Category Archives: England

2025 Whisky Show – The Heart Cut

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Every Whisky Show has something that really stands out – be it a remarkable bottle that one remembers for years, a masterclass that brought deeper insights into the drams, or a new distillery to discover!

Sometimes the “Oh wow!” isn’t a new distillery; it is a new blending company or independent bottler. For my tasting companion and I, the 2025 Whisky Show will be remembered as the year we discovered The Heart Cut husband and wife bottling team – Georgie and Fabrizio.

Bursting with enthusiasm and a quest for unique and interesting expressions, we were so impressed that we walked away with three bottles from the show and ordered a fourth from The Whisky Exchange – picked up shortly before my flight to Mumbai!

What did we try? It was a bit of an around-the-world tour! From single malts to rye and spirited experiments! The casks reflected a wonderfully eclectic range – from wet red wines to ex-Islay, 250+ year old European oak to new American oak. And the biggest surprise? A Californian Ale Cask! Here are the expressions we experienced:

** Identifies the bottles purchased for a Bombay Malt & Cigar club future flight.

Our journey began at the Mainstage session about the Future of Independent Bottlers. Even though technically the St George is a spirit rather than whisky, we were simply blown away and had to have it!

You can read about our experience as part of the Mainstage session soon! In the interim, here is a bit of an introduction!

St George Spirits California Ale Cask (25 Jul 2016 / 17 Nov 2023) 54% (The Heart Cut #08) 

St George is a distillery based in the Bay Area of San Francisco, California, USA. It was founded in 1982 by Jörg Rupf and produces a range of spirits, including some rather fine Gins that I received years ago as a gift! I was also introduced to their unique single malt (Lot No 16) expression from 2016.

Here are their official tasting notes for their spirit:

Delicate notes of dried chamomile, ripe stone fruit and juicy mango lead the way, followed by a rich burst of apricot jam. The finish is all toasted brioche and the creamy, caramel-chocolate goodness of Rolo’s.

The description was further “distilled” on the label to a few succinct words! Dried chamomile, candyfloss, apricot jam, toasted brioche, Rolo’s.

They call this an “Experimental Malt” due to the addition of hops during brewing. It began as a 100% malted barley, sage-infused, heavily hopped IPA, then was matured in a cask that previously contained Bourbon, Reposado Tequila, and a Californian Ale.

They further share why they selected it:

Adventurousness is next to fearlessness, and the team at St. George skirts the line between the two – and if there were ever a cask to epitomise this ethos, this would be it. From a production standpoint, it’s absolutely unique – an unprecedented combination of malted barley and both hops and bay added as hot-side aroma additions during brewing.

It’s utterly delicious, and we can’t get enough of it!

Neither could we – hence why we selected this experiment for a further tasting with the BMC!

At The Heart Cut stand, we were first directed to a Thomson… As we stopped by New Zealand’s Thomson booth last year, we skipped over it this year. However, this expression was irresistible!

Thomson (6 June 2019 / 25 Mar 2025) Fresh NZ Pinot Noir 50.8% (The Heart Cut #19)

Here’s what we found…

  • Colour – Bright red, almost impossibly so!
  • Nose – The aromas were bursting with jammy yumminess! We found warm strawberries – like picking them from the backyard on a summer day! Lots of figs, plums, and Christmas treats. There was something more that was very enticing too!
  • Palate – It was full of red plums, ripe dark red cherries – like the ones you get in Germany! Beyond the fruits was a nutty element, some salted caramel
  • Finish – I didn’t take specific note – perhaps as we were just enjoying the whisky so much!

Just wow! We were a bit blown away by this dram. I’m so happy we didn’t miss sampling this expression! This was absolutely up my alley – whisky-wise. And that’s exactly why it made the “pick” to bring from London back to Mumbai!

The Heart Cut official tasting notes share:

‘Holy wow’ on the nose (thanks to H from our tasting panel for that one!). First comes spiced plum jam and wild strawberries, then sesame snaps and a hint of sandalwood. On the palate, sweetness unfurls: salted caramel, fig rolls, and a nutty Brazil nut note. With a splash of water, the whisky blooms into stewed apples, dried apricots, and candied pecans, with a long, warming finish.

Key Takeouts: Spiced Plum Jam, Wild Strawberries, Dried Cherries, Salted Caramel, Figs

I have to admit to being a bit amused by reading their notes. They were totally in keeping with our brief experience – right down to the wow! I’m looking forward to revisiting it in an upcoming session – including adding water to see its impact. Unfortunately, knowing us, it could be in a few years!

What next? We shifted to Germany… While living in Nürnberg, I kept thinking I would take a trip to Berlin and check out the Stork Club’s “House of Rye”.  Somehow that visit didn’t happen; however, I have tried their rye whiskies a few times! And their single malt once too!  Made for memorable cocktails, my last Stork Rye bottle was used for a rather tasty Old Fashioned at a Mumbai birthday party!

