
These are tasting notes from our Sipping Shed tasting with Dan Hipshon, The Sipping Shed’s founder.
The Sipping Shed exists for the love of whisky. The history, the places, the people, the process, the unforgettable taste… the story of whisky. We wanted to tell that story our way, with our whisky and so The Sipping Shed was born…
The Sipping Shed
Linkwood 11yr old, 59% ABV.
Appearance – It’s light gold in colour, it’s very viscous and beads up on the glass and has lovely teardrop legs.
I love the viscous texture of Linkwood! #thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky
— The Sipping Shed (@TheSippingShed) December 3, 2020
Nose – There’s some menthol here, sweet lemon, pineapple slices, red cherries, it’s so fruity. I’m also getting some cereal notes, sweet pastries, apricots too, and icing sugar, I do love this drop.
Reminds me of a fruit trifle 🙂 #thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky
— Whisk(e)y Chap 🏴🥃 (@whiskeychap) December 3, 2020
Palate – Man that’s a palate and a half, the abv works really well and we have strawberries, cherries, raspberries, apricots, nectarines, hard boiled fruit sweets. This develops into a more citrus fruitiness, grapefruits, pomelo, orange rind, there’s some white pepper too, and some oak coming through also.
peaches in syrup on the nose with touch of mint. You get a bit more of everything as the alcohol takes a back seat.#thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky
— The Sipping Shed (@TheSippingShed) December 3, 2020
Finish – Long, very fruity, wood and white pepper spices, it’s quite gentle tbh, and a darker fruit note also comes through just before it starts to fade, so nice.
Its not a long finish but it invites you back to the glass for more. Nice balance as it fades.#thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky
— The Sipping Shed (@TheSippingShed) December 3, 2020
Overall – I tried this Linkwood in a Tweet tasting and fell in love with it, it’s so confectionary like, and i love that flavour profile, it is my favourite to be honest.
Blair Athol 11yr old, 59.1% ABV.
Our Blair Athol is 11 years old, 59.1% abv and from a refill hoggie.
— The Sipping Shed (@TheSippingShed) December 3, 2020
This should be available to order from our website on Friday 11th#thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky#thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky
Appearance – This more of a mid gold in colour, again very viscous, and thick syrupy legs.
I thought it was a new release, and I’ve not tried many Blair Athol’ as tbh, been looking forward to this one 👍#thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky
— Dram it Mick! (@StillSurreal) December 3, 2020
Nose – Musty, tropical and stoned fruits, cinnamon, black pepper, fruit cocktail syrup, and again I’m getting some menthol too. Lots of black cherries coming through now, toast, flan base, and a little nutty tbh.
Some lovely dried bananas at lurking at the back. A touch jammy…#thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky
— The Sipping Shed (@TheSippingShed) December 3, 2020
Yeah, there's a musty funk….. #thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky pic.twitter.com/kxi97GrpQy
— Whisk(e)y Chap 🏴🥃 (@whiskeychap) December 3, 2020
Palate – Yes very oily tbh, tropical fruits, stoned fruity, very warming, sweet liquorice, caramel, a little white pepper, minimal menthol.
Some menthol and a touch of white pepper, balanced with the fruits. Very nice #thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky
— Whisk(e)y Chap 🏴🥃 (@whiskeychap) December 3, 2020
Yes nuttiness, leaning towards Brazil nuts tbh, anise, cardamom, raisins, lovely stuff.#thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky
— Dram it Mick! (@StillSurreal) December 3, 2020
Finish – It’s quite long, initially fruits but gives way to oak, white pepper, more nuts, chill spice, and it gets spicier @gordonsmith63.
I agree, I could easily sit with a few drop tbh.#thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky
— Dram it Mick! (@StillSurreal) December 3, 2020
Overall – Another cracker of a dram, I’ve not tried many Blair Athol whiskies, but this one is superb, i love the nuttiness it brings with it, not something i get very often in whiskies, very nice indeed.
Ardmore, 56% ABV, Ex-Bourbon Cask #1313, 67 bottle outrun.
@whiskeychap @StillSurreal Bring on the peat!
— The Sipping Shed (@TheSippingShed) December 3, 2020
Ardmore 11 y/o 56%abv – full term in bourbon wood.
Ardmore as it should be.#thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky
Appearance – Damp straw in colour, beads up on the glass, covers the glass, lovely teardrop medium thick legs.
Old style pink hubba bubba chewing gum 👍#thewhiskeychaps#sippingshedwhisky
— Dram it Mick! (@StillSurreal) December 3, 2020
Nose – Sweet peat, bbq sauce, I do love this nose tbh sweet liquorice, damp forest floor, Pine needles, carbolic soap, black cherries.
Liquorice, good shout #thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky
— Gareth Jenkins (@jenkaloid) December 3, 2020
Palate – Lovely sweet peat, peanuts, not had that before tbh, strawberries, cranberries, orange rind again, black cherries, damp leaves, ginger, cinnamon, sooo much going on.
More fruit on the palate, still heaps opf peat and that BBQ smack around the face. Great dram! #thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky
— Whisk(e)y Chap 🏴🥃 (@whiskeychap) December 3, 2020
Finish – Warming, very spicy, long again, bbq meat, cinnamon, black peppercorns, bbq sauce, that foresty feel again, it’s a super drop tbh.
