currently owned by Ian MacLeod Distillers (Rosebank, Glengoyne, Smokehead blended, Sheep Dip blended, many more). I only see independent versions of it from time to time, and apparently it's been a long time since the Scotch Malt Whisky Society ("SMWS") had a cask from them. This cask, the 43rd that SMWS has released from Tamdhu, was matured for 7 years in a first fill PX sherry butt, and released as part of the 40th anniversary of the SMWS. 

Laphroaig Cairdeas 2023 (White Port, Maidera)

 

It's been a light, slow July in terms of reviews over here - I have run out of room to store bottles, so I'm very slowly making my way through what I already have. 

One of the few exceptions is this year's Cairdeas ("Car chase" or "Car chess" or "Gorgeous" are the closest pronunciation guides I've heard) from Laphroaig, one of the big Islay distillers. Released yearly as a treat for the Friends of Laphroaig (the hardcore fan club), it always has interesting casking and a high ABV.