So what did we try and what did we think?

Stork Club (28 Jun 2019 / 5 Nov 2024) German Napoleon Oak Cask 55% (The Heart Cut #13) 

Dubbed as “Black Forest gateau in a glass”, what did we think?

  • Colour – Bright gold
  • Nose – Hello rye! Lots of cereals, initially a bit musty, umami, then sweetened into caramel, cherries, a cross between a ginger spice and chocolate cake with creamy icing
  • Palate – Candied ginger, jalapenos, toasted rye bread… roll around a bit more, and there is some mocha, evolving into rich chocolate, roasted nuts
  • Finish – A tasty coffee close

My main recollection was how it was surprisingly rich, indulgent, and rewarding – in many ways unlike any Rye I’ve had! I could completely understand the black forest cake moniker!

Don’t believe me? Check out The Heart Cut’s tasting notes:

Rich and indulgent, the nose bursts with black forest gâteau – ripe cherries, dark chocolate, and a hint of sponge cake – layered with chocolate-covered candied ginger and a touch of baking spices (cinnamon, clove, and allspice). On the palate, toasted cacao nibs and dark chocolate Bounty bring a deep, roasted intensity balanced by the exotic sweetness of candied mango and the savoury-sweet depth of koji. A warming hint of white pepper and subtle woody spice add complexity, leading to a smooth, lingering finish of vanilla cream.

Key Takeouts: Black Forest Gâteau, Candied Ginger, Toasted Cacao Nibs, Koji, Vanilla Cream

From our brief sniff and swish, we would certainly agree. Whilst it didn’t make our “cut” for purchase, it certainly made an impression!

I love how Georgie and Fabrizio share their thinking. This is why this cask made their “cut”:

We’ve been talking with Bastian at Stork Club – Germany’s first Rye Whiskey Distillery – for years (literally), exploring casks and sampling different options. Then one day, he sent us this cask. A malted rye whiskey, matured in a Napoleon Oak Cask – something we’d never come across, and that got us excited! Rich, decadent, and so chocolatey, this whiskey is unlike anything we’ve tasted in all our years. It’s Black Forest Gateau in a glass, and we love it.

PS – Napoleonic oak means the tree is made from 250+ year old oak (ie survived the Napoleonic wars, WWI, and WWII). Coopers X-ray the wood for shrapnel to ensure past conflicts haven’t left lead traces behind!

From New Zealand to Germany, we moved to Australia. Starward is known to use quite “wet” red wine casks, marrying a bit of wine with whisky. We’ve had a few explorations with this distillery and were curious what The Heart Cut chose and why!

Starward (18 Jun 2019 / 29 Aug 2024) Fresh Red Wine Barrique – American Oak 55% (The Heart Cut #14)

What did we find?

  • Colour – A darker ruby red
  • Nose – Rich and juicy, loads of ripe raspberries, molten dark chocolate
  • Palate – Easy and approachable, yet with substance. More of that raspberry – think of raspberry brownies
  • Finish – Some roasted coconut and spices

I was a bit sentimental about this one. Why? The nose reminded me of my mother’s raspberry jam made with berries picked in their backyard. She’s long past her jam-making days; however, the last jar was such a treat!

My final tasting note? “Their tasting notes are perfect!”  So what was I agreeing with?

LIKE CHOCOLATE-COVERED RASPBERRIES? THEN YOU’LL LOVE THIS.

Starward Distillery has firmly put Melbourne on the Whisky map. Matured in a fresh red wine cask from the Barossa Valley (crafted from American oak), this single malt is all about juicy red fruit and indulgent sweetness – guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

The Heart Cut couple shared that it tastes like:

Bright redcurrants and dried apple slices lead the nose, lifted by delicate rose petals and a whisper of hay. On the palate, a burst of chocolate-covered raspberries meets the comforting crumble of digestive biscuits, layered with rich vanilla and a drizzle of golden syrup. There’s a soft, malty warmth – think porridge laced with dates – and a long, satisfying finish of desiccated coconut, toasted spices and a lingering echo of a raspberry dessert.

Key Takeouts: Chocolate Covered Raspberries, Redcurrants, Digestive Biscuits, Rich Vanilla, Dried Apple Slices

Whilst this one didn’t make the final cut for our quartet, it was definitely a contender!

That was one hard act to follow! So why even try? We went in a totally different direction, returning to Rye, but this time with a new English distillery – Fielden.

Fielden English Rye (7 Jun 2019 / 4 Jul 2023) New American Oak Cask, Coastal Solera Oloroso Finish 56.6% (The Heart Cut #16) 

What did we discover?

