The Scotch Malt Whisky Society has unveiled the latest release in its Heresy range. Skooshy Stroopwafel is an 11-year-old single malt matured first in bourbon hogsheads then in European oak sherry butts.
Launched in 2017 with Exotic Cargo, the Heresy range was conceived to push the boundaries of what whisky can be, with innovative blends and intriguing cask combinations.
Skooshy Stroopwafel, the 30th release in the line, represents a rare departure from such hallmark blending. This single malt whisky, crafted at a Speyside distillery, is a showcase for SMWS’s secondary maturation expertise.
The SMWS Heresy range was conceived to push the boundaries of what whisky can be, with innovative blends and cask combinations…
Distilled on April 8, 2013, the journey of Skooshy Stroopwafel began in bourbon hogsheads, where the whisky developed a delicate fruitiness with cereal notes and hints of stone fruit. After eight years, Head of Whisky Creation Euan Campbell sought to deepen the flavour profile with a move to European oak sherry butts seasoned with Pedro Ximénez sherry for 13 months, in Spain’s renowned Sherry Triangle.
Unlike the intense maturation often associated with smaller sherry hogsheads, the larger sherry butts allowed for a more subtle wood influence, creating a balanced interplay between spirit and cask. After 32 months of additional maturation, all four butts showed remarkably similar profiles, leading to their combination into this single bottling.
Bottled at 50% ABV, the marriage of bourbon and sherry cask influences has led to a robust yet approachable tasting experience. The SMWS Tasting Panel likens the flavour profile to a Belgian fairground, with notes of lotus biscuits, muscovado sugar, and squirty whipped cream (known as Skooshy cream in Scotland) on a warm stroopwafel, accented by hints of pumpkin spice frappuccino.
“This release perfectly demonstrates our commitment to exploring the interplay between spirit and wood,” said Julien Willems, Whisky Quality Manager at SMWS. “While our Heresy range is celebrated for its blends, Skooshy Stroopwafel is a single malt that embodies the experimental spirit of the series. By using sherry butts instead of hogsheads, we’ve enhanced the distillery’s fruity character rather than overwhelming it.”
Skooshy Stroopwafel is a limited release, priced at £55, with only 2,382 bottles available.
SMWS members can secure their bottle at smws.com. There are several more Heresy releases to come this year with the next bottling launching in March for St Patrick’s Day.
Two new exclusive bottlings have been released by The Whisky Exchange, offering dram-fans a chance to explore contrasting whisky styles from Ireland and Japan – one is a 20-year-old Redbreast, matured in Oloroso sherry casks, the other a single-cask Mars Komagatake, the latest entries in its Sumo Series. The Redbreast offers mature pot still character,…
Midleton Distillery has confirmed the arrival of its Midleton Very Rare 2026 Vintage, the latest edition in an Irish whiskey series now into its 43rd annual incarnation, and the 6th Vintage under the careful watch of Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman. Bottled at 40% ABV, the 2026 expression continues a tradition that sees the distillery’s Master…
Diplomático Rum, the Venezuelan super-premium spirits house, has announced the UK launch of Chancellor. Positioned as a flagship expression for connoisseurs and long-term collectors of rare spirits, fewer than 1,000 individually numbered bottles will be released worldwide. Diplomático Rum, founded in 1959, has built its reputation on blending expertise, heavy pot-still distillates and long-term maturation,…
The Luxe Review 
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society has unveiled the latest release in its Heresy range. Skooshy Stroopwafel is an 11-year-old single malt matured first in bourbon hogsheads then in European oak sherry butts.
Launched in 2017 with Exotic Cargo, the Heresy range was conceived to push the boundaries of what whisky can be, with innovative blends and intriguing cask combinations.
Skooshy Stroopwafel, the 30th release in the line, represents a rare departure from such hallmark blending. This single malt whisky, crafted at a Speyside distillery, is a showcase for SMWS’s secondary maturation expertise.
Distilled on April 8, 2013, the journey of Skooshy Stroopwafel began in bourbon hogsheads, where the whisky developed a delicate fruitiness with cereal notes and hints of stone fruit. After eight years, Head of Whisky Creation Euan Campbell sought to deepen the flavour profile with a move to European oak sherry butts seasoned with Pedro Ximénez sherry for 13 months, in Spain’s renowned Sherry Triangle.
Unlike the intense maturation often associated with smaller sherry hogsheads, the larger sherry butts allowed for a more subtle wood influence, creating a balanced interplay between spirit and cask. After 32 months of additional maturation, all four butts showed remarkably similar profiles, leading to their combination into this single bottling.
Bottled at 50% ABV, the marriage of bourbon and sherry cask influences has led to a robust yet approachable tasting experience. The SMWS Tasting Panel likens the flavour profile to a Belgian fairground, with notes of lotus biscuits, muscovado sugar, and squirty whipped cream (known as Skooshy cream in Scotland) on a warm stroopwafel, accented by hints of pumpkin spice frappuccino.
“This release perfectly demonstrates our commitment to exploring the interplay between spirit and wood,” said Julien Willems, Whisky Quality Manager at SMWS. “While our Heresy range is celebrated for its blends, Skooshy Stroopwafel is a single malt that embodies the experimental spirit of the series. By using sherry butts instead of hogsheads, we’ve enhanced the distillery’s fruity character rather than overwhelming it.”
Skooshy Stroopwafel is a limited release, priced at £55, with only 2,382 bottles available.
SMWS members can secure their bottle at smws.com. There are several more Heresy releases to come this year with the next bottling launching in March for St Patrick’s Day.
The Whisky Exchange debuts 20 Year Old Redbreast Irish Whiskey and Mars Komagatake Japanese single cask exclusives
Two new exclusive bottlings have been released by The Whisky Exchange, offering dram-fans a chance to explore contrasting whisky styles from Ireland and Japan – one is a 20-year-old Redbreast, matured in Oloroso sherry casks, the other a single-cask Mars Komagatake, the latest entries in its Sumo Series. The Redbreast offers mature pot still character,…
Midleton Very Rare 2026 Vintage Irish Whiskey has arrived, run don’t walk to secure yours
Midleton Distillery has confirmed the arrival of its Midleton Very Rare 2026 Vintage, the latest edition in an Irish whiskey series now into its 43rd annual incarnation, and the 6th Vintage under the careful watch of Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman. Bottled at 40% ABV, the 2026 expression continues a tradition that sees the distillery’s Master…
Diplomático debuts ultra-rare triple-cask Chancellor rum with just 900 bottles worldwide
Diplomático Rum, the Venezuelan super-premium spirits house, has announced the UK launch of Chancellor. Positioned as a flagship expression for connoisseurs and long-term collectors of rare spirits, fewer than 1,000 individually numbered bottles will be released worldwide. Diplomático Rum, founded in 1959, has built its reputation on blending expertise, heavy pot-still distillates and long-term maturation,…
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