LIMITED EDITION OXFORD RYE WHISKY BATCH #2

Bottle notes

Our Oxford Rye Whisky Batch #2 is fresh and floral, packed with flavour from our grains. Matured in virgin American oak and freshly emptied vintage port casks, this is classic Oxford Rye with creamy butterscotch notes, nutty banana bread, herbal spice and the sweet wine character of berry jams, dried fruits and tobacco.

Having spent many years in production the port casks bring the very best characteristics of Portugal’s famed Douro wine valley to the Thames valley, and the character of Oxford’s only Rye Whisky.

As our Master Distiller, Chico Rosa says: “The goal with this whisky was to bring you to Oxford; which for me is rye fields and old libraries. It’s herbal, nutty and cured. Like our diverse fields of grain, this is a diverse experience of sensations. With this batch, I wanted to highlight a different side of our rye - the herbal nuttiness and rye goodness, while also bringing a decadent and musky hint of Vintage Port. Showing their years the Port casks add a layer of complexity, without overtaking, only complementing.”

Though created using the same grain mix and fermentation process in Hungarian oak vats as our inaugural Oxford Rye Whisky, this expression was fermented in Spring 2018, when the weather was warmer, and as a result the liquid delivers more tropical fruit character.

Complex, rich and mouth-watering, this is another spectacular whisky with a depth belying its age.

Please note we are limiting orders to 3 bottles per person so more people can have the opportunity to try our limited-edition releases.

It all begins with a good harvest

As with Oxford Rye Whisky Batch #1, this expression began life with a diverse maslin grain harvest in 2017, with several different grains growing together in the same field including multiple ancient heritage rye strains, wheat strains and even a few oats and thistles, such is the result of letting nature take its course in a healthy, diverse field. It is this authenticity, transported straight from our fields, that gives our whisky its flavour. We’re farming a new approach to spirits.

Rye is amazingly powerful and will always bring certain characteristics, but where our whisky is rooted in American Rye Whiskey it is certainly not American Rye Whiskey. A long fermentation in Hungarian oak vats has contributed fruity and creamy notes and toasty sourdough crust flavours come courtesy of flaking the grain in a centenary mill, rather than true milling.

As with Batch #1, this is a limited run and will not be repeated.

Our Grain

We use rye, wheat and barley grain, all historically fascinating and grown from varieties that were common before 1904, when the advent of modern farming changed how crops were sown and grown.

Our heritage grain is grown sustainably, eschewing pesticides, chemical fertilisers and even manuring. There is low to no crop rotation and the crop is undersown with clover. All of this contributes to an abundance of wildflowers, insects and birds across our farms.

Heritage Population

In the past, farmers grew genetically-diverse landraces that adapted to local growing conditions over many generations. Our ‘heritage populations’ are also diverse, resilient and adaptable. Each plant in the field is different, creating a crop which is more vigorous, healthy and hardy than modern monoculture crops – without the need for chemicals.

Every part of our landrace sustains the agro-ecosystem – from microorganisms in the soil, to insects buzzing and birds flying above.

Tasting notes

NOSE: An incredible herbal freshness led by aniseed and violets, with a touch of banana and praline leading to toffee. Red apples, hazelnut and peppery notes.

PALATE: Creamy butterscotch, strawberry jam and blackcurrant with raisins, cobnuts, walnuts, honey and ginger cake.

FINISH: An intense sweet and spicy finish of banana bread, berries, tobacco, leather and peppermint.

OVERALL: Herbal and floral with rich berries and banana pairing with fresh nuts and creamy caramel wrapped in a dusty book of fortified wine making.

Details

Country: England

Region: Oxfordshire

Volume: 70CL 

Alcohol: 47.4% VOL