  • Colour – Dark copper
  • Nose – An unmistakable aroma – Li Hing Mui – a Chinese dried sweet, sour, and salty dried plums! This was joined by salty caramel
  • Palate – Churan – a distinctive Indian Ayurvedic powder blend made from spices and herbs like mango powder, fennel, cumin, ajwain, ginger, black pepper, and black salt. This was joined by fruits
  • Finish – A bit savoury – think sea salt and roasted nuts

For an English Rye, our impressions veered towards Chinese and Indian flavours! How did that compare with our merry bottling duo?

They described it as a salty caramel bomb! Here’s what more they have to say:

You’re wrapped in warmth from the first nose of this whisky — salted caramel melts into golden honeycomb and a whisper of honeysuckle. On the palate, that saline-sweet caramel deepens, layered with vanilla ice cream and overripe apricot, before thickening into pecan pie richness. Banana chips bring a crisp, tropical chew; there’s also nostalgic notes of warm waffles with maple syrup. To finish, a playful fizz of kola cubes is grounded by toasted walnuts, oak sawdust, and a flicker of smoked Maldon sea salt.

Key Takeouts: Salted Caramel, Honeycomb, Kola Cubes, Walnuts, Banana Chips

We love their approach to exploring and sharing impressions. We weren’t familiar with this distillery, though we spotted that they were at The Whisky Show. So here’s what the Heart Cut has to say about them:

Fielden is shifting the conversation from the stillhouse to the field, championing regenerative farming and heritage grains to create whisky that’s not only great to taste but good for the land. Learn more about Fielden here.

And with that, we moved on to our next expression…

In keeping with a theme of “new”, Lochlea from the Lowlands certainly fits the bill. In 2023, we spent time with the folks behind Lochlea, exploring their family-run approach to whisky making. As for the whisky?

Lochlea (25 Sep 2019 / 14 May 2025) Ex-Islay Cask 54% (The Heart Cut #17) 

  • Colour – Bright yellow
  • Nose – A lemony peat, fresh, with a bit of crisp green apples and lemon zest, joined by honey
  • Palate – Sweet, balanced with a great mouthfeel, more sweet peat and smoke on the palate than nose
  • Finish – Flavourful finish of sweet peat

There was a bright coastal feel to this expression. Quite a contrast to the others – standing out for this very reason!

The Heart Cut couple had this to say about their bottle:

A summer night’s bonfire, wrapped in shortbread sweetness. On the nose, you’ll find freshly cut grass, barbecued pineapple and delicate coastal smoke – all underpinned by buttery apples and soft green pepper. The palate glows with barbecued citrus, runny honey and creamy hazelnuts, before the smoke thickens into birchwood and burnt embers. The finish is long, bright and creamy, with sherbet candy (flying saucers!), bitter orange peel and a wisp of sea salt.

Key Takeouts: Sweet Smoke, Baked Apples, Creamy Hazelnut, Next Door’s BBQ, Sherbet Candy

It made our “cut” as the closing dram for an upcoming session – with a deliberate decision to end on a smoky note!

Westward (22 Mar 2018 / 9 Aug 2023) New American Oak 50% (The Heart Cut #07) 

  • Colour – Dark copper
  • Nose – Dessert in a glass! Tropical fruits, creamy vanilla pudding, vibrant and intoxicating
  • Palate – Fun and sweet, veering towards marmalade and nuts
  • Finish – Dry

Most enjoyable!

Here are their official tasting notes:

Bursting with juicy passion fruit, rich vanilla, panettone, and a zing of bitter orange, this whiskey’s sweetness is beautifully balanced by toasted almonds and a pleasing dryness reminiscent of cacao nibs. This is American Single Malt, but on a whole other level.

And why they chose to bottle this cask:

The newly emerged American Single Malt Whiskey category is gaining momentum, and there’s one distillery we’ve had eyes on since the start. Westward Whiskey brew like a craft ale, distill like a Single Malt and age like a Bourbon to create something otherworldly delicious, and this single cask blew us away with its super juicy and tropical character.

It’s a whiskey that just gets better with every sip. Enjoy!

I’m certainly interested in exploring more!

Bottled exclusively for The Whisky Exchange’s Whisky Show 2025, this is the most recent expression from The Heart Cut. You can read more about our tasting experience here:

Kanosuke 5 year (Nov 2019 / Apr 2025) Ex-Bourbon Quarter Cask 54%

Was I in love? Most certainly! However, I felt such a delicate and nuanced dram might be lost with the bolder choices we were making for our future The Heart Cut tasting evening. Additionally, at £125 for 500ml, the price was a bit beyond what we would normally spend for a tasting flight.

What did the folks at The Heart Cut say about this expression?

Our first Japanese release is a once-in-a-moment cask: a single malt from Kanosuke Distillery, matured in a rare ex-bourbon quarter cask. It’s a whisky of concentrated elegance – all ripe apricots, toasted marshmallows, and refined black tea.

