Even better than the real thing, part 4: the trouble ‘down south’

Non-scotch whiskies that should be on your radar.

White peak Distillery: one of the most exciting new distilleries out there!

Great minds think alike, part 1. Some two weeks ago, I was writing down my tasting notes for this week’s review. And I pretty much knew it might be something remarkable even before I tasted it, as my (granted: only) other previous experience with this distillery (a lightly peated port cask finish) was already a bit of an epiphany moment. In fact, the whole idea of doing this series on non scotches that should be on your radar was partly inspired by this very sample which came from, if I’m not mistaken, the ever generous James Burgoyne. So I was quite pleased to see our dear Roy talk about this particular distillery on the recent ‘innovator’s vPub, discussing their recent ‘alter ego’ release.

Great minds think alike, part two: this week’s vPub also tackles the theme of non-scotches that are ‘serious pretenders’ to the Scottish whisky throne. So, even if you won’t take my word for it, surely Roy’s will do when we state that there is definitely some interesting stuff happening in the world of whisky beyond the borders of Scotland?!

When it comes to single malt whisky Scotch may well be the undisputed king of it all. For now., at least. And if there is one particular place the king should keep an eye on regarding potential claims to its throne, it may very well be coming from south of its own borders. Of course I say this a bit tongue in cheek as I’m sure you all know what happened the last time an actual Scottish king also took the Englis throne, but, and I’m sure even the most hardened, proud Scotsman will begrudgingly agree, despite the current boom in the Scottish whisky industry, arguably the most exciting things in whiskyland are to be found just a bit further down south. English whisky is very much on the rise, and taking it from strength to strength, what’s currently happening within the English whisky landscape is something every true whisky enthusiast should be aware off in my opinion. The scene and the industry are growing and booming, and the hype is very real indeed. Cotswolds, The Lakes and Bimber have already become established, household names, but many more are on the rise. And one to particularly keep an eye on if you’re a whisky enthusiast, is White Peak distillery.

Located in Derbyshire, almost bang in the middle of England, sort of ‘locked in’ between Birmingham and Sheffield, White Peak was founded in 2016, producing gin, rum and whisky. February last year they released their first ever whisky under the name Wire Works (named after the old steel wire factory in which the distillery is located, and very elegantly hinted at in their bottle design) and to say it was an instant hit, is understating it. Simply named ‘First Release’ (adopting the KISS principle is almost always a good choice), the 5016 available bottles quickly disappeared from store shelves, and if you want to get hold of one of these today, you’ll likely need to search on secondary or try your luck on an auction site. Fret not, as they have since been vigorously and conscientiously releasing small batch releases as well as more available bottlings alike. They two have been growing from strength to strength, So I have high hopes of seeing these becoming more available in the near future.

Wire Works First Release. 50.3% ABV, NC, UCF, STR and bourbon cask matured, 2022 release.

Nose

Fruity, fruity and fruity! White fruit, to be precise with soft notes of (unripe) banana and melon. Sherbet and cream, vanilla and a whiff of raspberry and a gentle citric like mineral note. An almost understated layer of nuts and spices underneath it all.

Palate

Immediately, this is a different altogether from what I picked up on the nose. Very interesting indeed! There’s still sweetness, but now it’s coming from licorice wood and dried fruits. There’s a fizzy mouthfeel to it, which is surprising as the overall sensation of things is noticeably heavier than you would guess based on the nose. A small drop of water even brings out a tropical touch, with notes of warming, sweet pepper and sandalwood. Very busy and very engaging, and to think this isn’t even 5 years old!

Finish

Not short, but also not very long either, with a clinging sweetness. With the added water (easy does it here!) it became a bit longer, with a slight peppery prickle to it.

Final thoughts

This is unmistakably young whisky, but what’s more important: it’s unmistakably quality stuff. There’s a lot going on, it’s accessible, while also layered and it changes course and alters its presence as I go back and forth. I can only urge you to keep an eye out for what White Peak are doing, because in my honest opinion this is the perfect example that the Scots better keep their eye on the ball if they know what’s good for them. I am a Scotch enthusiast first and foremost, but if we want to enjoy all the spices and flavours of life, broadening the horizon is a given. And while we may still stumble on the inevitable dud or underwhelming experience as we try and stray from the beaten paths from time to time, the rewarding experiences, like this one most certainly is, more than make up for that. Cracking whisky!