Spirit of Yorkshire English single malt whisky
The English whisky landscape has truly boomed in the last two decades. I still remember (as I am by now a very old guy) the first new whisky distillery in England being opened up. This was all the way back, in 2006, with a distillery now known under the most boring name imaginable: The English Distillery. Today we are going to taste output from another such brilliantly named outfit, the Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery. This production is actually split over two locations. The mash tun and washbacks are housed at the farm of Tom Mellor, while the stills are located at Hunmanby, which is 2,5 miles removed. Imagine that! The barley comes from its own farmlands. The distillery was founded by Tom and David Thompson. If you want to look for bottles made at Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery, you will have to keep an eye out for products called Filey Bay.
Earlier this year, I visited Campbeltown and participated in a cask tasting at Cadenhead’s. They already acquired some casks from Yorkshire, but it seems they are not the only ones, as Berry Bros & Rudd also bottled an expression in 2023. We are going to taste that one.
Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery, bottled at 57,6 % abv by Berry Bros & Rudd
First things first: Only 6 years old, this whisky received a finish in a PX cask that makes the Black Bowmore look pale in comparison. Cask # 2237 yielded 327 bottles in 2023.
Upon Sipping: Rich and balanced aroma, dominated by furniture polish and some red fruits. Leans to the former, I prefer the latter. Lots of cherries, after some breathing, and Kirschwasser. With the first sip, I have to get through the high abv, which is very hot and leaves little room for nuance. It is a sharp and spicy dram, with a tinge of lavender soap. The finish is very hot but I like the warming afterglow very much. Beastly stuff for winter months, I have to say, even though I taste this monster in May. With water, the whisky turns more floral, while furniture wood remains noticeable in the background. The palate turned much more creamy, and the taste also upped the ante on the floral character. The softness of the spirit is a treat. Like letting silk flow over the tongue. A touch of lavender on the finish too.
Word to the Wise: Quite a complete whisky already, and luckily not drowned in PX wood. With good floral hints, we know we are drinking whisky here, instead of PX on high alcohol. Well done.
Score: 83 points.