BERRY BROS. & RUDD 2023 SPRING RELEASE

CELEBRATES UK SPIRIT

With two Royal Warrants and more than 300 years of history, Britain’s original wine and spirits merchant, Berry Bros. & Rudd, is celebrating the breadth and depth of UK spirit making with the launch of their 2023 Spring Release.

Featuring Berry Bros. & Rudd’s first ever bottling of an English whisky, the collection also includes  a Portsmouth Rum and six Scotch single malt whiskies.

The Spirit of Yorkshire 2017 PX Finish Cask #2237 celebrates the fertility and rich biodiversity of the Yorkshire Wolds, producing spirit from barley cultivated in-house. Using the iconic Scottish Forsyth stills, the distillery has been making sweet, soft Single Malt since 2016.

 Joe Clark, Whisky Director at Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery, said:

“There are some things in whisky that you can only do once and this special bottling is definitely one of them. When this delicious, rich and fruity cask of field-to-bottle whisky was bottled it became not only our very first independent bottling but also the first English whisky bottled by Berry Bros. & Rudd. To work with Britain’s oldest wine and spirits merchant for this momentous release is nothing short of an honour and a privilege.”

Jonny McMillan, Reserve Whisky Manager at Berry Bros. & Rudd, added:

“This first ever English Single Malt bottling by Berry Bros. & Rudd is a nice little piece of our history, and is happily an excellent whisky also. It is the first of four English Single Malts we will be bottling this year as part of our very special 325th anniversary of Berry Bros. & Rudd,  so watch this space for more.”

The Portsmouth 2019 Cask #5 rum marks a debut offering from Portsmouth Distillery, a craft rum distillery founded by two ex-Royal Navy officers. Matured in ex-Bourbon barrels for three years, this golden rum offers an insight into how small English producers are exploring the beguiling spirit.

Six Scotch single malt whiskies make up the remainder of the collection, including two vibrant bottlings from Benriach Distillery, located near Elgin in Speyside. The single cask Benriach 2010 PX Finish Cask #08037 is abound with traditional character, offering a deliciously rich and vigorous malt, whereas The Benriach 1991 Exceptional Cask #46507 demonstrates the older side of the Scotch coin, resulting in a liquid with an incredibly deep and aged flavour profile.

Also deriving from Speyside, the small batch release of a Glen Elgin 2013 showcases the characterful liquid from the unassuming distillery. Other single cask releases focus more on the Scottish Highland region, including Glencadam 2011 Muscat Finish Cask #800216, Ardmore 2012 Cask #9 and Glen Garioch 2011 Oloroso Finish Cask #08028.

Doug McIvor, Reserve Spirits Manager, commented:

“The 2023 Spring Release is heavily centred on Britain and the talent that can be found on our shores. Whether it be the traditional character of casks from Speyside and the Highlands or exploring the boundary pushing techniques of English distilleries, whisky lovers are sure to be both intrigued and inspired by this release.

We are very pleased to welcome both the Spirit of Yorkshire and Portsmouth distilleries into this release. The 2019 Portsmouth rum is indicative of the promise to be found in Britain’s burgeoning rum scene, and our first foray into English whisky really encapsulates the spirit of its Yorkshire setting.”

The 2023 Spring Release which comprises of Spirit of Yorkshire 2017 PX Finish Cask #2237 (£125.00), Portsmouth 2019 Cask #5 (£69.00), Glen Elgin 2013 (£70.00), Ardmore 2012 Cask #9 (£75.00), Glencadam 2011 Muscat Finish Cask #800216 (£86.00), Benriach 2010 PX Finish Cask #08037 (£96.00), Glen Garioch 2011 Oloroso Finish Cask #08028 (£96.00) and Benriach 1991 Cask #46507 (£800.00), will be available from 6th April 2023 at bbrspirits.com.

TASTING NOTES

Spirit of Yorkshire 2017 PX Finish Cask #2237

The spirit was poured into first-fill ex-bourbon wood in February 2017, then re-racked for two and a half years into rich Pedro Ximénez wood. As with many bottlings from this brilliant distillery, the joy here is the interplay between cask and barley. Unlike most whisky-makers, our friends at Spirit of Yorkshire grow all their own barley and take an immense pride in doing so. Starting from such impeccable raw material in any endeavour gives the greatest chance of success. Here, paired with a potentially domineering ex Pedro-Ximénez Sherry cask, the rich, oily, grain sweetness is a delight. A scant few drops of water release even more sweetness alongside the opulent spice.

