One of my favourite things about the whisky world is whisky festivals. They are fantastic for so many reasons, but to my mind the top three are:
- A chance to spend time with people, who share a passion for whisky. Whether that is good friends, old friends or people that you have only just met.
- They are a fantastic opportunity to try new whisky without having to gamble on buying a full bottle. Once you have paid for your ticket, the rest is free, so the pressure is off, and you can try things in small measures.
- They are a brilliant chance to learn more about everything that makes whisky what it is; the processes, the people and everything that surrounds it.
On Saturday, I made the journey to Birmingham to for the Exploring English Whisky festival and was so pleased I did, because it was a perfect mix of the three above. Which leads me on to a series of reviews from the festival, the first being a sample that I was given by Fielden.
Aroma: Initially a very fruity nose, but it is floral too, with an initial aroma of pear drop sweets. It is sweet, but spicy with a cinnamon-like quality. It is also full of cereals, like honey nut loops.
Taste: The start is sweet, with a buttery toffee vibe, almost like highland chew bars of old.
The middle is nutty, like toasted hazelnuts. It also has a stewed apple fruitiness and buttery pastry notes.
The end is a building spice, which is both minty, has a rye bread like spice and loads of foam banana sweets
Real Dram Factor: An enjoyably spicy treat with all the qualities that make rye whiskies that little bit different from the rest of the whisky world – 7.4
You will like this if: bananas are your favourite fruit.
ABV: 48%
Price: £60
Source: Sample from The English Whisky Festival.
Buy Online: https://fielden.com/products/rye-whisky
More Information: https://fielden.com/