This whisky is the fourth edition in the limited edition Hearts & Crafts series from the English distillery of Cotswolds. The Cotswolds Hearts & Crafts Banyuls Cask has experienced a full maturation in a small batch of French oak casks that were previously filled with Banyuls, a regional sweet dessert wine from the south west of France. The series is inspired by the Art & Crafts movement championed by famous former Cotswolds resident William Morris. Morris-inspired designs are featured on a special packaging tube and neck tag. The Banyuls Cask follows three previous releases - the Sauternes Cask, Pineau des Charentes Cask and Rum Cask.
The Cotswolds distillery is located in the village of Stourton and was founded in 2014 by Daniel Szor. The company ethos is to only use barley grown on Cotswold farms and filtered water from the village supply. This barley is then malted on a traditional malt floor at the local maltsters in nearby Warminster.
Whisky and gin are produced, along with a range of liqueurs. The distillery run tours daily and also have a shop, cafe and tasting room on site. Berry Brothers & Rudd, London's oldest wine and spirits merchants, have recently purchased a share in the English distillery.
The Cotswolds Hearts & Crafts Banyuls Cask is bottled at 55.1% ABV and is both non chill-filtered and of natural colour. There are just 1,510 bottles and these will be available exclusively from www.cotswoldsdistillery.com. A bottle will cost £95.
Our tasting notes
The whisky is bright gold in colour and the nose is packed with sweet and fruity aromas. Green apple and juicy sultana rise first and are joined by aromas of golden syrup and moscovado sugar. Further aromas of candied citrus (think of orange and lime especially), plus hints of milk chocolate and vanilla give depth. A pinch of cinnamon spice rounds things off.
On the palate the whisky feels rich and viscous. It is again packed with fruity and sweet characteristics, but also has a spicy punch due to the high ABV. Once this peppery quality dies down a little (or once water is added) the fruitiness really begins to pop. Juicy sultanas and candied lime are to the fore with plenty of crisp green apple and a hint of white peach joining too.
The sweetness is again very golden syrup and moscovado sugar-like, and compliments the tangy fruitiness well. Vanilla and toasted oak come next, alongside milk chocolate and a hint of cocoa powder. The toasted oak note evolves into woody spice - think of cinnamon and a scratch of nutmeg. Underneath is a hint of hazelnut praline and some soft nougat.
The finish is of decent length and warming. The oak and spicy elements drive this and take control as the sweet and fruity notes begin to fade. With water the pepper is taken away but there is still plenty of toasted oak, cinnamon and hints of nutmeg and ginger root.
What's the verdict?
This is another fine offering from Cotswolds, although it needs a splash of water in our opinion to soften that initial peppery kick. The complex mix of fruit, sweetness and spice shows well and makes us wonder why ex-Banyuls casks are not used more often. From memory, we had never had one before. We have also enjoyed the other bottlings in the Hearts & Crafts series and this one sits well against the others. It will be intriguing to see which cask type comes next.
No comments:
Post a Comment