As always in such occasions, I will try to write in English so that our friends can follow up.

Needless to mention that we do have a noble and wonderful debate between Greek and Scottish / Scottish and Greek hospitality and warm welcome in similar events (well not exactly event, this is more a friend gathering).

Before I continue my post, I need to mention that Tomas and Helen are among the few (to my opinion and knowledge) persons that even through Facebook (especially Tomas) without seeing them face to face I can say that I considered them as friends. My Facebook relationship with Tomas started some 10 years ago (Yes Tomas, it is that long) and from the first moment I needed no more to understand that he is a warm and friendly person, open to share his experience towards malt whisky and, of course, St. Magdalene's bottlings.

Once more, after these 2 events (their visit to Greece and ours to Edi) I do feel that I have some good friends up there ,other than my family which I think they are now starting their own trip to malt whisky after the amazing visit to The Vaults and their induction to malt whisky. To both of them, I wish all the best and happiness to their  new beginning and in any case they need a few capable hands to work on site and support, I am more than certain that our folks here at whiskyforum and HMWS would love to come to Glasgow and support. (Still this is going to be hard work and I think we will be more than willing to get paid in malt whisky    ?  - Chara will absolutely love to also support for free with decoration).

Now that this small introduction is finished, I will spend some time to discuss their warm welcome at the SMWS Vaults.

The line-up was impressive and Mr. Jim Coleman (SMWS ambassador and founder of whiskyboys https://whiskyboys.com/ ) was more than kind enough to lead this tasting.

As he mentioned, the best way to drink whisky is ..... the way you like it (unless you put coca cola, so he said that we would rather leave SMWS ?  ). For those interested the line ups is the following (the first three for the tasting and the last two because.... we needed some smoke and peat).

• SMWS Cask No. 38.23, Distilled 17 June 1992, 26 y.o., 51,4%, 277 bottles, refill bourbon barrel (Caperdonich)
• SMWS Cask No. 9.159, Distilled 25 April 1988, 30 y.o.. 50,5%, 227 bottles, 1st Fill Redro Ximenez Butt (Glen Grant)
• SMWS Cask No 4.251, Distilled 17 January 2005, 13 y.o., 58,1%, 302 bottles, Refill Bourbon Hogshead (Highland Park)
• SMWS Cask No 53.264 Distilled 18.07.2006, 11 y.o., 55,9%, Refill Ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 291 bottles, (Caol Ila)
• SMWS Cask No 53.267 Distilled 01.09.2008, 9 y.o., 60,8%, Refill Ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 275 bottles, (Caol Ila)

As always, whisky unites so we ended with some more friends from the far East drinking and exchanging opinions about the bottlings. Winner by 4 to 1 (yes I was the one.... shame on me) is Caperdonich which was stunning! Probably for me it was more soft than the Glen Grant, but it is true that it was an amazing dram.

Needless to say that both my wife Chara and my cousin Venetia (unfortunately the other family member - Stergios - did not make it to the tasting) have a very good nose and a whisky feeling but... they turned after the tasting to white wine (yep, they do also serve some good wine up there to SMWS).

Third came the beast from Orkney's, at 58,1% which needed water and time but we could easily understand that it was not that mature as its tasting companions.

For the two Islay-nders they were very similar and I think that the cask selection was excellent, as event the most unfamiliar ones would have a first hand experience on what Caol Ila is and how the spirit evolves and matures into the cask. The 2 more years appear easily on the nose and these 5% abv really make the difference. Lovely Caol Ila and as my wife mentioned, she cannot understand why we like these malts that smell like car tyres and peat and all these things ( I need to work with Chara and make her a peat-freak as this is not accepted! ?

I will not spend more time regarding whisky tasting notes, you can easily find them on SMWS site (by code) but I feel I need to add the SMWS notes for the winner:

SMWS Cask No. 38.23

"Aromas delicately embraced a lavender bush and sweet perfume before caressing the soft fruits of papaya, pineapple and pears poached in vanilla syrup. A lively streak of quince jelly skimmed over raspberry jam and rhubarb crumble with vanilla custard as we discovered deeper notes of fermenting apples and sugar coated fennel seeds. The palate gently warmed with fresh ginger dipped in brown sugar whilst carrying a creamy mouthfeel reminiscent of buttery shortbread. A fruity glow gently nuzzled mango, mandarin and pineapple as the connections approached perfection. All that remained were lychees and cinnamon buns with a scoop of peach sorbet giving a lively fizz that rounded out an exquisite and harmonious finish".

