The wait is over, here is the final cask of our first Tasting Panel Experience! Nearly one year ago, legendary whisky expert Charlie MacLean and Society USA director Tom Smith embarked on a tasting tour across the country. The objective was twofold: 1) offer our members the experience of participating in the Society’s Tasting Panel under the guidance of the Tasting Panel’s first chairman, Charlie, who flew from Scotland to be with us in person; 2) entrust these members with the task of evaluating several casks in a blind format and assessing their readiness for release. Six exceptional casks were evaluated by nearly 150 members in five cities and the three highest-scoring casks chosen by American members have been shipped exclusively to the US. We released Cask 93.140 Bacon on a bonfire in August, Cask 3.315 A Moment of Salinity in September and, without further ado….

Cask 30.111 Inferno Toffee Pudding is perfect to close this inaugural Tasting Panel Experience! Decadent, unctuous and warming, we couldn’t think of a better dram heading into the cool weather. This twelve-year-old Speysider spent its entire life in a first-fill Spanish oak sherry butt, endowing the expression with all of the spicy, confectionary delights we might expect from this maturation. Members responded with excitement and delight upon tasting it, and offered up a panoply of descriptors: aromas of raisins, cloves, cinnamon, leather, fruitcake, chocolate fudge,  toffee and even “struck match”; flavours included candied fruits, chewy caramel, peppery raisins, syrup on pancakes, Maplewood smoked bacon, and sherry below-deck on a burning ship! This tasting odyssey sounds incredible. 

Cask No. 30.111

Title: Inferno Toffee Pudding

Tasting Note: An alluring appearance of polished mahogany yielded to a mellow nose of cream brûlée, date molasses, Christmas pudding aflame and individual aromas of cinnamon, golden sultana, prune juice and a prickle of burnt toffee. We noted a lovely warmth of Indian spices and a scent of old leather and well-aged tawny port. With the addition of water we were delighted with banoffee pie, pain au raisin, chopped hazelnuts and a single struck match doused in vanilla custard. The palate was superbly creamy at first. Sweet, fudge and dense like a good malt loaf. Water brought out Irish coffee, cracked black pepper and toasted marshmallow. A thick and hearty delight!

Age: 12 years

Date distilled: June 2007

ABV: 64.6%

Region: Speyside Spey

Barrel: First-fill Spanish oak Sherry butt

Outturn: 558 bottles

US Allocation: 558 bottles

Price: $130

Thank you to all who entered! Raffle entry for Cask No. 30.111 is now closed. We will be in touch when all bottles have been claimed!