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 ‘Benrinnes 2008 whisky in custom madeira cask’, a 2008 vintage for Speyside. Running at 48.9% ABV, natural colour & without chill filtration. This release won Gold Medal with 94 points from Bartender Spirits Awards is limited to just 305 bottles.
Appearance: Light summer honey gold. Nice thin/medium legs
Nose: On the nose, the ABV is evident. A lovely sweet and slightly spicy ‘hit’.
Under this, there’s leather, furniture polish and tobacco. The sweetness makes itself known in the form of sugar-coated citrus (lemon) and tropical aromas.
There’s definitely pastry notes in there. Those little scotch pancakes maybe. Some funk too.
Palate: Lovely oily delivery. Lots of cereal notes, medium chilli tingle and a woody, milky edge too. There’s a real syrupy texture to it, very nice. The sweetness is quite caramelly! I’m getting a twang of candied orange peel now.
Finish: Orange peel, a slight spiciness and that creamy/malty element.
Overall: That creamy coffee note from @StillSurreal is bang on! That’s the takeaway for me, lovely and creamy, comforting and moreish!
Firkin Ten: Benrinnes is available at TopWhiskies for £69.
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