My addition to the above is that, upon Jim's suggestion, we returned from Glen Grant back to Caperdonich for a second dram and I was pleasantly surprised on how much it changes by adding new flavors and aromas. GREAT whisky.

Closing this small post about our visit to SMWS The Vaults, there is only one thing that I feel I have to say.

"Till next time my friends!"

 

9 hours ago, mallios said:

.... I will try to wright in English ......

Ι suppose you had the same teacher in English with our PM Tsipras......

Greetings and Slainte to Thomas and Helen !!!

Και όπως ζήτησε και ο αγαπητός @Wisdom , voila το αποτέλεσμα αυτής της υπέροχης βραδιάς... ήταν χάλια. Ρεζίλι διεθνώς!

Και λόγο φωτογραφικό υλικό. Σορρυ, αλλα με το κινητό και τα tastings οι φωτό δεν είναι και ότι καλύτερο. Το μέρος είναι το The Vaults.

Το τελευταίο διαμαντάκι το δοκιμάσαμε στην @Ρένα 

Τα μπουκαλάκια δεν είναι for sale και είναι το Νο1 από όλες τις εμφιαλώσεις τους.

  

    

Φανταστείτε τώρα στη φωτό του πρωτοσέλιδου, αντί για τη σύζυγο του @mallios να ήταν κάποιος από τους άντρες του forum. Όχι πρωτοσέλιδο, ούτε στις μέσα σελίδες δεν θα έμπαινε η φωτογραφία.

Χωρίς πλάκα τώρα, η φωτογραφία είναι τόσο καλή που θα πρότεινα να ζητήσουμε την άδεια της SMWS (αλλά προφανώς και της Χαράς) να τη βάλουμε στο homepage.

6 hours ago, Wisdom said:

Φανταστείτε τώρα στη φωτό του πρωτοσέλιδου, αντί για τη σύζυγο του @mallios να ήταν κάποιος από τους άντρες του forum. Όχι πρωτοσέλιδο, ούτε στις μέσα σελίδες δεν θα έμπαινε η φωτογραφία.

Χωρίς πλάκα τώρα, η φωτογραφία είναι τόσο καλή που θα πρότεινα να ζητήσουμε την άδεια της SMWS (αλλά προφανώς και της Χαράς) να τη βάλουμε στο homepage.

Το βλέπω να με φιλοξενείς στο σπίτι! Θα με χωρίσει η Χαρά!... αλλά μπορείς με κάθε άνεση να της το ζητήσεις στις 09.02, και να της πεις ότι ακόμα χρωστάει τα καναπεδάκια με σολομό. ?  (έχω πάρει τα μέτρα μου, η ταράτσα είναι κλειστή οπότε δεν μπορεί να με πετάξει κάτω).

4 hours ago, mallios said:

Το τελευταίο διαμαντάκι το δοκιμάσαμε στην @Ρένα 

 

και η τυχερη Ρενα ακομα το δοκιμαζει 

συμφωνω με @Wisdom να ζητηθει αδεια για χρηση της φωτογραφιας! μπραβο @mallios ! τα ευσημα ομως πανε στη Χαρα!!! 

5 minutes ago, Ρένα said:

συμφωνω με @Wisdom να ζητηθει αδεια για χρηση της φωτογραφιας! μπραβο @mallios ! τα ευσημα ομως πανε στη Χαρα!!! 

Αν δεν ήμουν εγώ να γυαλίζω κάτω από τη λάμπα, δεν θα ήταν καλή η φωτό!

Δεν χρειαζόμαστε έγκριση για την φωτό. Οι φωτό έχουν αποσταλλεί όλες σε εμάς και αν δεν βάλουμε τα logos της SMWS δεν χρειαζόμαστε έγκριση.

1 minute ago, mallios said:

Αν δεν ήμουν εγώ να γυαλίζω κάτω από τη λάμπα, δεν θα ήταν καλή η φωτό!

σε φωτιζει η Χαρα! αμεσως να της κλεψεις τη δοξα! 

And.... looking forward for the next event at The Vaults.