Bimber Harmony of Eight - 50%
The Harmony of Eight has been crafted with precision, patience and passion to encapsulate the exquisite balance of flavour, time and traditional whisky making processes.
Bottled as a celebration of our journey, this landmark single malt whisky release embodies the challenges we’ve overcome, the achievements we’ve marked, and a bright future that promises ongoing innovation and excellence.
The Harmony of Eight reflects our dedicated artisanal approach: floor malted, single farm barley; long, open-topped fermentation; directly fired copper pot still distillation and meticulous, active maturation. The result is a London single malt whisky that offers an elegant union marrying the best of two distinctive cask types: the vivid fruit-forward, charred oak character of ex-bourbon barrels with the rich and fruity depths of Pedro Ximénez sherry casks.
Following eight years of careful maturation we have artfully married these casks to create new harmonies that reflect an elegant dance between natural fruit sweetness, richness, spice and layered subtlety.
Appearance: Burnished gold, forms a thin line which beads before falling as thick, oily legs
Nose: Eton mess, fresh pineapple, tropical mango, red berries, brandy snap biscuits and a hint of vanilla
Palate: Red berries, tropical fruits, white chocolate, icing sugar, toasted hazelnuts, cinnamon and a hint of black pepper. Water brings out even more of the red fruit but flattens the other notes
Finish: Soft lingering fruit, cinnamon and a touch of pepper
Overall: Soft and fruity, lovely balance between the red fruits of the PX, the light fruitiness of the spirit and the ex-bourbon cask. Better neat, water really isn’t required and, for me, lessens the experience.
The only issue for me is the price, Bimber Harmony of Eight currently retails around the £130 mark which, as with the single cask edition, seems rather expensive for an 8 year old whisky. That takes it out of my usual price range, but no doubt Bimber’s dedicated fan base will eagerly snap it up.
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.
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.
