Origin: England
Type: London Single Malt Whisky
Strength: 58.1%ABV
Ageing casks: Ex-Bourbon and ex-peated quarter cask
Chillfiltered: No
Added coloring: No
Owner: The Bimber Distillery Company Limited
Average price: € 130.00
Official website: www.bimberdistillery.co.uk
Vote: 82/100
The United Kingdom, land of myths, legends, knights, magic swords… and whisky.
Leaving the borders of Scotland, not to the west of Hibernia (Ireland), so called by the ancient Romans, but this time further south and precisely in London.
There, too, a few distilleries are making waves, even when they are not exactly of London origin, namely Bimber, one of the producers we often hear about and repeatedly come across in online shops.
Today I try one of the distillery’s peated versions, the Peated Cask, and surely someone will say ‘yeah, but the best peaty whisky is produced in Scotland, on Islay’. Nothing to argue with that, many distilleries have made a bet on peat in recent years, even outside Islay (and Europe) many fine goodies have been produced, but in this version there is a hint of Scotland!
Bottled using first-fill ex-bourbon casks and others that had already contained Islay peated whisky, the 125 litre ‘quarter casks’, producing 1,750 cask strength bottles.
But enough of that, let’s taste it.
Tasting notes
On the nose, you perceive a light peat, very balanced, then sweet and sugary notes such as cream puffs, vanilla and chantilly cream take over. After a few seconds, yellow fruits such as peach, apricot and a slight impression of mango make their way in, ending with a hint of smoke.
On the palate, repeatedly the peach emerges arrogantly, with peat smoke, ash, tobacco and spices such as ginger, black pepper and vanilla. Then light dark chocolate, meringue, almond, honey and coffee beans are added to the mix.
The finish is medium to long, woody and smoky like beach bonfires and with slightly tingling peppery notes.
In conclusion, a balanced and light peated whisky that is, albeit at a higher alcohol content than normal, drinkable and sweet. The perfect whisky to drink after dinner accompanied by nuts or a dessert that is not very sugary and creamy, like a panettone.
Or, if I have to throw in a romantic note, to drink while leaning against the balustrade of Tower Bridge admiring the Thames and Big Ben in the distance.