I love how they also share their thinking about why this cask made their “cut”:

Kanosuke is everything we look for in a partner distillery: a new generation of makers, respectful of tradition yet unafraid to shape a bold future for Japanese whisky.

Together with the Kanosuke team, we identified this cask as a once-in-a-moment find – one that captures the distillery’s spirit in crystalline detail. Matured in an ex-bourbon quarter cask from a renowned American distillery, it delivers concentrated flavour and texture, layering ripe apricots with the charred sweetness of toasted marshmallow, all wrapped in a signature elegance that is unmistakably Kanosuke.

And there you have it! A fabulous introduction to a great new team putting out some lovely spirits!

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Whisky Show 2024 – England’s Wire Works

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After some mighty fine drams from all over Scotland at London Whisky Show 2024, it was time to turn to a new English distillery – Wire Works.

Wire Works Caduro 46.8%

  • Nose – A bit harsh at first, then revealed rose petal, sweet peat, and sherry
  • Palate – Soft peat, savoury, salty, elegant
  • Finish – Salty finish with a bit of sage

Overall we found it quite savoury and vegetal.

Wire Works Bourbon 53.4%

  • Nose – Melons, a hint of peat, more sweet than peat though
  • Palate – Yum! This works – back to the basics with bourbon. A nice oily quality, creamy quality.
  • Finish – A touch of spice

There was a lovely texture to this one. No hiding the whisky character with finishes – it shone through clearly. 

Wire Works Moscatel 53.6%

  • Nose – Citrus fresh
  • Palate – A bit sour, surprisingly creamy, nutty, like marzipan, quite interesting sweet and sour
  • Finish – Savoury

There was a distinctive aamchor element to this whisky! Aamchor is a dried mango powder that adds a nice tartness to dishes. Overall we described this dram as quite khatta meetha – in other words sour and sweet. 

Wire Works Madeira 53.6%

  • Nose – Fruity, sweet. much more subtle than the Moscatel, dark cherries
  • Palate – Juicy and well rounded
  • Finish – Quite a dry finish

The Madeira has personality. From a fruity juicy palate to dry finish, this was a nice way to finish our explorations of Wire Works.

Our previous experiences with whiskies from England were primarily with Cotswold, 

Cotswolds

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More Minis – Nc’Nean, Tipperary, Gulliver’s 47

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Continuing my wee whisky mini explorations, I turned to a combination of two different sets… mixing up countries and styles!

For Nc’Nean, this mini came after I’d already purchased a full bottle with thoughts to bring it back to Mumbai for the Whisky Ladies. I knew it would be young but had been impressed with meeting the women leading the way with this fresh new independent distillery – committed to sustainable production, carbon-neutral, using recycled glass for the bottles, and most importantly passionate about crafting a fine dram in harmony with our planet.

Nc’Nean Single Scottish Malt Batch 7, 46%

  • Colour – Light gold
  • Nose – How delightfully fresh, fresh barley, light orange citrus
  • Palate – Initially prickly then gentled, quite young and active, some ginger, tinned pineapple, honey sweetness with something a bit rustic, tannins belying a wine cask influence? If yes, it was subtle and balanced
  • Finish – Waxy, a touch bitter like roasted nuts, light spice, a touch of orange oil

The challenge with tasting minis is that sometimes it simply isn’t enough! I was glad that I have a bottle to explore another time at leisure with friends.

I then shifted gears from Scotland to the Emerald Isles…

Tipperary 8 year Red Wine Cask Finish, Cask RC00117, 59.5%

  • Colour – What colour! A bright ruby
  • Nose – Bold blackberries, spice
  • Palate – Brash, a bit harsh and spicy, with some strong oak undertones, tannins and juicy red berries, like chewy red gummy bears
  • Finish – Sweet and tart at the same time, oak spice chasing

If Nc’Nean had a subtle hand, here there was no mistaking the use of a red wine cask with the Tipperary. So heavy, I wondered if it could have been finished in a decidedly “wet” cask leaving some wine behind? There is nothing shy about this whisky!

Whilst the Irish distillery is undisclosed, the folks at Tipperary have started their own distillery and in time will be putting out their own whisky. In the interim, this bottling of another is retailing for Eur 68.

And then on to a third country – England – with a lightly peated dram from The English Whisky Company:

Gulliver’s 47 Single English Malt 47%

  • Colour – Pale white gold, nearly translucent
  • Nose – Fresh sea breeze and smoke, angel food cake, citrus, layers of soft peat
  • Palate – Delightful! Gentle sweet peat, apples, buttery, lovely malty, most
  • Finish – Sweet tobacco leaf, lingering cinnamon

I really enjoyed this one – rolling around the palate – the peat was subtle yet satisfying. A rather nice dram.

