TWE Show 2019: International

Backing up slightly as there’s been significant overlap,…

Day two of TWE Show 2019 starts off in Wetherspoons for a budget vegan breakfast. It sets me up surprisingly well for another day’s grazing. Like last year, I pass the annual sheep coercion ceremony on London Bridge. This morning’s in-queue offerings begin with a Cooley from the Cavalier.

Cooley 23yo [2015] Cadenhead World Whiskies bourbon barrel [192 bts] 55% WB89.62[74]

• C: In a snapshot: more peated than expected. Lovely mouthfeel, lovely whiskey.

[Provisionally scores 88 points]

 

Helsinki Distillery Company Private Cask bottle no.#1 CS [abv unknown]

Also being passed around in the queue, yet another new distillery for my world whisky map. This was a private bottling from cask #1.

• C: Described by the bottle owner as “get shit-faced whisky”, I find a very agreeable bready rye with a likeable soft freshness – and some poke!

[Not scored]

 

From Helsinki to Tel Aviv.

Milk & Honey TWE Show London 2019 Ob. Single cask [100 bts] 55% [50cl] WB84.14[10]

Tasted with no prior knowledge of its makeup, will this be STR-forward whisky I wonder? Thankfully there’s been little sign of it at this year’s show.

• N: With water, candied yeasty peanut oil is all I noted.
• T: More yeasty candy peanuts with marmalade and a touch of boozy butterscotch.
• F: Significantly reduced STR-style than last year’s releases, because of the firmer ex-bourbon and PX sherry butt finishing action. Finishes true.
• C: M&H are still finding their feet yet making good whisky all the while.

Scores 82 points

 

Milk & Honey The Last One [2019] Ob. Ex-red wine & ex-bourbon [4000 bts] 46% [50cl] WB82.50[4] WC79

M&H’s international sales director Tal Chotine tells me [this] ‘The Last One‘ is finished in pomegranate wine casks. Many of these ‘native’ cask-finished whiskies are experiments, seasonal or special releases – Stauning Kjesp [WLP] or Mackmyra Barnsten [WB] for example – though Mackmyra uses ex-Cloudberry wine casks for more regular expressions [WLP].

• N: Ping < pong is all I wrote. Translation: Pinging around in all directions and bouncing back with more gusto than it left.
• T: Less wacky on the palate than expected.
• F: The cask finishing negates any STR vibes.
• C: Pretty fair.

Scores 79 points

 

Further reading:

• M&O
• MoM blog

 

From Tel Aviv to London.

Bimber Peated Finish [2019] Un-Ob. 53.8%

At just over 3 years old, this un-released cask sample is a sherry-matured spirit that was stuck in a Laphroaig quarter cask for three months. Many other distilleries have done this [from memory, Wolfburn WLP80 & Stauning’s cask #666 WLP], and with positive results. Let’s see how the little smoky cask liked Bimber’s spirit.

• N: Lightly sherried, enabling a mineral/pebble thing tied up with odd candy string,…
• T: A curious one as Matt had indicated. I noted liquid smoke with only a touch of sherry in comparison to the 1st release.
• F: More sherry action later whilst the mineral/pebble quality remains.
• C: It’s an oddity which I rather like.

Scores 81 points

 

Bimber 1st Release [2019] Ob. [btl #70/1000] 54.2% WB89.56[52] WF87 WN87 SW

• N: This young ‘un, unapologetically displays its clean new make-like base, yet with its youthful and firm/full sherried presence, there’s also an underlying illusionary Dalmore/Macallan-like umami-depth that belies its years.
• T: Big sherry action with many of the notes you’d associate with a number of decent sherry cask-driven malts. In this case, ex-solera PX sherry casks. It’s all very candid, no doubt due to Bimber’s ultra-neutral spirit.
• F: Shiny new raisins, more from cask than distillate I’m betting, but from uber-pleasing solera butts.
• C: It’s still early days, but Bimber has produced a young, clean, vibrant and well-considered [Dalmore/Macallan-esque] malt from the big smoke in no time at all.

Scores 84 points

 

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