Chapter 14 ~ 46% (The English Whisky Co.)

• 46% ABV, £44.95 for 70cl
• Score: 84/100

What they say:

Classic Single Malt Whisky – Chapter 14

Chapter 14

46% ABV

New Release – November 2013

1st run – Limited Edition

Chapter 14 is our classic single malt whisky, aged in bourbon casks for a minimum of 5 years.  This is nearly double the age of the eternally popular Chapters 6 & 11.

As normal, we haven’t coloured or chill filtered our whisky for your maximum enjoyment.

Also available in Cask Strength, decanter bottle.

Ch14 46%
Nose:
Warm vanilla Danish pastry. Fruity with lychees and rum soaked raisins. Demerara sugar and mandarin oranges.

Taste:
Very fruity, bananas and light fruits. Hints of crème brulee. Almost like a light brandy. Warm alcohols and a long dry finish.

What I say:

Another first for me, again from the Edinburgh Whisky Stramash where I bumped into my good friend Erik the Whisky Kiwi who was pimping out not only bloody good New Zealand Whisky (as usual) but also some of the latest offerings from The English Whisky Co. who have been distilling at St. Georges Distillery in Norfolk since 2006 and for a long time (until ~2013) were the only whisky distillery in England.

Colour:

White wine/champagne gold

Nose:

Vanilla custard, sweet icing sugar and vanilla essence, light flaky/puff pasty, white wine poached pears, apples poached in brandy, hints of old acetone/nail polish remover

Taste:

Light and oily/buttery, hints of spice – cinnamon? but softens quickly into mellow fruity custard, apples and vanilla, creamy, pain au raisin or raisin brioche, some muscovado sugary oak wood and pears in brandy.

Finish:

Medium, drying with a sweet oak wood aftertaste

Overall:

Refreshing, possibly a good summery whisky – this kept taking me into white wine territory (or terroir?) with sweet oaky and drying elements. Underneath however is a strong backbone of cereal malt and bourbon wood influence giving it those unmistakable whisky stamps. Rather impressive stuff, those English boys giving the Scots a run for their money in my opinion!