Bimber - Abbey Whisky Exclusive
Updated: Feb 5, 2022
57.9% Oloroso Cask 125.1/9A
And yet again, Abbey Whisky have pulled another surprise out of the hat with a Bimber
For those who don't know who Bimber are, they are a relatively young distillery based in London. Their first casks were filled and laid down in mid-2016 with the first whisky being bottled just over 3 years later in September 2019. They are a small distillery, have a unique style, and do things slowly with a small out-turn. The word Bimber means "Hooch" (as in moonshine) in Polish. Well, the founder of the Bimber Distillery, Dariusz Plazewski is after all, Polish. So why not imprint his Polish roots in the name?
This particular release went on Sale by Abbey Whisky at the end of January 2022, and sold out within 20 minutes. That's testament to the Bimber following and the trust people have in the casks that Abbey Whisky chooses.
Appearance: Golden amber. Fast oily legs.
Nose: A freshly opened bag of fruit gums and fruit salad sweets. Sweet brown sugar, raisins galore, fruit trifle, warm caramel sauce. This is just the epitome of pudding in a glass and a diabetic's red warning sign. Gloriously sweet and indulgent.
Palate: As you'd expect from the nose, there's fruit galore, but the emphasis is also on rich and dried fruit like raisins, cooked plums, and very ripe black cherries. There's a familiar gravelly & minerally note that I've found with other Bimber's that works so well and gives an edgy body that works brilliantly. The high ABV of nearly 58% is easily subdued by all the flavours. In the far-off background, there's also a meaty element, like Chinese roasted sweet pork (Char Siu), supported by a mouth-coating oiliness.
Finish: Long, sweet, and warming. The oily coating tapers off to a gently drying sweet nuttiness before a final surprise of boozy peach tea appears and then disappears.
Water adds... Some peach and a slight oakiness on the nose, more peppery toffee on the palate.
Conclusion: A multitude of flavours are presented at a strength that, in my opinion, can be very easily enjoyed without adding water. Which is quite scary given the jaw-cracking high ABV. Absolutely glorious!
Sold out now, but details on the Abbey Whisky website can be found here