Bimber - The Witch Cask - 57.3%
From the Bimber website
Peated Single Malt London Whisky
PX-Sherry Cask | Ref: 476 | 309 Bottles
Some call it craftsmanship. Others… witchcraft.
This Halloween, The Witch Cask awakens- an exceptional single cask release born from our handcrafted peated spirit and fully matured in a Pedro Ximénez sherry cask. To this day, no one knows whether its alluring aroma is the work of skilled distillers or something far more mysterious that stirs after dark.
In the quieter hours within London’s west, where the River Brent murmurs secrets through Acton, Bimber Distillery stands as both the birthplace and heart of The Witch Cask. Locals speak in hushed tones of uncanny happenings: barrels moving on their own, flickers in the copper stills’ glow. A presence lingers like the echo of whispered spells.
This spectral energy, witnesses say, feels unmistakably witch-like, an unseen hand guiding the whisky’s maturation as though the cauldron still bubbles with hidden powers.
Tasting notes
Appearance: Mahogany in colour, forms a thin line which beads before eventually falling as thick, oily legs
Nose: Very much on the savoury end of the spectrum, with notes of dark chocolate enrobed orange peel, dark roast coffee, dark fruit, black liquorice, well worn leather saddles, nutty oak, and subtle ashy smoke
Palate: Juicy, almost syrupy mouthfeel. Sweet, mildly phenolic peat smoke, Black Forest gateau, Seville orange marmalade, Sarsaparilla Drops sweets, oak spices and warming ginger. With a little water, more dark berry and fig notes appear together with drying, nutty oak
Finish: Long lingering and mildly astringent. Soft medicinal peat, fruits of the forest jam, toasted walnuts, aniseed balls and a prickle of black pepper. Water brings a little more astringency and nutty oak
Overall: This is a big, rich sherry bomb of a whisky, packed to the rafters with notes reminiscent of an aged PX sherry. Add to that a layer of soft, subtly phenolic peat and you have something deep and complex.
It’s a shame this one has already sold out, but hardly surprising given the fan base the distillery has managed to build in such a short time.
More information on the Bimber 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.
