Cotswolds English Whisky - Mads Thorup and Kristian Henriksen dive in and taste test whiskies from the young distillery Cotswolds, who released their first whisky in 2017
We often hear about Scotch whisky, as Scotland has been the largest whisky producer for many years. Of course, we also know about American, Canadian, Irish and Japanese whiskey, as well as, of course, Danish whiskey. But what about English whisky? It's not something you hear about very often, but England has actually been producing whisky since the 19th century and thus has a long history of whisky production. However, production in the country has been commensurate with the amount of distilleries in the country, very limited for many years, but around the turn of the millennium, English whisky started to flourish again and today there are over 30 distilleries in England and still growing. This time we set out to taste a wide range of whiskies from one of these newer distilleries, Cotswolds Distillery.
Cotswolds The distillery and visitor center is located a good hour's drive south of Birmingham or two hours northwest of London in the south of England. The founder of the distillery, Daniel Szor, is originally a New Yorker but moved to London for many years to work in finance. Daniel has been a long-time whisky enthusiast and at one point, when he had a desire to leave the financial sector and spend more time in the idyllic Cotswold countryside where he lived, he realized he could combine this with his passion for whisky. With the fields around his home full of barley and no distilleries nearby, Daniel saw the perfect opportunity and the summer of 2014 was the year that Cotswold Distillery was founded. The foundation stone for the distillery was a disused site close to Daniel's home, and he quickly recruited a team to run the site.
Three years after starting the distillery, their first whisky was ready in October 2017, Cotswolds Signatory Single Malt whisky. This whisky is part of the distillery's DNA and follows traditional methods of floor malting the barley grains. The whisky is aged in an STR red wine cask and blended with a whisky aged in first-fill bourbon casks. Thus, it belongs to their classic collection along with their Cotswolds Reserve, which is made primarily with their Bourbon cask barrels, with a hint of their whiskey from STR red wine barrels mixed in. So the exact opposite composition of their Signature whisky. Our experience of these is as follows.
Cotswolds Signature 46%
This whisky has a golden/light brownish color. The aroma has notes of fresh apples, light sweetness, oak and a hint of apricot. When the whisky hits the taste buds, there are notes of sugar sweetness ala honey/syrup, vanilla, tart apples and bourbon notes. In addition, there is a hint of a light spiciness that adds a spice and complexity to the combination with the sweetness. A very rounded and well-balanced whisky that leaves the drinker wanting another dram.
Cotswolds Reserve 50%
Here is a whisky with a very light ala slightly yellowish color. The nose notes include orange, apples, lightly burnt sugar and a lot of malted grain. As with the aroma, malt notes come through on the palate with a combination of fresh oak, a slight sweetness and biscuits. The slightly higher alcohol percentage gives a tingling sensation on the tongue without being overwhelming. In the aftertaste, the notes of oak and malt linger before quietly fading away. Overall, a very good whisky with classic whisky characteristics.
Since their Signature whisky, the distillery has expanded their range to their Cask Expression Collection, which represents four unique cask expressions. These whiskies are Founders Choice, which has been aged exclusively in former STR red wine casks, their whiskies in bourbon casks, their whiskies in sherry casks and their whiskies in former smoked quarter casks. Our experience of these whiskies is:
Cotswolds Bourbon Cask 59.3%.
The color of the whisky is reminiscent of a light caramel. On the nose, there is a bit of power from the high alcohol percentage, as well as sweet notes from bourbon and plums. There is also a tingling sensation on the tongue from the alcohol. In addition, there is a penetrating flavor note of bourbon sweetness as well as hints of vanilla ice cream, lightly burnt caramel and malt. This is followed by notes of raisins and fresh forest floor towards a slightly earthy finish. If a little water is added to the whisky, it becomes almost velvety on the tongue and the sweet notes come through more clearly.
Cotswolds Sherry Cask 57.4% ABV
This whisky has a golden brown color and smells of ripe cherries, port wine, heather and honey. On the palette are notes of burnt caramel, ripe plums/stone fruits, honey and bitter chocolate. Again, there is a prominence of the alcohol, which can be toned down by adding water. In the aftertaste, notes of nuts, dried fruits, apricot and a long sweetness emerge.
Cotswolds Founders Choice 60.5%
Like the other whiskies, this whisky is golden brown in color, but with a reddish tinge. When smelling the whisky, there are classic notes of caramel, vanilla and plums. When the whisky hits the tongue, it warms immediately, followed by nutty notes, a hint of spice and a mild sweetness. A taste of oak slowly creeps in and lingers on the finish.
Cotswolds Peated Cask 60.2% ABV
This is a very pale whisky with minimal color. On the nose, there is a mild smokiness, with a hint of dried fruits and roasted malt behind the smokiness. The taste is reminiscent of campfires and burnt sno bread, with hints of sweetness from ripe plums or mirabella. The notes of campfire and burnt sno bread linger in the aftertaste and slowly fade away, leaving the drinker with memories of a warm summer evening in front of the fire.
In addition to the distillery's Classic Collection and their Cask Expression collection, they release an annual limited edition in their Hearts & Craft series, which is inspired by the Arts & Craft movement. This movement refers to the entente of designers and artisans that shaped Britain as a reaction against the progressive industrialization and mass production that took place in the late 1800s. The series is represented by the distillery selecting and hand-picking special single casks to release. In addition, in the third quarter of 2022, they have bottled a whisky in their new Cotswold Harvest Series.
All in all, these are very exciting whiskies and it will be interesting to see what the future holds for this young distillery. We're sure their innovative and experimental spirit will bring a lot of great new experiences. We certainly look forward to tasting more from Cotswolds Distillery. Slaínte.
