Origin: Highlands (Scotland)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Strength: 46%ABV
Ageing casks: Ex-Bourbon
Chillfiltered: No
Added colouring: No
Owner: Brave New Spirits
Average price: € 45.00
Official website: www.bravenewspirits.com
Vote: 85/100
Today I am writing about an independent Scottish bottler that is making a lot of waves, thanks to its exclusive bottlings and very distinctive labels such as the Voodoo series, Cask Noir and The Yellow Edition.
Brave New Spirits, founded in 2020 in Glasgow by Adam Hochul and Alexander Springensguth who are also co-owners of the new distillery in Campbeltown Witchburn, plans to produce unpeated, peated and powerfully peated whiskies.
The distillery will be powered by 100 per cent renewable energy sources.
The bottling I taste today is The Highland Shepherd, a single malt matured 5 to 8 years in ex-Bourbon oak casks at the famous Blair Athol distillery in the Scottish town of the same name.
It is distinguished by its label depicting the artwork of Rosa Bonheur, a famous French painter.
This whisky has won several awards in various competitions worldwide, such as:
The Scotch Whisky Master 2022 (Gold)
The World Whisky Awards 2023 (Bronze)
International Whisky Challenge (Silver)
IWSC International Wine and Spirits Competition 2023 (Gold) 96 pts
But now let’s taste, because I can’t wait any longer.
Tasting notes
Amber colour.
The nose immediately releases fruit such as pear, peach, mango and banana, followed by spicy hints such as ginger, black pepper and a hint of embers. It continues with herbaceous and mentholated hints and a touch of thyme.
The palate reveals itself to be citrusy, with hints of vanilla, orange and then very pronounced sweet hints such as chantilly cream and butter. It continues with herbaceous hints such as rosemary and even a hint of barley and aniseed.
The finish is long and sweetish with hints of cream, banana, pear, ginger and pepper.
In conclusion, I really enjoyed this whisky, I suggest adding three drops of water to enhance the pastry hints even more.
Excellent paired with Sicilian butter and almond biscuits or Modica chocolate.