London’s brand new Bimber Distillery was so kind to send us a couple of beautiful samples last summer.

We were quite impressed and let Matt know our thoughts. Let us share our findings with you too. Here are our unaltered notes, as sent to the distillery:

New Make Batch 145

Nose: pear, apricot, lemon cake, mulled wine, candy, yoghurt, winegums, oregano and a touch of beach sand
Palate: Warming, dry, licorice, aniseed
Finish: apples, ammonium chloride (as used in Dutch licorice), drying, pretty fruity too, rye.

Score: 85+, guys, this is incredible, I’d drink a whole bottle of this. You’re definitely onto something!

New Make Peated Batch 140

Nose: herb liquor, pear, green apples, sterile, cardboard, peat, ammonium chloride (in candy)
Palate: plated barley, cereals, licorice
Finish: peated barley, sweet cereals, the peat is wonderful in here.

Score: 85, It ranks right up there with a young Islay malt, well balanced and good peat!

3yo Ex-bourbon Batch 001

Nose: vanilla, bourbon, oak, typical taste of coconut and yellow fruits. Warming, strawberry, tomato juice
Palate: Spicy oak, dry, fruity. It’s very pleasant
Finish: Nice and fruity, drying and warm, spicy licorice, hint of raspberry, blueberry, cinnamon, nutmeg and rosehip

Score: 84, the bourbon cask plays very well with your spirit!

3yo Ex-sherry Batch 001

Nose: spicy young sherry cask influence, pear, dry wine
Palate: drying, spicy wood, not very exciting till now
Finish: a very special spicy finish, beach sand, red wine, meat (game) with gravy, tobacco, raisins, laurel, pickled onions and lemon zest

Score: 85, the nose and palate aren’t exciting at all, but the finish definitely makes up for it. The taste is unlike any other, a full dish so to speak.

3yo Virgin oak Batch 001

Nose: orchard fruits, candle wax, spicy, pure chocolate, bananas and red fruits
Palate: Soft mouthfeel with coconut, oak and vanilla
Finish: Sand, coconut biscuits, cake, brandy, warming spices, drying but fruity

Score: 81, not sure if this is the right kind of maturation for the spirit. We liked the New Make better.

3yo Re-charred Batch 001

Nose: very pleasant! Sweet ‘red’ warm peat, raisins, savoury (think broth), tropical warmth
Palate: Not very pleasant, spicy, sharp, ‘Jägermeister’
Finish: Bourbon-like, dark chocolate, redcurrant, broth. It’s gone really fast

Score: 79, the nose is incredible, but the palate and finish don’t live up to the expectation after nosing it. Could still use some work, the potential is there!

All in all we’re very impressed. You killed it with the New Make, which is quite important and overlooked too often. Some cask types work very well, some a bit less. Keep up the great work, we’re keeping a close eye!