Initial nosing revealed bags of dates, dark fruit chutneys, big earthy notes, toasted walnuts and pipe tobaccos. We also detected cocoa nibs and game broth, a superbly umami and rich style of sherry. Letting it breathe, we then found buttered brown toast, dark chocolate sauce with a hint of sea salt and pickled walnuts.

On the palate it was powerful and spicy, with some dense, sticky sherry notes such as old VORS cream sherry. Its earthy and gamey qualities re-emerged, along with clove-studded oranges, leaf mulch and classical, deep rancio notes.

*In keeping with the SMWS brand philosophy of staying curious and delivering a variety of whisky adventures, Slippers ‘n’ chill is a new whisky that stands apart from the regular offerings of cask strength bottlings.

The SMWS Whisky Team has created and bottled Slippers ‘n’ chill at a slightly reduced strength (48% abv), in order to offer a choice to any members who may sometimes prefer a slightly lighter style of whisky, and allowing them to try an alternative to the usual cask strength drams as part of their journey of discovery. This is not about ‘watering down’ or diluting the product, but simply about exploring alternative ways to enjoy SMWS whisky and giving members a choice in the strength of their dram. Want to see more of this kind of thing? Let us know what you think – drop us a line at curious@smws.ca