What more do we know? It was aged in bourbon casks from Jim Bean, with the brand inspired by Samuel Gulliver an explorer who brought wines, spirits and liqueurs from around the world back to 18th century Britain. You can find this for Eur 60.

What fun to mix and match tasting from two new distilleries and one brand with a distillery to be!

From time to time, you can also find other whisky-related updates and activities on:

TBWC Cotswolds 3 year 50.4% – Happiness in a glass!

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At the London Whisky Show, two things stood out – a most enjoyable start to our explorations at the Cotswolds booth and the fabulous 10th Anniversary celebrations with That Boutique-y Whisky Co.

So what better idea than to combine the two by acquiring That Boutique-y Whisky Co’s Cotswolds’ Batch 1 for our April evening for the Whisky Ladies of Mumbai.

What did we think?

Cotswolds 3 year Batch 1, 50.4% (TBWC, Home Nations Series) 1,785 bottles

  • Nose – Honey, floral, very soft and sweet, some ripe cantaloupe, then a little prickly herbal quality – like fresh mint, mid-summer, cucumber, apricot – pulpy and inviting, and was there the tiniest hint of peat or perhaps smoked almonds? Shifting back and forth between tropical then citrus fruits
  • Palate – Had a surprising spice burst of mixed peppercorns and red chilies to start, then mellowed into Big Red chewing gum with that cinnamon sweetness, and finally settled into a fruity compote with drizzled honey or caramel
  • Finish – With the 1st sip there was a quick burn, but once we calibrated to the cask strength – realized it had a lovely finish with some spice and vanilla bean
  • Water – We didn’t even try – this whisky was perfect exactly “as is”
We absolutely loved this whisky. At only 3 years it was a delight with a wonderful nose, rewarding palate, and satisfying finish. Perfect for mid-summer sipping… what a delicious dram!
We set it aside to try the other whiskies in our That Boutique-y WHisky Company evening, and returned to such a joyful, happy dram – simply fabulous!! And for many, this was the favourite of the evening!
So, what do the folks over at That Boutique-y Whisky Co have to say?

The distillery is the brainchild of Daniel Szor who acquired an estate with two stone buildings and proceeded to convert them into a distillery and visitor centre.

The distillery was set up with guidance from renowned industry legends Harry Cockburn, former Distillery Manager at Bowmore, and Dr Jim Swan, fondly known as ‘the Einstein of whisky’ for his formidable knowledge of the science of distillation and maturation.

The distillery is committed to using only local barley. All the barley will have been grown in the Cotswolds. The distillery uses Britain’s oldest working maltings at Warminster. 100% of the malt they use is traditionally floor-malted.

The malt is milled and mashed at the distillery, and two strains of dried yeast are used for fermentation. Long fermentation of just over 90 hours to allow fruity flavour compounds called esters to form. This was one of Dr Jim Swan’s masterstrokes. It gives the spirit a fantastic fruity complexity.

And here are their official tasting notes for this 1st batch:

  • Nose: Sweet and rich on the nose – there’s caramelized almonds, sweet pineapple and cherries with a hint of vanilla too.
  • Palate: The sweetness continues, but citrusy warmth interjects – there’s lemon, orange and grapefruit.

I purchased this bottle online in Germany from Whic.de for Eur 52 (on sale)  and opened it in Mumbai for a Whisky Ladies‘ session in April 2023 together with:

As for our other Cotswolds whisky-tasting experiences? Check these out:

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TBWC English Whisky 12 year 63.1% – A poetic nose with a dragon fire palate!

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Whilst Scotland is considered by many the true “home” of whisky, go a little south and you will find the English are also getting into the game! To celebrate this, That Boutique-y Whisky Co started a “Home Nations” series… My original aim was to get an English trio however despite some efforts, couldn’t track down in Germany the Adnans, Circumstance wheat spirit, Oxford grain, or White Peak Single Malt Spirit.

So instead, brought two fine English single malts to an April evening for the Whisky Ladies of Mumbai – this English 12 year and Cotswolds 3 year.

It was fitting to close our evening with the oldest new English distillery – named ‘St George’s’ but bottled under the label “The English Whisky Company” (perhaps so as not to be confused with their American St George cousin?). Regardless of the name, it was the 1st English distillery to produce whisky after 100 years, with its inaugural bottle released in 2009. Which I believe makes this 12 year the oldest English whisky available!

What did we think?

