Origin: England
Type: Blended Malt Whisky
Strength: 46.6%ABV
Ageing casks: Ex-Bourbon and ex-Bimber
Chillfiltered: No
Added coloring: No
Owner: The Bimber Distillery Company Limited
Average price: € 70.00
Official website: www.bimberdistillery.co.uk
Vote: 78/100
Unlike other bottlings, which are always surrounded by great hype among enthusiasts to the point of sheer fanaticism, at the end of 2021 Bimber came out with this blended whisky almost on the quiet, without fuss, without big announcements or promotions, so much so that it is unknown to most.
A blend of Scotch whiskies from the Highlands and Speyside, aged for a minimum of twelve years, refined for about a year in ex-Bourbon casks in which the distillery’s own whisky had already been aged.
Defined on the label as Pure Malt (just so as not to annoy the Scottish brothers and their strict rules on whisky), it comes in a bottle with a wrought glass that recalls the surface of the copper stills.
Tasting notes
The nose is very floral and fruity, a fresh compote of apple, peach, pear, pineapple and linden blossom to which are added notes of propolis, vanilla and almond with a pleasant, almost balsamic vein. Chewing gum and a hint of cinnamon in the background. Lively and fresh.
In the mouth it’s light-bodied but not too much, with a marked spiciness of pepper and ginger that accompanies the fruit, including blond orange, and the sweet tones of honey and vanilla, always with a cereal and balsamic substrate as a common thread. The spiciness proves rather exuberant over time, with a tendency to overpower the flavours leaving a bitter and astringent note.
The finish is not very long, bitter and herbaceous, slightly saline, with vanilla, green apple, wood and almond.
The fresh and sparkling aromas on the nose were not supported by the palate, which I found unbalanced and not very incisive, so much so that it reminded me more of virgin casks than first and second fill ex-Bourbon’s. The experiment is interesting but, for me, still needs some extra work.