Love the finish that gets sweeter as it progresses. Lovely Highland peat and burnt embers lingering on. #thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky
— The Sipping Shed (@TheSippingShed) December 3, 2020
You can make some more of that thanks 😉#thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky
— Gareth Jenkins (@jenkaloid) December 3, 2020
Overall – I tried the batch 1 of this Ardmore, that was a superb drop, ex-sherry cask finished, this one is all ex-bourbon cask, and it really showcases the whisky, another super drop that i’d gladly sit with and sip.
Caol ila 10yr old, 60.1% ABV.
@StillSurreal @whiskeychap
— The Sipping Shed (@TheSippingShed) December 3, 2020
Caol Ila 10. 60.1% abv. Bourbon wood.
Very much in the house style but 4K HD!#thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky
Appearance – Light straw/ white wine in colour, it’s very viscous on the glass and has medium thick legs.
Nose – More of a bonfire ash here, cereals and pastry note, light bbq sauce, cola.
I’ll go with the seaweed too, and yet fruit notes persist all the way through, strawberries, and raspberries with some mintiness.#thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky
— Dram it Mick! (@StillSurreal) December 3, 2020
Palate – BBQ fire ash, red berries like the nose, coastal air, sea spray on the lips and tip of tongue, I also get sweet lemon and royal icing, no mater how much peat there is they still persist, lovely dram.
yep its very well integrated. Fair play you've done a job here#thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky
— Gareth Jenkins (@jenkaloid) December 3, 2020
Water you say? Not heard of that? heheh #thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky
— Whisk(e)y Chap 🏴🥃 (@whiskeychap) December 3, 2020
Finish – Long side of medium, oak, bbq bonfire ash, slightly herbaceousness, quite oily too, and sea spray caught in the mouth, a belter imho.
The Caol Ila finish just wont stop. Its deep and long, with a pleasant sweetness and lingering burnt embers…#thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky
— The Sipping Shed (@TheSippingShed) December 3, 2020
Might have to buy a backup bottle of this. Flipping heck its a banger of a caol ila#thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky
— Gareth Jenkins (@jenkaloid) December 3, 2020
Overall – Yep another super drop, a super Caol ila tbh, all the distillery DNA is there to enjoy, bucketsful of flavour, not one for the feint hearted.
Bunnahabhain staoisha 7 yr old, 58.1% ABV.
@StillSurreal @whiskeychap @jenkaloid
— The Sipping Shed (@TheSippingShed) December 3, 2020
Our Staoisha 7 year old is a
peated Bunnahhabain. I wanted to let you taste a work in progress. This wont be bottled soon but it's got lots going on already #thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky
Appearance – Very light straw in colour, beads up on the swirl line, and eventually drops syrupy teardrop legs.
Nose – Fruity peat, vanilla custard, cereals, flapjack, this could be a Smokey jam tart, definitely apricots and peaches, and a very light menthol.
definitely a jammy note coming through.
— The Sipping Shed (@TheSippingShed) December 3, 2020
Palate – Loads of salinity, Maldon rock salt, it’s really oily too, stoned fruits, also very coastal, black peppercorns, chilli’s, oak, ginger. I’m getting hand rolling tobacco now, raisins, more salinity, figs? Some general stewed dark fruit notes, very nice.
This cask has really come to life and made a lot of progress in the last years. More so than the 3 or 4 year proceeding it. Peat can be quite rubbery when the whisky is young. This is starting to mellow and become an enticing sweet smoke now.#thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky
— The Sipping Shed (@TheSippingShed) December 3, 2020
Yep, the peat and fruit carry through to the palate. I think, with the exception of sherry cask non peated, this is my favourite combination of flavours in a whisky #thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky
— Whisk(e)y Chap 🏴🥃 (@whiskeychap) December 3, 2020
Finish – Salinity as I raise the glass to my mouth, quite long, another spice monster @gordonsmith63, very oily in flavour, sea spray, chilli’s, dark chocolate, raisins, black cherries, and liquorice, very very nice.
Sounds perfect to me mate 👍🥃
— gordon smith (@gordonsmith63) December 3, 2020
It's a good drop now but i do think it's got a lot of developing to do to become a great dram. There's lot of rawness and rough edges. I think the four prior drams mask some of the youthful elements. #thewhiskeychaps #sippingshedwhisky
— The Sipping Shed (@TheSippingShed) December 3, 2020
Overall – Considering Dan thinks this dram needs more time, i thinks its a great whisky already, it’ll be glorious when he thinks it is ready, and the salinity from it lasted further into the evening, super super stuff.
Overall thoughts from the tasting – To be honest i had high expectations for this tasting as i’d tried some Sipping Shed whiskies before, and this evening exceeded my expectations. Dan and the Sipping Shed do aim for quality, I’ve now tried 7 of their bottlings and they’ve all been excellent whiskies, amongst the best I’ve tried to be honest, long may their great work continue.
Thanks to – Dan Hipshon for his time this evening and sending out these samples for us to try. follow The Sipping Shed below on Twitter.
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