THE OXFORD ARTISAN DISTILLERY UNVEILS ITS FOURTH BATCH OF RYE WHISKY
Oxford, September 2021 – The Oxford Artisan Distillery has announced the release of The Graduate, the fourth batch of Oxford Rye Whisky and its largest bottling run to date.
Since the distillery launched their first batch of Oxford Rye Whisky back in April to great acclaim, each subsequent batch has been drawing praise for its quality of flavour. Supporting biodiversity through sustainable farming, the distillery only use heritage organic grains grown both close to Oxford and on prestigious estates such as Highgrove and Sandringham.
Officially launching at this year’s The Whisky Show, where the distillery are exhibiting for the first time, Oxford Rye Whisky Batch #4 has been bottled at the highest proof so far at 51.3% ABV and consists of 1,428 bottles. Harvested in 2017, the grain for this release was grown just 7 miles from the distillery, in soft sandy soils.
The distillery’s grain contributes to soil health in the English countryside, and are grown specifically for the distillery, making The Oxford Artisan Distillery the only distillery in the world with a license to use these heritage grains, farmed exclusively for flavour and not yield.
Oxford Rye Whisky Batch #4 is a bright, spicy and herbal whisky. Notes of sticky ginger cake, old books and ripe banana mingle with creamy custard, salty roasted nuts and toffee.
Master Distiller, Francisco Rosa comments: “For those who enjoyed our first whisky release, this is The Graduate. Similar in style but with older, bigger and bolder flavours and an acquired complexity.”
Consisting of six casks, (numbers 25, 27, 28, 31, 33 and 36), this batch has been matured in a variety of American oak casks, from several cooperages. The range of barrels, from different origins (and climates) to varying toast levels and sizes (both 130L and 225L), all aid the complexity of the final product.
Explaining how the distillery’s intricate production techniques create the whisky’s flavour profile, Francisco comments: “The grains bring herbal, floral, spicy and nutty notes, and the sandy soils they were grown in add a salty influence to the grain character. The fermentation in Hungarian oak vats brings fruit and boosts the lovely creamy notes. Our bespoke stills give espresso and toasted sourdough smokiness, and finally, it is the interaction with the casks, marrying all these flavour notes together, also adding sweetness, vanilla and toffee.”
Oxford Rye Whisky Batch #4 is priced at £95 and will launch at The Whisky Show at 5pm on Friday 1st October, and will then be available from specialist retailers including Master of Malt, Hedonism, The Whisky Exchange, The Whisky Shop and the distillery’s website from Saturday 2nd October.
At the end of August, the distillery launched a series of experimental whiskies titled Grain Stories, with the inaugural release of Heritage Corn Whisky. Distilled from diverse corn varieties grown in England especially for the distillery.
www.theoxfordartisandistillery.com
Oxford Rye Whisky Batch #4 51.3% ABV, tasting notes by Master Distiller, Francisco Rosa:
Aroma: Refreshing spices to aniseed and pepper, a hint of flowers and mint, blackened banana and Bramley apple with candied ginger cake, yum yums and toasted almonds. The pleasant smell of old leather bring us the flavour of time and aging.
Palate: Hints of blackcurrant, salt, banana, creamy custard, dark-chocolate, chilli, black pepper and liquorice.
Finish: Creamy, silky, peppery and minty, hints of espresso and a lingering toasted sourdough smokiness.
Overall: Refreshing spices and herbs play with sweet ginger cakes and old books. Berries and ripe banana mingle with creamy custard, salty roasted nuts and toffee.
The Oxford Artisan Distillery:
The distillery opened for business at its purpose-built site in Oxford on 27th July 2017.
It is Oxford’s first ever distillery and produces a range of spirits, including gin, absinthe, vodka and whisky, all with total provenance from grain to glass. The Oxford Artisan Distillery is rare amongst UK distilleries in producing its own organic spirit, rather than purchasing Grain Neutral Spirit (GNS) from other sources.
The distillery has a licence to produce spirits for the University of Oxford and has a notable partnership with the University of Oxford’s Botanic Garden.
About Organic Heritage Grain:
Certified Organic in April 2020, The Oxford Artisan Distillery is the only distiller to use genetically diverse populations of ancient heritage organic grains – revived from historical sources by a leading archaeo-botanist and grown sustainably on over 350 acres, known as land races, both close to Oxford and on prestigious estates such as Highgrove and Sandringham. The distillery’s grain contributes to biodiversity and soil health in the English countryside. The grains are the result of John Lett’s lifelong research on ancient grains: John has spent a large part of his life sourcing and growing ancient grains together, as polycultures. John takes 30-100 varieties of grain, mixes them up, and grows them together in the same field, at the same time. These sustainable fields are similar to what you would have seen in medieval times – the grains are grown specifically for the distillery, making The Oxford Artisan Distillery the only distillery in the world with a license to use John’s grains, grown exclusively for flavour and not yield.
The warm and fruity scent is reminiscent of fresh apples drizzled with caramel. On the palate, spicy cinnamon leads, softening to caramel midpalate and finishing with sizzling cinnamon, clove and cayenne pepper. Adjusted with water, a saline note emerges, creating a pleasing salted caramel-like sipper. (KN) 
(7/2015)
