Review / Cotswolds 'Hearts & Crafts' Banyuls Cask

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.

Review / Cotswolds 'Hearts & Crafts' Rum Cask

This new whisky is the latest addition to the Hearts & Crafts Collection from the English distillery of Cotswolds. The series of limited edition whiskies is inspired by the work of designer and craftsman William Morris, who lived in the Cotswolds at Kelmscott Manor. The new release has seen the spirit made from 100% Cotswolds barley, which was traditionally floor malted in nearby Warminster, and then matured in rejuvenated French oak ex-red wine casks that were seasoned with Caribbean rum. All bottles are presented in a William Morris design tube. The exact number of bottles was not revealed in the press release.

Review / Cotswolds Madeira Single Cask

This whisky is the latest limited edition from the English distillery of Cotswolds. The Cotswolds Madeira Single Cask is a single malt that represents the inaugural release into their new Single Cask Series that is planned for 2022. The whisky was made using locally grown and malted barley. It was filled to a single French oak cask (Cask #621) that had previously held Madeira, a fortified wine from the Portuguese island, in April 2016. It was bottled in February 2022 at the natural cask strength of 59.5% ABV, and is both non chill-filtered and of natural colour. The Cotswold Madeira Single Cask is a distillery exclusive - it is only available from the distillery shop or Cotswolds website. A bottle will cost £95.

Inbox / The Week's Whisky News (March 11, 2022)

Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our WFE email. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Within Inbox we aim to write a few lines detailing each press release/piece of news/PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information. 

Review / Cotswolds Bourbon Cask

This whisky is the latest addition to the Cask Collection series from Cotswolds, the award-winning English distillery. The Cotswolds Bourbon Cask has been created using 100% Cotswolds barley with the spirit then undergoing full maturation in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels made from American white oak. It joins the Founder's Choice, Peated Cask and Sherry Cask in the collection. The Cotswolds Bourbon Cask is bottled at 59.1% ABV and both is non chill-filtered and of natural colour. It is exclusively available via www.cotswoldsdistillery.com and their three retail shops. These are located at the distillery in Stourton and in the towns of Broadway and Bourton-on-the-Water. The price is £64.95. 

Review / Cotswolds 'Hearts & Crafts' Pineau de Charentes Cask

This whisky is the second release by the Cotswolds into the Hearts & Crafts series from the English distillery. The Cotswolds 'Heart & Crafts' Pineau de Charentes Cask has been fully matured in French Oak casks that have previously held Pineau de Charentes. This is produced the Charentes Maritime region of France, which is near Bordeaux. It is made from fresh grape juice blended with Cognac, which is then left to mature in barrels. The new whisky is inspired by the Art & Crafts movement championed by famous ex-resident of the Cotswolds, William Morris. Morris inspired designs are featured on a special packaging tube and neck tag.

Inbox / The Week's Whisky News (April 23, 2021)

Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our WFE email. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Within Inbox we aim to write a few lines detailing each press release/piece of news/PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information. 

Review - Cotswolds Sherry Cask

The Cotswold distillery has released its latest English single malt to its award-winning range - the Cotswolds Sherry Cask. This new whisky features spirit matured in both American oak and European oak casks that have been seasoned with either dry Oloroso or sweet Pedro Ximenez sherry. The casks are a mix of hogsheads and butts, and this is the first of what is planned to be an annual release. The Cotswolds Sherry Cask is bottled at the natural cask strength of 57.4% ABV and is non chill-filtered and of natural colour. It is available to purchase via the distillery shop, selected specialist retailers or via their website www.cotswoldsdistillery.com. A bottle will cost £64.95.

Inbox - The Week's Whisky News (October 16, 2020)

Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our WFE email. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Within Inbox we aim to write a few lines detailing each press release/piece of news/PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information. Here is the news from this week ...

Inbox - The Week's Whisky News (April 24, 2020)

Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our WFE email. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Within Inbox we aim to write a few lines detailing each press release/piece of news/PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information.

Our Top 10 Whiskies of 2018

Another year has passed and it is time for one of our favourite blog posts - our top 10 whiskies from last year. Everyone will have a different opinion about what should and should not be on such a list. Our list is simply our favourites with no criteria, such as price or availability applied, or agenda.

2018 saw seemingly more whiskies released than ever before. New distilleries bottled their first ever products (Cotswolds and Eden Mill), established brands put new whiskies in to their core ranges (Aberlour and Glenlivet amongst others), classic whiskies were re-released (BenRiach and GlenDronach) and some distilleries celebrated landmarks with anniversary bottlings (Balcones and Benromach). The competitions that we both judge on saw record levels of entries, reflecting this vibrancy at the moment.

As with previous years it has been a struggle to narrow our choices down to just ten. We have sampled many nice whiskies, reviewing numerous of them. As with the last couple of years, we have decided to again list the final ten in alphabetical order, rather than ranking them.

Review - Cotswolds Founder's Choice

This whisky is the first ever cask strength single malt to be released by the Cotswolds distillery in south western England. It was bottled in October 2018 and has been matured in STR (shaved, toasted and re-charred) casks made from American oak. These had previously been seasoned with red wine and were coopered in Portugal. Just nine were selected for this release and there are just 3,000 bottles available. It is non chill-filtered, of natural colour and bottled at the cask strength of 60.9% ABV. A bottle will cost £65 and is available in selected specialist whisky retailers and via the company's website www.cotswoldsdistillery.com.

Inbox - The Week's Whisky News (October 27, 2017)

Welcome to Inbox.  For those new to WFE, Inbox is our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our email inbox. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday.