Been wanting to try EWC for a while but unfortunately very difficult to come by in the Netherlands. Glad I get to experience them vicariously through you
Fantastic Shane, thanks for a great and balanced review as always. Glad that you liked this release and the previous unpeated expression. Cheers Mike 👍🥃
This is a really intelligent review. Peat or not? English whisky or not? Peat is such an obvious crowd pleaser and I get it. Regular whisky turbocharged. Good whisky doesn't have to be. Now, English stuff from a Welshman is stull a road we're travelling on. I think that's more to do with the shear number of new distilleries popping up everywhere rather than any issue with English distilleries per se. I just can't keep up with it and that includes new Welsh distilleries (which don't excite me). I confess that I do need to give the EWC another go after my abysmal M&S bottle which was one of the worst whiskies I've ever tasted. Glad you mentioned the PC 18 because I will never buy that at the obnoxious rip-off price. Shame on Bruichladdich. As for this expression tasting good at 12 years old; Well that was once considered a fine age statement. We're not sure these days because of all the rubbish casks. I've had superb 12 year old whisky but it's not guaranteed any more. Cheers. WT
Thanks for the interesting review, Shane. I understand some of your viewers are in parts of the world where what's "currently available" is an issue that shapes their preferences for whisky tube reviews, but for me that's largely irrelevant. Partly due to my location--NZ--but also my interest in learning about whiskies and distilleries is not restricted to only what I can currently buy, so I'd encourage you to review whatever you feel like reviewing. Yes, I'd like to someday try this or maybe something else from EWC, particularly since I like Benromach a lot, but I'm usually reasonably happy to watch thoughtful reviews even of stuff that can't be bought. In several ways whisky slows us down from anything approaching instant gratification, and that can be no bad thing. I must admit I don't really see you as the bandwagoning type. Probably a touch of your self-deprecating humour? I value your honesty and opinions, because they haven't ever (to date) struck me as something contrived for effect/show. Cheers!
I do like a heavily peated and sherried whisky done well. Unfortunately, EWC isn't available here in NZ. They really do need to think about a secondary market for those bottles though. They look too good to just go to waste. Cheers!
It's a wonderful style... when done well as you say! The bottles are beautiful. I have a few in my kitchen awaiting a purpose and give them to friends and family as decanters and infinity bottles. Too pretty to throw away!
Shane you do fly the flag for English whisky, it's not a genre that I've tried yet....but having enjoyed a previous Scotch blended malt recommendation of yours then I feel confident enough to take the plunge very soon. Cheers
Thanks for your confidence 🙏 It's a very interesting time for English Whisky with several distilleries putting out very mature releases now. I can't wait until we can buy 15yo English Whisky at a sensible price 🥃
It's funny how worm tubs are of crucial importance when people need them to be. Springbank wouldn't be Springbank without the wormtubs, right? The popular sister distillery Glengyle has no wormtub you say? Hush. Everyone's favourite, Ardnamurchan, no wormtubs either? Keep that on the down-low. On the flip side it's funny how there are some distilleries who are happily chugging away with wormtubs which no-one talks about. Craigellachie is synonymous with wormtubs, but who ever talks about Old Pultney being a classic wormtub malt? Or Dalwhinnie?
Funny indeed! Every little thing is of the utmost importance when it's a selling point 😁 I think Dalwhinnie did try to use their worm tubs as a selling point when they released Winters Gold NAS. But everyone ignored them because the whisky was crap 😂 Dalwhinnie 15 is a lovely dram though. I miss the days when it was a regular supermarket special offer. Cheers 🥃
I have a bottle of this that I bought last year. When I saw heavily peated and first fill sherry with 10+ years ageing I bought it immediately. I agree on the comparison with Benromach. Very similar. I found the neck pour to be slightly lacking. But after a couple of months bottle time this comes good. Really good. When you said a vatting of 2132 casks, I thought that is a huuuuuge small batch. Check the label, it's 2132 bottles, not casks.
I'm glad someone else is getting to enjoy this too. I've been very impressed with all of their 'Sherry Butts' releases so far. I do wonder if their small scale operation enables them to be more selective with their Sherry casks and keep the quality high. I know what you mean about the neck pour. Mine took a couple of drams to get going too but once it does its superb. The unpeated version was the same. That was just a slip of the tongue! It is indeed 2132 bottles as you say. I doubt that EWC have ever done anything as large as 2132 casks! I think I probably had their early releases in mind which were often 3 or 4 casks max and said casks rather than bottles 😣 Cheers 🥃
Thanks Christine! I hope something like this from EWC makes its way to you one day. The Sherry Butts releases (peated and unpeated) are some of their best stuff. Cheers 🥃
😂 Bowmore Small Batch was probably along those lines... It was probably because I was thinking about the early Chapter releases from EWC which were often 3-4 casks. Cheers Wouter 🥃
Loving the roadman vibe the subtitles give you, all ‘cuz’ n’ ‘wot’- xx
😎
Thanks
Wow, thank you. Your appreciation means a lot and helps keep the channel going. Cheers 🥃
Been wanting to try EWC for a while but unfortunately very difficult to come by in the Netherlands. Glad I get to experience them vicariously through you
Thank you very much my friend 🙏 I hope you find some EWC whisky soon 🥃
Fantastic Shane, thanks for a great and balanced review as always. Glad that you liked this release and the previous unpeated expression.