English Whisky Company 12 year Batch 3, 63.4% (TBWC Home Nations Series) Bottle 146 of 299

  • Colour – Burnished copper
  • Nose – Vanilla custard and biscuits, butterscotch, a hint of rum raisin, and hiding behind the dessert elements, a whiff of blossoms
  • Palate – Deceptively soft and fruity and sweet at first and then wildfire, settling down into a Canadian butter tart
  • Finish – Quite a bit of masala spice, gentling into marmalade with cloves
  • Water – A must!!! It absolutely transforms this whisky from something promising but a bit imbalanced into something stunning. The hints of rum raisin on the nose and palate blossom into a rich single rum, charred pineapple, simply delicious.
This whisky was described as being quite romantic and poetic on the nose, Then like dragon fire on the palate… or akin to the first time you smoke a cigar! Of all the three single malts we tasted that evening, this one is best with water. Beautiful!
And what do the folks over at That Boutique-y Whisky Co have to say? Let’s start with their amusing take on describing the distillery:
The English Whisky Company distill English single malt whisky at the aptly named St. George’s distillery with their own logo featuring St. George and the dragon he’s said to have so bravely vanquished. Well, we weren’t going to turn down the chance to have a scrap with a dragon on one of our labels were we? Our dragon, potentially a connoisseur, appears to have some gorgeous golden Boutique-y whisky amongst his hoard of treasure.

Then move on to their tasting notes for Batch 3:

  • Nose: Delightfully delicate, with butterscotch, light honey, floral – spring blossom, backed up with the oak spices,
  • Taste: Gently warming with creamy custard cream biscuits, spicy oak, vanilla essence, clove, and a long satisfying finish.

I purchased this bottle online in Germany from Whic.de for Eur 76 and opened it in Mumbai for a Whisky Ladies‘ session in April 2023 together with:

Curious about other English drams? Read on:

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London Whisky Show – Cotswolds

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Setting the stage for our London Whisky Show was Cotswolds – a perfect start with a newer distillery just a few hours from London… We had previously enjoyed their delightful gin and found our 1st try of their Signature whisky also quite promising.

Don’t expect detailed notes as our approach was to sniff, swish, and spit… gaining impressions and insights from discussions about the whisky rather than an in-depth exploration.

Deb did a marvelous job opening up our Whisky Show experience. Started in 2014, she shared how Cotswold’s founder Dan was driven by his love of both whisky and his new home in the Cotswolds. Using barley from the area, under Jim Swan’s direction, Cotswolds turned to STR (Shaved, Toasted, Re-charred) wine casks to augment the more typical ex-bourbon or ex-sherry casks.

Cotswolds Signature Single Malt 46%

Dubbed as a breakfast dram, it was indeed a lovely way to start our whisky adventures.,,,,

  • Nose – Cherry, caramel
  • Palate – Warm and full, creamy with a hint of tannin, giving a ‘nod’ to the wine cask
  • Finish – Lightly bitter

Deb shared this was a good example of Cotswold character and approach – using STR which they describe as:

highly active STR (Shaved, Toasted and Re-charred) ex-red wine barriques. Blended with whisky matured in premium first-fill ex-Bourbon barrels, this single malt has notes of honey, red fruits and a hint of treacle.

And what would it set you back? It is quite reasonable at approx GBP 40.

One way to understand a spirit’s “base” character is to sample the New Make before it touches wood. This is why it was so interesting to try Cotswolds White Pheasant New Make Spirit 63.5%. What did we think?

  • Notes – Tropical then orchard fruits – Williams Pear, honeyed sweetness or like a drizzle of sugar on porridge
  • Palate – Surprisingly creamy and smooth, something quite comforting, more of the pears combined with sweetened porridge

While we didn’t talk price, I later checked online to discover they sell their new make spirit for approx GBP 40 (currently sold out).

We then moved on to a cask strength…

Cotswolds Founder’s Choice 59.1%

  • Nose – Creamy, berries, dark cherries, a hint of cocoa which came across as surprisingly harmonious
  • Palate – Very “forward” with the wood, intense spice that started to mellow the more time it spent in the glass, joined by a bit of marmalade or citrus
  • Finish – Good, solid, and long, with the wood influence continuing
  • Water – Brought balance and even more sweetness – toffee dessert, the sweet skin of a kumquat

Had the clear intensity of a young cask-strength whisky which is exactly why we added some water to see its effect – would certainly recommend doing this!

What do they have to say?

Part of our Cask Expressions Collection, our cask strength Founder’s Choice Single Malt Whisky is aged exclusively in our founder Dan’s favourite casks: STR (Shaved, Toasted and Re-charred) ex-red wine barriques. These highly active casks were created by our mentor and renowned whisky consultant, the late Dr. Jim Swan, and give a rich and intense maturation to our fruity new make spirit, offering strong notes of toffee, chocolate and red fruits, as well as a beautiful, deep colour.

Retails for GBP 70.

From there, we switched gears to explore the sherry side of maturation… also in batches, Deb shared this edition has both Olorosso and PX influences.

