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.
The evocatively titled Pineapple Bananza is the latest addition to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s experimental Heresy range; it’s a small-batch Irish single malt whiskey created in collaboration with Dunville’s Irish Whiskey. Batch 38: Pineapple Bananza stands out for both its origin and production style. Irish whiskey is an infrequent guest in the Society’s portfolio,…
Isle of Skye distillery Torabhaig has introduced its first permanent core single malt. Crafted in small batches, Torabhaig Taigh is matured in a combination of first-fill and refill bourbon casks, with the addition of Madeira casks to round out the profile. The whisky is bottled at 46% ABV, with no chill filtration and no added colour.…
The Whisky Exchange has been celebrating English Whisky Week with a curated line-up that captures the rapid evolution of England’s whisky scene, a category now spanning more than 60 producers from London to the Yorkshire coast. The selection reflects just how broad English whisky has become, from bourbon-led single malts to cask-forward rye and blended…
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.
Triple-distilled Pineapple Bananza Irish single malt joins SMWS Heresy range
The evocatively titled Pineapple Bananza is the latest addition to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s experimental Heresy range; it’s a small-batch Irish single malt whiskey created in collaboration with Dunville’s Irish Whiskey. Batch 38: Pineapple Bananza stands out for both its origin and production style. Irish whiskey is an infrequent guest in the Society’s portfolio,…
Isle of Skye distillery Torabhaig unveils Taigh as first core single malt, brings poetry to peat whisky
Isle of Skye distillery Torabhaig has introduced its first permanent core single malt. Crafted in small batches, Torabhaig Taigh is matured in a combination of first-fill and refill bourbon casks, with the addition of Madeira casks to round out the profile. The whisky is bottled at 46% ABV, with no chill filtration and no added colour.…
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The Whisky Exchange has been celebrating English Whisky Week with a curated line-up that captures the rapid evolution of England’s whisky scene, a category now spanning more than 60 producers from London to the Yorkshire coast. The selection reflects just how broad English whisky has become, from bourbon-led single malts to cask-forward rye and blended…
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