RRP £125.00

Glen Elgin 2013 Cask
The nose opens with Glen Elgin’s trademark burnt marmalade notes, alongside some apples and pears. A little time in the glass brings forward notes of crème brûlée with spiced cream. The palate is muscular, reminding us of Glen Elgin’s traditional worm tubs, while a perfect balance of fruit and oak waltz over the tongue. With characterful liquid like this, it’s hard to fathom why Glen Elgin isn’t one of the biggest names in Scotch whisky.

RRP: £70.00

Ardmore 2012 Cask #9
The unique earthy wood smoke drifting out of the glass can only announce the arrival of Ardmore, one of the Highland’s most characterful drams. Ash, hessian, kippers and digestive biscuits mingle with great balance, with a hint of tobacco and fruit cake appearing after some time in the glass. The palate is tremendously smoky, yet still very subtle, with notes of cedar, smoked straw, pipe tobacco and lime zest. Woodland bonfire smoke lasts long on the palate. This is the perfect hill-walking dram – enjoy it at cask strength in gale force wind and rain.

RRP: £75.00

Glencadam 2011 Muscat Finish Cask #800216

A final year maturing in ex-sweet wine casks has brought out the playful fruitiness of this delightful Glencadam. Apricots, peaches, orange blossom and honey yoghurt all flutter out of the glass, making for a wonderfully refreshing nose. The palate is gloriously thick, bringing more bright fruits along with mango syrup, chewy dried pineapple and a hint of drying wood varnish. All of this is wrapped up on the lingering palate by further notes of fruit syrup. This is amazingly fresh and floral.

RRP: £86.00

Benriach 2010 PX Finish Cask #08037

This vibrant Speysider has spent the last two years of its life in a sweet ex- Pedro Ximénez butt, giving a spicy nose full of sticky gingerbread, clove rock and liquorice. A little water coaxes out some juicy pear notes and a touch of underripe mango. The palate is a touch drying at full strength, offering ginger, pepper and sweet plum wine. A little time and dilution show a more complex dram, with layers of fruit, spice and a touch of oak. This is a vigorous whisky perfect for enjoying after dinner alongside dessert.

RRP: £96.00

Glen Garioch 2011 Oloroso Finish Cask #08028

Glen Garioch and Sherry wood are one of the finest matches in the whisky world – which is why this robust malt has spent the last two years building some extra muscle in a first-fill butt. The bouquet offers dark chocolate and tea leaves, with prune cake and spiced sultanas appearing with time. Glen Garioch has incredible body, and the palate is notably thick as dried fruit, wood smoke, brambles and oak spice all demand your attention. The finish lasts long, showing a perfect balance of fruit, spice, smoke and Sherry wood. It’s a perfect marriage of wood and distillate.

RRP: £96.00

Benriach 1991 Cask #45607

Like a good book, this elegant old Speysider builds with time and grows in character – be prepared to give it a good hour in the glass to open up. Aromas of banana bread, musty attics, leather and wax blend with fresher fruit notes to create an incredibly deep nose. This theme continues on the palate, which displays a beautifully aged character, with notes of spiced custard, cardamom fudge. Hints of praline build alongside dried apricot and something pleasingly musty. Lingering spice and fruit show with an unexpected puff of wood smoke on the back palate. This is a marvellous example of aged Speyside whisky.

RRP: £800.00

Berry Bros. & Rudd
Founded in 1698, Berry Bros. & Rudd is Britain’s oldest family-owned wine and spirits merchant. The brand boasts two Royal Warrants, more than 300 years of history and six Masters of Wine, resulting in a world-class reputation for exceptional wines and spirits. Not just a fine wine retailer, spirits have long been central to the business. Alongside award-winning Speyside single malt whisky The Glenrothes, the spirits portfolio includes the classic No.3 London Dry Gin, Mauritian rum Penny Blue and the unique and historic The King’s Ginger liqueur, while the brand’s acclaimed and award-winning Own Label collection of wines and spirits includes special bottlings from some of the best winemakers and distillers in the world.

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