Wireworks Port Wine LBV

Wireworks Port Wine LBV

Official bottling 
Single malt - Derbyshire 
Orange gold
53.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, orange juice, malted grains, vanilla, strawberry jam, white chocolate, honey. With water, orange juice, malted grains, dried apricots. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, volatile, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Raisins, orange juice, white chocolate, black tea, red grapes, honey, golden syrup. With water, dried apricots, malted grains, honey. 
Finish: Medium. Golden syrup, malted grains, orange juice, white chocolate. 

Comments: 

Fruity, sweet and rich, lots of buttery white chocolate notes. It enriches everything up to and including the finish. Water brings out pleasing notes of dried apricots.

Verdict:

I like this.

Wireworks Special Waters

Wireworks Special Waters

Official bottling 
Single malt - Derbyshire
Copper
57.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Desiccated coconut, sandalwood, raisins, sea salt, leather, leather, white chocolate. With water, white chocolate, raisins, white wine. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, volatile, tingly, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Desiccated coconut, raisins, apricot jam, malted grains, sea salt, white pepper, hints of leather. With water, malted grains, apricot jam, sandalwood, sea salt. 
Finish: Long. White chocolate, leather, apricot jam, malted grains, raisins. 

Comments: 

Whisky made with a dilution method used in cognac production. Lots of grain whisky notes, even though it’s a malt. Water brings out some raisiny, jammy sweetness, both on the nose and on the tongue.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

White Peak 4yo 2020/2024

White Peak 4yo 2020/2024

#10, The Heart Cut
Single malt - Derbyshire
Copper
55% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, roast chicken, chicken stock, honey, peanuts, leather, raisins, cloves. With water, vitamin C tablets, cloves, black tea, smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Roast chicken, chicken stock, vitamin C tablets, lemon zest, cloves, nutmeg, smoke, orange juice. With water, chicken stock, nutmeg, honey, hints of strawberry jam. 
Finish: Medium. Vitamin C tablets, smoke, cloves, nutmeg. 

Comments: 

Peated, with a great meaty feel, lots of roast chicken notes water increases the savouriness, and bring in jammy notes with smoke and cloves. Impressively layered.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Wireworks Alter Ego

Wireworks Alter Ego

Official bottling
Single malt - Derbyshire
Yellow gold
51.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, lemon sweets, lemon zest, smoke, leather, new plastic, dates. With water, raisins, malted grains, honey, dates. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, tingly, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Leather, smoke, peat, butterscotch, raisins, apricots, dates, white pepper. With water, raisins, leather, apricots, peat. 
Finish: Medium. Raisins, mint, peat, malted grains, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Young, peppery, slightly plasticky, but there’s a deep sweetness somewhere that complements the peat and smoke. Decent and interesting dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Wireworks Full Port

Wireworks Full Port

Official bottling 
Single malt - Derbyshire
Amber orange 
52.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange juice, leather, black pepper, orange peel, vitamin C tablets, peat, hints of cinnamon. With water, orange juice, oatcakes, black pepper, driftwood smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, hot, tingly, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour. Vitamin C tablets, orange juice, driftwood smoke, black pepper, peat, cinnamon, hints of honey. With water, honey, orange juice, leather, vitamin C tablets. 
Finish: Short. Orange juice, black pepper, driftwood smoke, peat, leather. 

Comments: 

Batch 05_210660_29. Spicy and tart, with a big whack of salty smoke, especially with a little water to open it up. Port and peat don’t often go together so well. Very pleasant dram. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Wireworks Down’ards

Wireworks Down’ards

Official bottling
Single malt - Derbyshire
Amber 
52.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, cream, raisins, malted grains, parchment, white pepper, cinnamon, cedar. With water, parchment, white grapes, raisins, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, mouth coating, thickens slightly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Malted grains, cream, white grapes, honey, raisins, green tea, cedar. With water, malted grains, parchment, white grapes, raisins. 
Finish: Medium. Parchment, green tea, raisins, malted grains. 

Comments: 

This differs from its sister bottle by simply being in a different part of the warehouse. It’s a little more fragrant, slightly more spicy, and a little less woody. Otherwise, it’s very similar.

Verdict:

I like this.

Wireworks Up’ards

Wireworks Up’ards

Official bottling
Single malt - Derbyshire
Amber
52.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, oak chips, white pepper, cedar, malted grains, maple syrup, hints of cinnamon. With water, raisins, honey, white pepper, green tea. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, mouth coating, tingly.
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Malted grains, green tea, brown paper, oak chips, raisins, cinnamon. With water, malted grains, honey, white pepper. 
Finish: Short. Oak chips, raisins, brown sugar, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Sweet and spicy, but has a woody undertone. The distillate takes water well, turning spicier and sweeter. The woody note remains though. Decent dram. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Wireworks Virgin Oak Finish Batch 08/2022

Wireworks Virgin Oak Finish Batch 08/2022

Official bottling 
Single malt - Derbyshire
Dark gold
51.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Digestive biscuits, dates, raisins, photocopy paper, brass polish, toast, hints of aluminium foil. With water, dates, aluminium foil, toast. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, loosens, hot. 
Tasting:  Salty bitter. Brass polish, aluminium foil, toast, black tea, black pepper, nutmeg, digestive biscuits. With water, oatcakes, bran flakes, toast. 
Finish: Medium. Black tea, brass polish, toast, aluminium foil, hints of leather. 

Comments: 

Slightly metallic tasting, but has a decent malty backbone. Lots of biscuity notes are apparent, but these fade a bit with some water, leaving the slightly burned metal. It’s not unpleasant, maybe it’s a distillery characteristic.

Verdict:

I like this.

Wireworks Small Batch 03/2022

Wireworks Small Batch 03/2022

Official bottling 
Single malt - Derbyshire
Amber orange 
46.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, marmalade, plums, honey, peaches, lemon sweets, hints of vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, oily, slightly fizzy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Orange juice, malted grains, green tea, marmalade, dunnage, white pepper, hints of leather, hints of clay dust. 
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, orange juice, dunnage, green tea, hints of clay dust. 

Comments: 

Quite a sweet whisky, less lactic than the first release from the distillery. Lots of slightly dusty dunnage and damp, with plenty of citrus. Decent dram!

Verdict:

I like this.

Wireworks Single Malt First Release

Wireworks Single Malt First Release 

Official bottling 

Single malt - Derbyshire
Copper
50.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, white grapes, oats, cream, strawberry jam, hints of pencil erasers. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, astringent, tingly. 

Tasting: Sour. Whey, white grapes, lemon zest, cream, yoghurt, hints of strawberry jam, hints of malt vinegar. 

Finish: Short. Oats, cream, cornflakes, whey, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Batch 01/2022. White Peak has had rave reviews for its distillate. I’m not sure I concur though, this first release is a little sour and tasting slightly of fermented fruit. Lots of lactic notes too. I think it’s quite promising, but a little too young for my palate.

Verdict:

I like this.