Cheers Mike 👍🥃
Thanks Mike. This one is a real winner. The quality of recent sherried EWC has been stellar and I look forwars to more. Cheers 🥃
This is a really intelligent review. Peat or not? English whisky or not? Peat is such an obvious crowd pleaser and I get it. Regular whisky turbocharged. Good whisky doesn't have to be. Now, English stuff from a Welshman is stull a road we're travelling on. I think that's more to do with the shear number of new distilleries popping up everywhere rather than any issue with English distilleries per se. I just can't keep up with it and that includes new Welsh distilleries (which don't excite me). I confess that I do need to give the EWC another go after my abysmal M&S bottle which was one of the worst whiskies I've ever tasted.
Glad you mentioned the PC 18 because I will never buy that at the obnoxious rip-off price. Shame on Bruichladdich. As for this expression tasting good at 12 years old; Well that was once considered a fine age statement. We're not sure these days because of all the rubbish casks. I've had superb 12 year old whisky but it's not guaranteed any more. Cheers. WT
Thanks for the interesting review, Shane. I understand some of your viewers are in parts of the world where what's "currently available" is an issue that shapes their preferences for whisky tube reviews, but for me that's largely irrelevant. Partly due to my location--NZ--but also my interest in learning about whiskies and distilleries is not restricted to only what I can currently buy, so I'd encourage you to review whatever you feel like reviewing. Yes, I'd like to someday try this or maybe something else from EWC, particularly since I like Benromach a lot, but I'm usually reasonably happy to watch thoughtful reviews even of stuff that can't be bought. In several ways whisky slows us down from anything approaching instant gratification, and that can be no bad thing.
I must admit I don't really see you as the bandwagoning type. Probably a touch of your self-deprecating humour? I value your honesty and opinions, because they haven't ever (to date) struck me as something contrived for effect/show. Cheers!
I do like a heavily peated and sherried whisky done well. Unfortunately, EWC isn't available here in NZ. They really do need to think about a secondary market for those bottles though. They look too good to just go to waste. Cheers!
It's a wonderful style... when done well as you say! The bottles are beautiful. I have a few in my kitchen awaiting a purpose and give them to friends and family as decanters and infinity bottles. Too pretty to throw away!
Shane you do fly the flag for English whisky, it's not a genre that I've tried yet....but having enjoyed a previous Scotch blended malt recommendation of yours then I feel confident enough to take the plunge very soon. Cheers
Thanks for your confidence 🙏 It's a very interesting time for English Whisky with several distilleries putting out very mature releases now. I can't wait until we can buy 15yo English Whisky at a sensible price 🥃
It's funny how worm tubs are of crucial importance when people need them to be. Springbank wouldn't be Springbank without the wormtubs, right? The popular sister distillery Glengyle has no wormtub you say? Hush. Everyone's favourite, Ardnamurchan, no wormtubs either? Keep that on the down-low.
On the flip side it's funny how there are some distilleries who are happily chugging away with wormtubs which no-one talks about. Craigellachie is synonymous with wormtubs, but who ever talks about Old Pultney being a classic wormtub malt? Or Dalwhinnie?
Funny indeed! Every little thing is of the utmost importance when it's a selling point 😁
I think Dalwhinnie did try to use their worm tubs as a selling point when they released Winters Gold NAS. But everyone ignored them because the whisky was crap 😂 Dalwhinnie 15 is a lovely dram though. I miss the days when it was a regular supermarket special offer. Cheers 🥃
I have a bottle of this that I bought last year. When I saw heavily peated and first fill sherry with 10+ years ageing I bought it immediately.
I agree on the comparison with Benromach. Very similar.
I found the neck pour to be slightly lacking. But after a couple of months bottle time this comes good. Really good.
When you said a vatting of 2132 casks, I thought that is a huuuuuge small batch. Check the label, it's 2132 bottles, not casks.
I'm glad someone else is getting to enjoy this too. I've been very impressed with all of their 'Sherry Butts' releases so far. I do wonder if their small scale operation enables them to be more selective with their Sherry casks and keep the quality high.
I know what you mean about the neck pour. Mine took a couple of drams to get going too but once it does its superb. The unpeated version was the same.
That was just a slip of the tongue! It is indeed 2132 bottles as you say. I doubt that EWC have ever done anything as large as 2132 casks! I think I probably had their early releases in mind which were often 3 or 4 casks max and said casks rather than bottles 😣
Cheers 🥃
Great review, Cheers!
Cheers 🥃
Good episode! I am looking for EWC in Poland for a long time... still waitin... greetings from Poland!
Cheers Piotr. Hopefully you will get some soon. Even the 43% Original and Smoky are pretty good if you see them for a fair price 🥃
Oh I wish I could get this beauty! Thanks for the awesome thought review! You are amazing! Love your thoughts!! 🙂
Thanks Christine! I hope something like this from EWC makes its way to you one day. The Sherry Butts releases (peated and unpeated) are some of their best stuff. Cheers 🥃
2300+ casks in a small batch 😂 Or might that be, perhaps, 2300+ bottles from a small batch? Good review, Shane!
😂 Bowmore Small Batch was probably along those lines...
It was probably because I was thinking about the early Chapter releases from EWC which were often 3-4 casks.
Cheers Wouter 🥃
I still have my bottle of this unopened, just need the weather to turn and it’ll be first out of the stash….
It is a great winter dram. Hope you enjoy it as much as I have been 🥃
🥃👍😊😊