Just in case anyone missed it, there’s a distillery in Cumbria making whiskey (amongst other things…). We managed to get our hands on a limited edition bottle of one their blended whiskeys. This one has been finished in a sherry cask and is simply called ‘THE ONE‘. Jack has a go at it…
Rating
Price
Circa £40
In a Nutshell
Fiery marmalade sulphur juice from Cumbria
It’s Cumbrian Whisky Time!
Sitting pretty next to the beautiful Bassenthwaite Lake, and about six miles from a place called Cockermouth (lol) in the Lake District, you shall find the The Lakes Distillery – which is full of delicious spirits, both completed and maturing (one of which you are looking at right now…)
This is the sherry cask variant of the distillery’s (perhaps soon to be famous) THE ONE whiskey. This has been finished in Oloroso sherry hogshead casks and is one of only 3,335 such bottles. The original, which has not been finished in sherry casks, has done rather well for itself: Silver Outstanding at the IWSC, silver at ISC, and silver at HKIWSC (silver seems to be a reoccurring theme?).
THE ONE is a blend of whiskies from all over the British Isles, and you’ll be able to find it in the likes of Harvey Nichols and Majestic. You can also visit the distillery and pick up a bottle for yourself…
The distillery was opened in 2014 and was cofounded by Paul Currie (who is also the MD). Paul has a bit of a track record, having been part of the founding of the Arran Distillery a while back. These guys also make a gin (The Lakes Gin) and a vodka (The Lakes Vodka). They started production on a single malt in December 2014 – which should become available in late 2018. Looking forward!
We Drink It, Stuff Happens
First Impressions
‘Well that’s an interesting way to sherry a whiskey!’
Nose
Sherry wood, sharp and pronounced. A little rubber – which seems to grow more pronounced after its had some air. It’s pretty strong – ‘freshly used eraser, circa being at school 1997’ type rubber mixed with a little brown sugar. And a hint of the somewhat sulphurous smell of burnt matchsticks. There’s also something rich and a little buttery behind it all. Later, when in the dregs of the glass, a little marmalade (more on that later…)
Palate
Sweet, sharp. First impression as it its hits your tongue is immediate: much sweetness and honey, and some burn to go with it. This is spiritous and spirited for a ‘mere’ 40% alcohol by volume. Swallow and you get some woodiness, the honey flavours persist and fill your mouth with sweet firesulphursugar. Acclimatise after 2/3 drams and you’re into a little citrus, orange perhaps, and vanilla. Like some kind of slightly less bitter marmalade. It grows on you.
Finish
Butterscotch, orange citrus and vanilla. Marmalade persistence resistance confirmed. The finish is about average in length. The matchsticks and rubber seem to have translated to some dry smoke on the finish – so don’t let that nose put you off (never did to me!). What stays last is marmalade smoke, slowly fading into a hint of dryness with the barest sweet citrus tang to it. Not so bad at all.
Verdict
One, quite obviously, for the fans of the sherry casks. If you’re not sure what that is, the alternative recommendation is as follows: if you’ve ever enjoyed marmalade or things that taste like marmalade, you might like this quite a bit. Well done, fine people of The Lakes Distillery…
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