Coldorak and Ainulindalë's blog about whisky.
Bimber returns with a second round of releases in its ‘Shoulders of Giants’ series. Eight new ‘Giants’ have been introduced, joining the original six from the first batch, along with fresh country exclusives – this time with Germany and Belgium joining the UK and Poland. With samples from all eight of these new expressions kindly sent by Bimber a few weeks ago, let’s dive into a review of this Bimber Shoulders of Giants Second Release.
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Bimber recently introduced* a new series, ‘Shoulder of Giants’, a tribute to the thinkers, innovators, and visionaries who have shaped history. While the connection to whisky may not be immediately obvious, perhaps these celebrated figures were whisky enthusiasts – though, in the case of Nicolaus Copernicus, who passed away in 1543 in Poland, it’s unlikely he ever had the chance to enjoy a dram! Regardless, this theme is as fitting as many others embraced by distilleries, and the labels are nothing short of stunning. Thanks to Bimber Distillery, we didn’t just have the last Spirit of the Underground batch, we also have all six expressions from the ‘Shoulder of Giants’ series in front of us – three exclusive to the UK and three to Poland. Let’s dive in and explore what each of these whiskies has to offer.
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Back in 2021, Bimber started its then-new collection, The Spirit of the Underground, celebrating many stations from the London Underground passenger railway system, the Tube. We could review the first batch of four stations in June 2021, thanks to a Tweet Tasting with Steve Rush and Matt McKay. Fast forward three years and they’ve already released their 6th batch of four expressions, that we’re trying today. The ballot for those bottles is long closed and these are all sold out, but you might be tempted to get one on the secondary market as I’m sure several of them will pop in one of the several whisky auctions you already probably know of. So maybe this review will help you choose which one to go to with my tasting notes. But remember this is my humble opinion so your taste might be different, your nose and palate may get different notes that what I recognised. So to help, I’ll also link at the end of the review a link to friends’ blogs, who also reviewed these four whiskies. But without further ado, let’s review those four Bimber The Spirit of the Underground, from their sixth release.
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Despite the burgeoning French whisky scene and the significant strides made by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society in diversifying beyond the confines of ‘Scotch’ whisky, it wasn’t until 2023 that they ventured into bottling a French whisky. This trend isn’t unique to SMWS; a cursory glance at Whiskybase reveals a scant number of independent bottlers featuring products from Warenghem Distillery. This underrepresentation is regrettable, given my experience with over 40 whiskies tried from Warenghem, many of which were very good, and sometimes just properly exquisite though sadly elusive. Turning to SMWS and their foray into French whisky, it’s notable that their debut choice was Warenghem, renowned for their Armorik single malt. Let’s delve into the Armorik 2014 157.1 SMWS, marking a significant milestone as the first French whisky featured by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society.
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I was hoping to try the brand new Bimber bottlings for La Maison Du Whisky at Whisky Live Paris back in October, especially since the Bimber booth was really close to Dingle’s, where I was working once again. Regrettably, LMDW had reserved them for their exclusive stand in the VIP section, and my schedule didn’t allow me to visit. Therefore, from the coziness of my whisky room, let’s explore a couple of Bimber single casks bottled last year specifically for LMDW’s Antipodes collection.
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Indeed, just a solitary bottle, or one might even liken it to a (small) demijohn, as described by Warenghem Distillery. Finespirits Auction and LMDW have launched a special spirits auction in support of Fondation GoodPlanet. This remarkable auction kicked off during Whisky Live Paris and is set to run until November 3, 2023. An exceptional item up for bidding is a distinctive bottle or demijohn from the Warenghem Distillery, boasting their most extended age statement to date: a single 2-litre bottle of Armorik 21-Year-Old.
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In the heart of the rolling emerald hills, on the Goëlo Coast and nestled among the whispers of ancient legends, lies a well-guarded secret waiting to be unveiled: the Celtic Whisky Distillerie. This elusive gem has long been off-limits to the curious gazes of enthusiasts and aficionados. Yet, on a fortunate day, thanks to our local SMWS Ambassador Clément, a select few were granted the extraordinary opportunity to step behind the closed doors of this establishment known for its Glann Ar Mor and Kornog whiskies, embarking on a rare odyssey into the world of craftsmanship and unparalleled spirits. So join us as we recount this exclusive escapade, delving into the history and the intricate processes that define Celtic Whisky Distillerie.
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In 2014, Warenghem Distillery introduced the inaugural edition of Armorik Maître de Chai. Typically, this expression involved blending two oloroso sherry butts, resulting in a limited production of approximately 1800 to 2000 bottles, all bottled at 46% ABV. I have a distinct memory of tasting one of these editions a few years ago, although the precise bottling year eludes me. It happened during a vertical tasting of Armorik whiskies at a whisky store in Rennes, a place that, sadly, no longer exists. This Maître de Chai expression continued its run until 2017. Following that, there was a notable absence of any new Maître de Chai releases. Fast forward to 2023, and Warenghem has unveiled a fresh iteration of Armorik Maître de Chai. However, the only thing this new version shares with its predecessors is the name; the recipe has undergone a significant transformation, as we’re going to see…
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Having high expectations for a product can be both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, high expectations can create excitement and anticipation, making the experience of obtaining the product more enjoyable. However, there is also a risk of being disappointed or not satisfied when the product does not meet those expectations. I have been anticipating this first peated Bimber release since I’ve tried their stunning peated new make, back in 2019. For one of the firsts ever articles on this blog. So when Matt McKay reached out to offer to send me a sample, I obviously said yes in less time than needed to say well, er… yes. Okay, I guess this doesn’t work as I hoped. Anyway, let’s review this Bimber The 1st Peated!
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As a whisky enthusiast, I’m drawn to the unique flavours and characteristics that come from different regions and production methods. Depending on the place, the whiskies are known to have some specific characteristics, even though the casks used and the blending of those casks might hide some of those characteristics. A few distilleries want to go further, and pay more attention to the raw materials and how they are produced and harvested. Domaine des Hautes Glaces was one of, if not the first, believing in terroir in whisky, without shouting about it to who wants to listen… or doesn’t. For DHG, agro-ecology is at the heart of the production of their organic whisky. Let’s talk a bit about that then we’ll review the DHG Obscurus, a six-year-old organic single rye whisky.
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