Filey Bay Moscatel Sherry Cask

Filey Bay Moscatel Sherry Cask

Official bottling 
Single malt - Yorkshire
Copper
47.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Marmalade, black tea, malted grains, aluminium foil, nutmeg, cinnamon, honey, hints of sea salt. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, volatile, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Marmalade, malted grains, nutmeg, black tea, orange peel, foam shrimp, lemon zest, hints of coffee. 
Finish: Long. Lemon zest, sea salt, foam shrimp, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Quite saline but plenty of sweet jammy flavours, in particular marmalade. Something slightly flinty and bitter too, especially on the tongue. Really good distillate that matches the cask well.

Verdict:

I like this.

Filey Bay Porter Cask #2

Filey Bay Porter Cask #2

Official bottling
Single malt - Yorkshire 
Amber gold
51.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Marmalade, wet stones, fresh baked bread, vanilla sponge, orange peel. With water, white pepper, strawberry sweets, marmalade. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, astringent, loosens slightly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Marmalade, fresh baked bread, strawberry sweets, wet stones, pencil lead, hints of ginger. With water, marmalade, strawberry sweets, fresh baked bread. 
Finish: Short. Ginger, marmalade, orange peel, raisins, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Laden with marmalade and strawberry notes. It’s got a deep sweetness that must come from the beer, not a lot of woody notes. Also quite minerally and flinty, which seems to be a characteristic of this distillery.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Spirit of Yorkshire 5yo 2018/2023

Spirit of Yorkshire 5yo 2018/2023

Selection, Adelphi
Single malt - Yorkshire 
Amber, hints of pink
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, raspberry jam, meringues, vanilla, milk chocolate, hints of malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Honey, meringues, vanilla, black tea, coffee, walnut skins, milk chocolate. 
Finish: Medium. Black tea, gentian, hoppy beer, milk chocolate. 

Comments: 

Fruity and creamy, lots of slightly eggy notes that turn sweet. There are some bitter elements here, especially on the tongue and more intensely, on the finish. Decent dram, although a little young.

Verdict:

I like this.

Filey Bay Orange Wine Barrique

Filey Bay Orange Wine Barrique

Official bottling
Single malt - Yorkshire

Orange amber
46.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, pencil erasers, pencil lead, raspberry jam, malted grains, vanilla, burnt sugar, coffee. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens slightly, mouth coating, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Orange peel, malted grains, grapefruit, pencil lead, orange blossom, burnt sugar, raisins, hints of apricot jam. 
Finish: Medium. Apricot jam, orange peel, orange blossom, grapefruit, hints of pencil lead. 

Comments: 

Rather orangey, despite the fact that orange wine refers to the colour, not the fruit. Perhaps the cask was seasoned, like Amrut Naarangi. Anyway, the flavours are well integrated and tend towards the gentle floral variety. Very pleasant indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Filey Bay Flagship

Filey Bay Flagship

Official bottling 
Single malt - Yorkshire
Yellow
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, lemon zest, magic marker, pear drops, white pepper, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, mouth coating, cool. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Lemon zest, cream, malted grains, magic marker, pear drops, Demerara sugar, hints of white pepper. 
Finish: Medium. Magic marker, pear drops, malted grains, cinnamon, Demerara sugar. 

Comments: 

Light and refreshing, this is hot weather whisky. It’s got notes of lemon and estery pear drops, before fading to a brown sugar sweetness. It’s a fairly swiggable dram, and I admit I had more than my usual. Very good indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Filey Bay Peated Finish Batch 2

Filey Bay Peated Finish Batch 2

Official bottling
Single malt - Yorkshire
Golden 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peanuts, wet stones, lemon zest, honey, hay, driftwood smoke, hints of toast. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Honey, leather, peanuts, hay, lemon zest, wet stones, cinnamon, driftwood smoke, ginseng. 
Finish: Medium. Honey, sultanas, wet stones, peat, hints of toast. 

