It’s not often we bring you an inaugural release, and just like that we’ve had two in as many weeks. Don’t let that put you off, these still come around very rarely – and are more exciting than ever!

This weekend we’re luck enough to have secured the exciting first release from Oxfordshire’s independently owned Abingdon Distillery, who started out making small batch gin in 2018 before expanding to rum, apple brandy, and now whisky.

Making whisky was always part of head distiller Jordan Morris’s vision, and like many new distilleries they’ve put a lot of thought and effort into their production process, aiming to create flamboyant flavours in their spirit pre-barrel aging.

Their Inaugural Release is a limited-edition bottling combining whiskies matured in an ex-bourbon cask and a red wine cask from Château Margaux, aged on-site for just over three years. Bottled at 42.5% abv, it’s a fruity, complex dram showing great range and depth of flavour. The distillery suggests either sipping it neat or enjoying in an Old Fashioned!