On the finish of 2024 London distillery Bimber launched two restricted version eight-year-old single malts. They’re the first age-statement whiskies in its portfolio.
The primary expression, referred to as Bimber Concord of Eight, is a mix of ex-bourbon and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. The opposite one is a single bourbon cask, chosen by the 2024 Bimber Klub tasting panel. Single farm barley, flooring malting, gradual fermentation, direct fireplace distillation and no colouring: this distillery is doing issues effectively.
Bimber ‘Concord of Eight’ 2016 (50%, OB 2024, bourbon + PX sherry casks, 1090 btl.)
Nostril: only a slight whiff of nail varnish at first, rapidly adopted by yellow stone fruits and vanilla sweetness. Peaches and yellow plums. Lemon sweet and lemon peelings, perhaps some unripe pineapple. Then additionally hints of redcurrants and honey. A resinous trace of birch wooden with freshly lower grasses beneath. Fairly bourbon-forward thus far.
Mouth: good texture, with the bourbon wooden making a candy and spicy profile. Mint and ginger, with numerous lemon and grapefruit peelings. Some honey sweetness, burnt sugar and yellow fruits make it rounder, helped by a tiny little bit of chocolate and vanilla custard that come out later. Then again to white pepper, hazelnuts and hints of oak shavings.
End: pretty lengthy, with extra oak spice, a touch of gingerbread and zesty notes.
Extremely drinkable whisky at a barely increased age, with an enormous bourbonny sway and solely echoes of sherry. Fairly vibrant however nonetheless displaying a really youngish facet. Accessible from retailers like The Whisky Alternate or Tyndrum Whisky.
Bimber 8 yo 2016 (56,8%, OB 2024, single bourbon cask #11, 268 btl.)
Nostril: loads hotter, with heaps of vanilla and sunflower oil up entrance. Hints of peppercorns, crushed mint leaves, gooseberries and lemon sweet. Gentle hints of stone fruits and corn flakes. Then popcorn and nougat with peanuts. Merely much more presence than the Concord of Eight. A refined trace of rye bread and pine needles as effectively.
Mouth: oily however extremely wood-influenced, in one of the simplest ways doable. Baggage of oranges and lemons (or quite yuzu), with spearmint, extra nougat and hints of inexperienced pears. A little bit of varnish, ginger and radish or turmeric from the wooden. Mild charred notes too. Good freshness, however some grippy spice beneath.
End: lengthy, on ginger and cinnamon, lemon peelings and extremely enduring newish woody notes.
Good complexity and a really clear profile, however somewhat too wood-driven to attain increased. The standard is excessive however I imagine I’ve had even nicer (fruitier) Bimber earlier than. I’m wanting ahead to barely much less lively casks. This bottling was solely obtainable to distillery members (at a reasonably excessive worth). Rating: 86/100
