Being a dedicated horror movie buff and a big admirer of yesteryear’s cult flicks, I had to hunt down a bottle of this single cask release by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society for its name alone. Cause without exaggeration “Props for a Hammer film” is one of the most awesome whisky monickers I have ever come across. Thankfully, not only the alias (and the mosaic of connotations attached to it) is absolutely fabulous, but also the content of the bottle. When you open SMWS’ liquid tribute to the legendary British film studio that brought us Christopher Lee as “Dracula – Prince Of Darkness” or Herbert Lom as “The Phantom Of The Opera”, you are greeted by the full aromas and beguiling flavors of a 14-year-old Glen Scotia that was fully matured in a 2nd-fill Oloroso butt and bottled with an ABV of almost 60 per cent. To me, the robust Campbeltown character of this high-strength Scotch whisky represents the insatiable appetite for destruction of the up-to-no-good fiends and adversaries that graced the silverscreen with their ghastly presence more than half a century ago. And the delicate sherry influence epitomizes the tragic yearning within these cursed creatures’ torn souls. As you can imagine, this is a magnificent combination; not only for cinephile drammers but for all appreciators of fine spirits!

by Tobi

Eye: Shining cherrywood. Is my mind playing tricks on me or do I really spot a faint hint of reddish bloodsplatter residue in there, too?
Nose: A very intriguing nose with dried apricots, blueberry jam, orange zest and pomelo. Maybe also some cocoa and a tad of tobacco. The alcohol is aptly woven into this thick tapestry of fruity, sweet and full aromas, holding it together and giving it strength.
Palate: If this heavy, oily whisky was a classic horror movie creature, it would rather be a crushing mummy than a cunning vampire. Dark grapes and overripe apples take the lead on the palate, followed by cooled-off coffee and powdered spices. A spooktacular flavour profile!
Finish: When the ending credits are due, they roll across the screen for a considerable amount of time, accompanied by the powerful imagery of oak, tobacco and spices.

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Region: Scotland (Campbeltown)
Aged: 14 Years
Alc. volume: 59.5%
Cask type: 2nd-fill Oloroso sherry
Code: 93.69
Bottle size: 0.7 litres
Price range: ~99.00 Euro
More info: https://www.smws.com/ (Bottler)