Cotswolds Sherry Cask Single Malt 57.4%

  • Nose – Like the Founder’s Choice, it was also quite wood-forward, then joined by Christmas cake, sticky toffee pudding, coffee
  • Palate – Silky smooth, rolling around the liquid coffee cake with dried fruits followed by a nice spice prickle
  • Finish – Intense, strong, and lingers
  • Water – Opens it up nicely, juicy berries, dark grapes?

We found it an interesting evolution from the Founder’s Choice, with the sherry adding an intense flavour-packed dimension.

What do they have to say?

Our Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky is a marriage of carefully selected and blended sherry casks and features in our Cask Expressions Collection. Each yearly batch is unique, drawn from the finest American and Spanish oak hogsheads and butts, some of which have been seasoned with dry Oloroso sherry and others with sweet Pedro Ximénez. All have been sherry-aged through their full maturation for a deeper and more flavourful whisky. Full of dried fruits, chocolate and a touch of spice.

Retails GBP 70

Next up in our tasting experience was an offering from the Harvest series. As Deb explained, this keeps changing to reflect the harvest of the year. This 2022 Harvest uses ex-bourbon, STR red wine, with a touch of peat from peated casks.

Cotswolds Harvest Series (2022) 52.5%

  • Nose – Light berries with a hint of smoke
  • Palate – Peppery, like black peppercorns, quite direct, cream, vanilla, and smoke
  • Finish – Light spice with a touch of peat

It made me think – if there was a smoky vanilla ice cream – this would be it! Something to enjoy in late summer, before slipping into fall.

What more do they have to say?

Our Harvest Series is released once a year and celebrates the beautiful landscape of the Cotswolds through the art of painting and whisky blending. For this single malt release, each presentation tube features an original painting by local artist Josephine Trotter which perfectly illustrates the iconic rolling hills of the Cotswolds that surround our rural distillery.

Retails for GBP 100.

Now that we started to shift into light peat, it was time to focus more fully on this side of their range. As Deb shared, they use ex-Peated casks (Laphroaig) rather than peat the whisky itself, to achieve a gentler approach.

Cotswolds Peated Cask 59.6%

  • Nose – Cream followed by tobacco, medicinal
  • Palate – A battle between peat, sweet, and wood
  • Finish – Very dry and bitter with a smoky close

What do they have to say?

Aged for full-term maturation in ex-peated quarter casks, our Peated Cask Single Malt Whisky is part of our Cask Expressions Collection. A delightful and moreish cask strength single malt with subtle hints of peat smoke on the palate which complement the vanilla notes from the oak and the fruitiness of our single malt spirit. Think ‘smoky vanilla ice cream’, as our distillers like to describe it!

Can I just say, I did a double-take! I swear I’d never read their notes nor did Deb speak of ‘smoky vanilla ice cream‘…. and yet there it was! This just goes to show – this really is the impression left by both this particular Harvest and their Peated expression!

Retails for GBP 70.

We concluded Cotswolds was a rather civilized start to our day of explorations… which went on to sample some 50+ whiskies over the course of the next few hours… wow!

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Another English entrant – Cotswold Signature Single Malt 46%

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English whisky is starting a wee revival… nothing on the scale or breadth of the Irish, however there are modest entrants here and there… now numbering around 20+.

Apparently, the 1st in this English whisky revival came in 2007 with “The English” from St. George’s distillery in Norfolk that we tried earlier in the evening.

In a previous evening, one tasting companion and I had the pleasure of sampling a whisky from The Lakes Distillery – which has an Arran and Macallan connect that started in 2014.

For Cotswold, their distillery also began in 2014 with both gin and whisky… to be honest I heard more about their Gin which has been well received. So was delighted when the blind tasting revealed their whisky!

What did we think?
Cotswold Batch 06/2018 46% (5950 bottles)
  • Nose – Distinctive, floral, brown sugar, custard, tuberoses? Milky Toffee, hazelnut and honey
  • Palate – A nice kick, heavy, chewy chili whisky, very dry…. as it settles starts to reveal a delicate fruitiness on the palate too with that millky toffee and creamy custard also there…
  • Finish – Dry cloves, cinnamon bark, the kind of finish that prompts you to pucker up! Then again… like the palate… keep sipping and it settles in nicely, even reasonably long

Initially, we found it a tiny bit imbalanced but with the revisit, enjoyed the sweetness and spice… especially the aromas are enchanting and invite you to return to sniff and sniff again. Give it a bit of time and this whisky nicely opens up. As it is quite a ‘light weight’, there is zero need for any water – best had neat!

As we tasted it blind, we again turned to speculate the cask mix. Perhaps ex-bourbon maybe even a first fill? Though we had sweet spices on the finish, didn’t discern much of a sherry cask influence.. perhaps something else? But what do we know?

Turns out it is indeed from first-fill barrels – unspecified on the label. And as Cotswold works with batches, what we had in the 2018 6th batch could differ from what is available today.

