The English Whisky Co. twitter tasting event–#EWCTT

saint_grgThe English whisky company has been around a few years, and been distilling since 2006. i only tasted a few of their whiskies before (chapter 11 heavily peated ) and was really thrilled when I was told  by Steve Rush, organizer of this event and chief whisky man at The Whiky wire Blog I’m participating in this twitter tasting. The English whisky is very active on twitter and David Fitt their distiller (@distiller) tweets quite a lot about his work, and distiller’s life, which is very cool. This tasting as opposed to others was done blind : meaning we each got 4 sample bottles labelled 1,2,3,4 , without any information about which is which. We were to taste each sample online , then discuss it, and only after that will David reveal what actually was the dram we just had. This time I did get the samples in time (thank you Israeli Post) and was all ready in time for the tasting. 21:00 Israeli time (thank god for time differences, which enable me to do that peacefully when the kids are in bed), we were all going online, and started pouring dram #1.

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So, we started with dram #1, it felt young but David assured me all the samples we’re about to taste are indeed officially old enough to be called “whisky” : 3 years and older. we took off…

Sample #1- 5 yo, Unpeated drawn from the cask and reduced to 46% ABV

nose: young, new make with a lot of apples pear drops, detergent / fresh laundry, malty notes sweet and cereals.some cardamom.
Palate: Sweeter than the nose, with a lot of vanilla, creamy . nutty. with some fruity notes as well bitter pear schnapps.Peppery. with some eucalyptus extract.
Finish : bitter sweet, with nutty and chocolaty stuff. very dry.

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Sample #2 – 46%, First fill Bourbon and peated red Burgundy (3 year old bourbon ) and 4 year old Burgundy casks

Nose: We’re in peat lands here. gentle peat smoke, smoked meat, tea leaves, some dumpy grass, herbs too. adding water bring the the peat reek to the fore front.
Palate: Wood smoke, rubber, pepper, ginger , oak, white pepper. with water it turns bitter and more peppery.
finish : Smoke, pepper, and wood .

A new whisky that David has been working on for sale into duty free and USA export markets. Made primarily using first fill bourbon casks with peated whisky from red burgundy wine casks, 46% ABV

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Sample #3 – Heavily Peated Chapter 11 – 46%

Nose : We’re definitely in peat land. a lot of rubber as in tyre shop, young with quite a bit of new make notes, pears… slightly medicinal, but don’t look for tar or Laphroaig here… malty and cereals.
Palate: A lot of peat on the palate, an avalanche. peppery. sweet sweet  stuff. gooseberries, and other fruit.
Finish : Smoke. rubber, dry.

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Then came sample #4 and changed everything. I was sure from the nose we’re talking about a sherry bomb. there was some peat, and we all thought it was some sort of dirty sherry cask, and peated barley, but I would have never thought this was the effect of a wine cask. and let alone that kind of desert wine cask.

Sample #4 –  4 ½ yo  Heavily Peated – 61.7% – Cask strength & fully matured in a Sauternes wine cask

Nose: BIG BIG, sherry mama. but sort of dirty sherry, with some hints of smoke, tobacco, peat? a lot of beef stock/bouillon/ oxtail, as you wish, it has this wonderful smell big body.
Palate: Whoa.  big stuff. a little over powering . fruity, again meaty, sherry, tea leaves, rubber, mocha. a lot of sugar, Demerara.

Finish: bitter chocolate and burnt sugar and traces of dried apricot.

What a tasting that was, and very very educational especially with that last one. I was not aware that the English Whisky Co. was experimenting with all those different types of casks (Burgundy, Sauternes) and this was great to experience. One of thing i really liked here (as in other blind twitter tastings, such as the Mackmyra) is that we were tasting some cask samples which were drawn just before the tasting for the first time. It’s so much nicer tasting new and experimental drams and not only the regular OBs. Very very cool. I went to sleep after two hours of great fun, and with a smile on my face. A true whisky nerd, eh?

Let me thank David, who took a very active part in the tasting, providing vital information on the whisky, fermentation process, and answering every question sent by the entire gang. And of course, Steve, from the Whisky Wire for organizing this lovely event. May there be more of this kind.

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Slainte!

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