Fielden 4yo 2019/2024

Fielden 4yo 2019/2024

#16, The Heart Cut
Single rye - Oxfordshire 
Amber brown 
56.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Salted caramel, vanilla, milk chocolate, toffee, milk powder, hints of pears. With water, milk powder, salted caramel, coffee, brown paper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Toffee, salt caramel, dates, Demerara sugar, black pepper, nutmeg, hints of pears. With water, nutmeg, salted caramel, brown paper. 
Finish: Medium. Toffee, vanilla, cream, milk powder, nutmeg. 

Comments: 

Whisky that tastes exactly like Rolos. The salt caramel note is intense, almost overpowering. Lots of spicy flavours compete with it. Water tame it a little bit, bringing nutmeg and coffee to the fore. Very nice indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Oxford Heritage Corn Whisky

Oxford Heritage Corn Whisky

Official bottling
Single corn - Oxfordshire
Chinese tea
50.44% ABV
Dram

Nose: Brown paper, corn syrup, toffee, butterscotch, strawberries, honey, hints of cloves. With water, sandalwood, brown paper, honey, popcorn. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, mouth coating, airy, volatile. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Toffee, butterscotch, popcorn, brown paper, honey, cinnamon. With water, sandalwood, brown paper, photocopy paper. 
Finish: Short. Coffee, toffee, butterscotch, popcorn. 

Comments: 

Sweet and buttery, lots of sugar from the corn. Water opens it up, revealing a spicy freshness that, if this were malt, would be the feinty bits.

Verdict:

I like this.

Fielden Rye Whisky

Fielden Rye Whisky

Official bottling 
Single rye - Oxfordshire
Amber gold
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, sandalwood, black pepper, rye bread, magic marker, hints of chillies. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens slightly, astringent, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Black pepper, cream, vanilla, sandalwood, magic marker, brown paper, hints of sea salt.
Finish: Short. Black pepper, brown paper, vanilla, cream, rye bread. 

Comments: 

They’ve now relocated the Oxford Artisan distillery to Yorkshire, so it’s a closed distillery and these are stocks from it while the new distillery gets up and running. It’s chewy and heavy rye, lots of fruit and spice. It’s decent.

Verdict:

I like this.

Oxford Rye Heritage Grains 2018 Harvest

Oxford Rye Heritage Grains 2018 Harvest

Official bottling
Single rye - Oxfordshire 
Amber
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Strawberry jam, oak chips, cedar, black pepper, rye bread, parchment, clay dust. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Rye bread, parchment, strawberry jam, black pepper, damson jam, cedar, vanilla, hints of cookie dough. 
Finish: Medium. Cookie dough, rye bread, damson jam, black pepper. 

Comments: 

Peppery, papery rye whisky, lots of sweet jammy and vanilla notes. Rather woody on the nose too. Unusual stuff, which is rather usual for this distillery.

Verdict:

I like this.

Oxford Rye The Dissertation

Oxford Rye The Dissertation 

Official bottling 
Single rye - Oxfordshire
Amber red 
47.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Black pepper, raisins, tyre rubber, apricot jam, photocopy paper, toast, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, mouth coating, cool, loosens. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Raisins, honey, lemon zest, photocopy paper, toast, aluminium foil, hints of butterscotch. 
Finish: Short. Lemon zest, honey, vanilla, oatcakes, apricot jam. 

Comments: 

English rye whisky, unusual in terms of not being very sweet. Lots of feinty notes, but it’s a little bit harsh and unbalanced.

Verdict:

I like this.

Oxford Rye Purple Grain Batch 008

Oxford Rye Purple Grain Batch 008

Official bottling 
Single grain - Oxfordshire 
Dark amber red
53.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Tyre rubber, popcorn, yoghurt, hazelnuts, flaked almonds, pineapples, hints of fresh cut grass. With water, magic marker, black pepper, hazelnuts, popcorn, hints of tyre rubber. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Sour bitter. Popcorn, fresh baked bread, hazelnuts, lemon zest, hints of pineapples. With water, sea salt, hazelnuts, fresh baked bread, tyre rubber. 
Finish: Long. Tyre rubber, popcorn, grapefruit, pineapples, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Corn whisky made with purple corn! Quite sulphurous, but also nutty and fruity. Plenty of grain as well, which is unusual for grain whisky (perhaps surprisingly). Very interesting dram. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Oxford Artisan Rye Whiskey 3yo 2017/2021 Batch 002

Oxford Artisan Rye Whiskey 3yo 2017/2021 Batch 002

Official bottling 
Single rye - Oxfordshire 
Pale amber 
47.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: White pepper, honey, golden syrup, brown paper, cinnamon, nutmeg, corn syrup. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, cool, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. White pepper, black pepper, pumpernickel bread, nutmeg, corn syrup, dulce de leche, hints of cinnamon. 
Finish: Medium. Sea salt, pumpernickel bread, corn syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg. 

Comments: 

Quite a gentle rye, really quite sweet, but with a slightly salty edge. Plenty of cereal notes, including dark bread, but it’s still sweet. Really rather good, very promising from this distillery.

Verdict:

I like this.

Oxford Artisan 3yo Batch 1

Oxford Artisan 3yo Batch 1

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single grain - Oxfordshire 
Amber
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cornflakes, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, black pepper, damson jam. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, thickens, slightly tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Cornflakes, sea salt, oats, orange peel, black pepper, damson jam, hints of chocolate. 

Finish: Long. Sea salt, fresh baked bread, cinnamon, butter. 

Comments: 

Sweet and robust, with intense flavours that belie its young age. It’s a little salty, which accentuates the richness of the spirit. Very enjoyable. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot.