Adnams No 1 Whisky – 43% abv

Info: Adnams made this with 100% East Anglian barley and aged it for 3+  years in new French oak.
Colour: Rich evening summer’s gold.
Nose: Not a nose you’d readily identify with a Scotch whisky, but then again this isn’t Scotch, it’s English! It’s young, it’s been in virgin French oak, and you get a set of interesting smells. Toasted vanilla pods, damp nut shells, some milk chocolate and white PVA glue.
Palate: It’s got a bit of a bite, there’s some peppery spices which are quickly there upfront on the palate, then followed by the younger oak wood notes. Otherwise it’s a little one dimensional. Medium sweet.
Finish: The finish continues with some more sweetness. It’s short to medium in length, and has a toasted smokiness to it at the end which must come from the casks.
Thoughts: I’ve seen this described as unique, and that it is. If you’re thinking it’ll be a familiar whisky to others you’ve had, then you might be wrong… Don’t go in with preconceptions and you’ll probably enjoy it. That said, it somewhat leaves something to be desired, maybe more age will improve it in the years to come, but for now it’s got some way to go yet I’d suggest. It’d be interesting to see what the spirit would be like if matured for much longer and in a more traditional cask, if that’s on the cards (I hope it is).
Available: The Whisky Exchange – £48.75

Thanks to my dad for the sample! He visited them in 2015 and grabbed a bottle for us to try and took me a few snaps, below…