Founded by Mike Collings, creator of Johnnie Walker Blue & Green Labels, The Classic Malts, Rare Malts to name but a few, Firkin Whisky was the result of some creative thinking over a few drams in a Tokyo bar.
All Firkin whisky is matured in custom casks. Every cask is different because of its maturation location and type of wood and cask. Each whisky is re-casked into a firkin custom double oak that was seasoned with a soulmate wine.
Firkin Whisky create unique double oak barrels using 2 types of oak & mature the whisky in a soulmate wine cask.
The first type of cask is American oak from first-fill Bourbon. The second is new Limousin oak with a custom char.
Master coopers combine the 2 types of oak into 1 barrel. The result is a cask with a unique oak profile. Firkin Whisky also matches the single malt with a fortified wine that accentuates and polishes the whisky & gives a real depth of flavour.
This ‘Aultmore 2010 whisky in custom tawny port cask’. 48.9% ABV and natural colour & NCF. This batch is limited to 273 bottles.
Appearance: The Aultmore definitely drop a shade or two in colour. Rust/Autumn leaves. Looks so inviting!
Nose: Straight away there are dark fruits. Plum, blackberries and sharpness, like raspberry. Then there are the more buttery baking aromas to balance. Custard too.
It’s like sticking your nose in a fruit pie.
There are some damper notes. Like wet concrete. Very natural woody and foliage notes
Palate: Good lord that’s a great palate! Thick strawberry jam on buttery toast. A touch of pepperiness to add some spice to proceedings and sweeter spices just to round things off.
Slightly drying and more spiciness as the glass matures. Chilli and white pepper come into things. Another evolver!
Finish: Warming with varying spices, from sweeter Christmas spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg, to white pepper and mild chilli.
There’s the balance of the jam sweetness though, so it’s all good!
Overall: Well, the trend, so far, is that they keep getting better! I don;t see how a whisky that I’m traditionally not fond of, can beat this, but we’ll see (I’m not putting it passed @firkindistill!)
Firkin Rare: Aultmor is available at TopWhiskies for £69.
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