Auchentoshan SMWS 5.35 – “Laundry in the Bakery”

Review by: TOModera

It’s no hidden fact that I love Auchentoshan. And I’ve been bragging about being able to finally get my grubby, manly hands on some SMWS drams.

So it’s probably not a surprise that I’m reviewing Auchentoshan – Laundry in the Bakery – SMWS 5.35. However, it actually was a surprise for me.

See I haven’t had a chance to memorize all the different dram numbers from SMWS, as I’m 1) not a member, and 2), am a busy adult with many things to do. Also I play Dungeons & Dragons and I have to memorize the numbers for that, so whisky gets to play second fiddle.

Once I did finish the review, I was quite surprised this was my favourite Lowland distillery. Here we go:

Distillery: Auchentoshan Distillery.

Bottler: SMWS.

Region: Lowland.

ABV: 54.7%. Cask strength.

Age: 12 years. Distilled in 1999. Bottled in 2011.

Cask type: Second fill hogshead.

Price: $116.99 (CAD).

Color: Well hydrated pee

Nose: Chocolate, fresh baked pastry, cherry, vanilla pudding, fake blueberry spray, clean linen, cranberry

Tons of flavours come bouncing out of this one. The name does not lie at all, this is laundry in the bakery.

Has anyone ever seen a laundry/bakery duo? Cause I’d go to that. Get fat and my stuff gets clean. Put in a bar, make it adult only and I’d never leave!

Taste: Pastry, chocolate, hot pot, grapes, smoke, banana bread, Tang, raisins, caramel sauce, sour cream icing, floral

Very full bodied, and very, very sweet. This is Auchentoshan as it’s meant to be. Seriously, we need Auchentoshan to release more traditional OB at cask strength (without any finishes).

And that bakery/laundry thing, we need that too.

Finish: Smoke, bread, almonds, jalapeño, cashew, currants, oregano, butterscotch, floral

Just a little bit of smoke at the end, though the consistent flavours continue and stay somewhat tart.

Conclusion: Wow, best Auchentoshan yet. Better than the 21, better than any of the other ones. This is fruity, which I’m guessing comes from the French oak hogshead. Try this, buy it, and don’t pass it up. Great, great Lowland.

Final Score: 84.

Scoring Legend:

  • 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
  • 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
  • 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
  • 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
  • 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
  • 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
  • 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
  • 50-59: Save it for mixing.
  • 0-49: Blech.

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