Review / Gulliver's 47 PX Sherry Casks

This whisky is the latest limited edition bottling from the English single malt brand of Gulliver's. The Gulliver's 47 PX Sherry Casks is a whisky that was distilled for the brand at the St. George's distillery in Norfolk. It has had its full maturation in ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. The brand aims to showcase the skills of artisan producers and is named after the adventures of Samuel Gulliver in 1747. He was an explorer who travelled the globe discovering new wines, spirits and liqueurs to bring back to the UK. His business was located in the town of Banbury. As a result, the brand carries the tagline of 'An Adventurous Spirit'. It is also the official whisky of the England Rugby Union team.

Gulliver's 47 was created by Stuart Gulliver, an eighth generation descendant of Samuel Gulliver. The Gulliver's 47 PX Sherry Casks is a small batch release bottled at 47% ABV and six years of age. It is both non chill-filtered and of natural colour, and will be available in selected specialist UK whisky retailers and the Gullivers website. A bottle will cost £79.

Our tasting notes

The colour is deep amber and the nose is rich, sweet and fruity. Initial aromas of caramel and butterscotch are quickly joined by chocolate coated raisins and plenty of warming woody spices (think of cinnamon especially). There are also hints of treacle tart, prunes and orange oil that add further complexity.

On the palate this whisky feels bold, sweet and spicy. Rich and juicy dark dried fruits, such as prune and raisin, mingle with caramel and milk chocolate notes. Maybe some fig too. Or is it fig roll biscuits? There is a suggestion of rum 'n raisin ice cream also. Dark treacle and Terry's chocolate orange sit in the background and add depth to the sweetness and richness.

However, it is difficult to ignore the heavy wood and baking spices. The combination gives a spiky and slightly hot edge to the whisky. There is plenty of toasted oak and this is complimented by an evolving nutty quality - think of hazelnut and walnut in particular. The baking spices come in the form of cinnamon and all-spice with hints of clove and liquorice. A peppery hit rounds things off.

The finish is hot and of decent length. The sweet, rich and fruity notes fade slightly earlier than expected, which is disappointing. This leaves the oak, baking spices and spiky pepper characteristics to fight it out to a drying conclusion.

What's the verdict?

This is only the second Gulliver's 47 whisky that we have sampled but we have been impressed by both. For this bottling the rich and sumptuous notes of the ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry casks have added body and depth superbly. 

However, the youthfulness of the spirit shines through in the end and this slightly detracts from the positives. The hotness on the end of the palate and finish are borderline aggressive. But that said, we see lots of promise for the brand and plan to keep a keen eye on future releases.