What more do we know? I believe we tasted one of their Signature Single Malts. In which case they have this to say:

Our award-winning Cotswolds Signature Single Malt Whisky, the first whisky ever made in the Cotswolds, is crafted using the finest locally grown, traditionally floor-malted Cotswold barley. Matured in highly active STR (Shaved, Toasted and Re-charred) ex-red wine casks and premium first-fill ex-Bourbon casks, this single malt whisky provides an incredible depth of flavour with notes of honey, Seville orange marmalade and dark red fruits.

An interesting introduction – I would certainly keep an eye out for other opportunities to explore further.

At the moment, this expression (but not batch) is available for GBP 39 – which is quite reasonable all things considered.

What else did we try in our Scottish ‘adjacent’ themed evening?

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Reviving England’s Whisky Production – The English “Original” 43%

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St.George’s Distillery in the UK (not to be confused with the Californian St George), was founded in 2005 by James Nelstrop and his son. Whilst initially they had a micro distillery in mind, the permit would only come with a full blown operation – so that’s exactly what they decided to set-up!

Taking advice from whisky expert Iain Henderson, production began in 2007 with both peated and unpeated standards. We were introduced to the unpeated “Original” one fine evening in Mumbai, early January 2022 – sampled blind.

We started with The English… what were our impressions?

  • Nose – Citrus, resin, sharp alcohol, pine, green apple, boiled sweet, shy, allspice, as opened up becomes sweeter
  • Palate – A piquant spice, curry leaf, very bitter – Allspice? Dry mace flower (Javithri)… has quite a dry mouthfeel
  • Finish – Bitter… like bitter almond (which is a bit off), or that slightly salty dried Chinese sour cherry, one sampler even found a bit of licorice

Overall? We found that the nose required a bit of a workout, we really needed to carefully pay attention to be rewarded with a few different elements. It had many of the right ingredients however it felt a bit like it wasn’t quite there yet…

As we were tasting blind, our speculation turned to cask – we thought likely an ex-bourbon cask. We weren’t convinced it was a typical Scottish single malt… but no clue beyond that.

And the reveal?

Interesting and a good introduction to this English distillery. This whisky also stood up well with a cigar – which is always a good thing with these gens!

What did the folks at The English have to say about their “Original” standard?

The English – Original. Aged to perfection in specially selected Bourbon Casks. An unpeated single malt whisky. A great easy-drinking classic single malt

With their official tasting notes:

A gentle aroma with hints of vanilla and tropical fruits. Like a soft whipped vanilla ice cream. Melts on the palate. Slightly nutty with a long malty finish. Finish is clean, dry and slightly salty.

This whisky retails for GBP 42.50.

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Dunkerton Drams – Lake Distillery Steel Bonnets

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I was surprised to realize this is the 1st whisky from England that I’ve explored. While I’ve heard about The One series with Sherry, Port and Orange, never had a chance to try. However it turns out this particular expression is a deliberate blend of English and Scottish malt whiskies… so you could call this a transition from Scotland to England.

And what is with Steel Bonnets? These were the helmets worn when robing, raiding and riding… reminders of a time during the 13th to 17th century where the land between England and Scotland was a wild independent mix of kin over kingdom… neither British nor Scottish.

Started in 2011, Lakes Distillery calls home a 160-year-old Victorian farmstead on the north shore of Bassenthwaite Lake in England’s Lake District. There is a proud desi connect with Dhavall Gandhi its whisky master – financial analyst turned whisky scientist and artist.

Curious to discover more… we cracked open our sample and let the experience take us away…

Lakes Distillery Steel Bonnets 46.6%

  • Nose – Dried fruits, light sherry, woodsy even a bit ashy, stewed overripe fruits, wood shavings, manuka honey, sweetgrass smoke… after some time there was also some bitter chocoloate with nuts
  • Palate – Sweet peat, herbal, a nice oiliness underneath, lots of flavour and body, nice spice with substance with more of that sweet smoke
  • Finish – Finally a finish!

There was something so familiar about the aromas. My tasting companion dubbed it an “unblendy blend” as it was and wasn’t like a blend. Certainly one that needed a bit of time to breath and open up… on the palate it became even better after some time. Again with the finish, there was something so familiar. We never were quite able to place it, but certainly enjoyed the experience.

What do the folks at Lake Distillery have to say?

  • Nose: Notes of vanilla, sweet spice and woodsmoke
  • Palate: Creamy, slightly nutty and full-bodied. Vanilla, ginger, nutmeg and hints of dried fruit with a sweet layer of woodsmoke
  • Finish: Long and warming

Yup – we’d agree. And genuinely enjoyed this whisky… curious to explore more as and when opportunities arise.

What else did we try in our 2nd Dunkerton drams evening?

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