Bimber - Shoulders of Giants - German exclusives
From the Bimber website
Bimber recently announced the launch of its latest releases from its acclaimed ‘Shoulders of Giants’ series — the distillery’s homage to the diverse tapestry of thinkers, innovators and visionaries who have shaped our world.
In addition to the UK releases, we’re also proud to present three exclusive editions created for Germany, inspired by some of the engineering pioneers who changed the course of history: Karl — The Inventor, Rudolf — The Engineer and Nicolaus — The Inventor. These single cask whiskies pay tribute to the spirit of invention and mechanical genius, values that echo our own commitment to precision and craftsmanship.
Each expression in the ‘Shoulders of Giants’ series is bottled at natural cask strength and features attention-grabbing artwork and biographical details that celebrate the accomplishments of historical figures who have dared to dream and defied status quos.
Karl — The Inventor
Single Cask Release | American Oak Ex-Bourbon
Cask Ref. 462 | 58% ABV | 258 bottles
A release which celebrates Karl Benz’s revolutionary invention of the automobile and his impact on global mobility.
Tasting Notes
Appearance: Amber gold, forms a thin line which beads before falling as slow, thin legs
Nose: Candied orange peel, vanilla caramel fudge ice cream and lemon puff biscuits
Palate: Soft and creamy mouthfeel, with a prickly of spice. Butterscotch sauce, orange sorbet, cinnamon and ginger provide a little warmth. Water brings out a note of freshly squeezed orange juice.
Finish: Cinnamon and ginger linger, together with a hint of tobacco leaf. As these slowly dissipate, a soft note of orange cream chocolate filling remains. Water reduces the spiciness and accentuates notes of caramel fudge and soft orange cream.
Overall: Delightful nose, and a lovely, semi-sweet dram. The orange notes are ever present but there is a soft, creamy feel to them rather than the heavier, marmalade notes seen in other whiskies. There’s hints of the relative youthfulness of the dram, but it’s not offputting and instead leads you to wonder how good this could be with a few more years in the cask.
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Rudolf — The Engineer
Single Cask Release | Fino Sherry
Cask Ref. 540/39 | 57.6% ABV | 293 bottles
This release celebrates Rudolf Diesel’s pioneering development of the efficient diesel engine.
Tasting Notes
Appearance: Old gold, forms a thin line which beads before falling as slow, thin legs
Nose: Dried fruit, subtle orange zest and nutty oak
Palate: Rich California raisins, dates and sultanas make an instant impact, Madagascan vanilla cream and dark chocolate follow, together with the warmth of cinnamon and ginger, and a delicate hint of smoke. Water flattens the initial burst and brings out more vanilla and caramel notes, whilst allowing the smoke a small boost.
Finish: Long, lingering woody oak spice and astringency, ginger prickle.
Overall: The nose really doesn’t prepare you for the burst of flavour on the palate. That initial impact, for me, is the real star of the show and makes the addition of water unnecessary. If I was being critical, the finish is a little too woody, but that’s just personal preference.
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Nicolaus — The Inventor
Single Cask Release | Oloroso Sherry
Cask Ref. 446 | 57.9% ABV | 297 bottles
This release celebrates Nicolaus Otto’s groundbreaking innovation in engine technology.
Tasting Notes
Appearance: Amber gold, forms a thin line which beads before falling as slow, thin legs
Nose: Hefty notes of dried fruits, including Medjool dates, chocolate caramels and sharp balsamic vinegar
Palate: Follows on nicely from the nose, with rich dried fruits, chocolate honeycomb, brown sugar and a more delicate balsamic vinegar note, together with a significant ginger and chilli heat. Water softens the heat considerably and allows more notes of treacle pudding, dark brown sugar and Medjool dates to shine
Finish: Long and lingering with dried fruits and honeycomb toffee, black liquorice, nutty astringent oak and chilli heat. With water, Medjool dates, liquorice and nutty oak are more prominent, at the expense of the spicy heat
Overall: This is a whisky where the abv is certainly more than noticeable, it needs a little water to calm things down and get the best out of it. Rich and complex, the balsamic note provides a nice counterbalance to the sweet caramel and dried fruit notes
Many thanks to Steve Rush, in his new role as Head of Marketing and Communications at Bimber and Dunphail Distilleries, for sending this over to review.
For more information on this range of whiskies and the Bimber Distillery, follow the link to the company website.
Transparency: Received free of charge for independent review, all opinions are my own and remain completely impartial.