Comments: 

Lightly peated, the whisky has a savoury edge to it, but it’s also minerally and citrusy. It’s gentle and subtle, quite an enjoyable dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Filey Bay Yorkshire Day 2020

Filey Bay Yorkshire Day 2020

Official bottling 
Single malt - Yorkshire 
Golden
55% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, sultanas, malted grains, menthol, apple juice, leather, hints of camphor. With water, apple juice, raisins, cloves, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, astringent, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Malted grains, strawberries, raisins, apple juice, toffee, hay, hoppy beer, hints of brown paper. With water, malted grains, hoppy beer, apple juice, hay. 
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, hay, sultanas, menthol, hoppy beer. 

Comments: 

Appley, malty and a little bit minty. Lots of character and layers of flavour. It’s quite a distinctive whisky, and although quite young, has some intense complexity. Very nice dram indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Filey Bay Double Oak #2

Filey Bay Double Oak #2

Official bottling 
Single malt - Yorkshire 
Amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, curry leaves, black pepper, lemon juice, green tea, hints of cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Orange peel, cinnamon, rhubarb and custard sweets, lemon juice, orange sherbet, hints of green tea. 
Finish: Short. Orange sherbet, green tea, cinnamon, black pepper, hints of rhubarb and custard sweets. 

Comments: 

Sweet, citrusy distillate, some tannins, and a little intriguing, nutty, curry leaf. It’s rather good for something so young, and doesn’t suffer with dilution. Quite enjoyable.

Verdict:

I like this.

Filey Bay Moscatel Finish Batch #3

Filey Bay Moscatel Finish Batch #3

Official bottling 
Single malt - Yorkshire
Amber, hints of pink
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Fresh baked bread, marzipan, strawberry jam, cinnamon, cloves, hints of orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, tingly, airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Malted grains, brass polish, orange peel, black tea, dark chocolate, hints of marzipan. 
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, strawberry jam, dark chocolate, cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Quite straightforward sherried whisky. Chocolatey and orangey, with some marzipan. Enjoyable young dram, from a rather promising distillery. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Filey Bay Sherry Cask Reserve #1 3yo 2017/2020

Filey Bay Sherry Cask Reserve #1 3yo 2017/2020

Official bottling 
Single malt - Yorkshire
Amber gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Fresh baked bread, malted grains, orange peel, cocoa nibs, coffee, raisins, vanilla, honeycomb, cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, airy, turns watery around the edges. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Black tea, popcorn, rolled oats, coffee, cocoa nibs, fresh baked bread, brown paper, orange peel. 
Finish: Short. Vanilla, coffee, malted grains, honeycomb, hints of cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Lots of flavour in this for a 3 yo whisky! Plenty of cereal and cocoa, and hints of orange peel, with significant spice on the finish. Lovely, and surprising.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Filey Bay Second Release

Filey Bay Second Release

Official bottling
Single malt - Yorkshire
Silver gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Chestnut purée, green apples, malted grains, walnuts, lemon zest, hints of honey. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, slippery, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sour. Green apples, sea salt, malted grains, lemon zest, wet stones, fresh baked bread. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh baked bread, lemon zest, walnuts, wet stones. 

Comments: 

Fruity and sweet on the nose, lots of nuts, but is overtaken by salty, wet stones on a pebble beach, once on the tongue. Lovely cereal notes too. It's less peaty than its brother expression (the first release), but it's no less delicious.

Verdict:

I like this.

Filey Bay First Release

Filey Bay First Release

Official bottling
Single malt - Yorkshire
Silvery gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: White wine, wet stones, pear drops, vanilla, white grapes, hints of sea salt. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. White wine, ink, wet stones, malted grains, peanuts, lemon zest. 
Finish: Long. Malted grains, rye bread, wet stones, white wine. 

Comments: 

A new distillery, releasing its first official bottling - there are few more exciting events for a whisky enthusiast. This is from the Spirit of Yorkshire distillery. It's minerally, almost fortified, yet with delicate fruit and hearty cereal. I found it very promising indeed, it's young of course, but there's a fair bit of complexity there.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.