Waxhouse Whisky Releases 005 and 006

Waxhouse Whisky are a tiny, not for profit, indie bottler formed by members of the St. Albans Whisky Club in 2018.

I was invited to the launch of their 6th release where we also tried release 5.

I've reviewed previous Waxhouse releases here, here, here and here but I'll let them introduce themselves:

"The name Waxhouse points to our heritage. The Waxhouse Gate is an iconic cultural landmark in historic St Albans and is a stone’s throw from the pub where the club regularly meet. Originally the site of the candle makers, where pilgrims would buy their candles before entering St Albans Cathedral, it later served as the city’s jail and was an important meeting point for rabble rousers and rebels during the Peasants’ Revolt."

Waxhouse Gate, Then & Now

Waxhouse distributed samples of Releases 005 & 006 and invited us to a zoom call for the launch!

Release 005 was back in the Autumn of 2021

Bottler notes:

10yo Glen Elgin (Ex-bourbon Hogshead) 

Distilled: Apr '11, 330 bottles Sep '21 at 54.2% vol.

Nose: Apricot Danish pastry, vanilla, dried grass

Palate: Honey, sweet apricots followed by creamy vanilla custard and green apples

Finish: Buttered scones, a pinch of lemon zest and a gentle hint of pepper

My thoughts

Appearance: pale gold in the glass, swirls leave a thin line which beads up slowly and falls as slow thin legs.

Nose: Orchard fruit: apples, pears, apricots; vanilla, some citrus zest.

Palate: Sweet thick arrival, immediately spicy. The orchard fruit from the nose is back, a little toffee and a warming peppery spice. A little citrus left on the tongue as the liquid disappears.

Finish: Lingering spice and citrus. Nice!

Release 006 is available now!

Bottler notes:

7yo English Whisky Co. (4yr Virgin Oak, 3yr PX finish)

Distilled: Jul '14, 225 bottles Apr '22 at 53.9% vol.

Mike Fisher from the English Whisky Co. was on hand to tell us a little about the whisky: it started maturing in cask 888, a Jim Beam Virgin Oak cask, before being transferred to a cask which had been seasoned on-site with a mixture of 14% ABV PX and some unpeated English Whisky. This helped the PX penetrate the wood. The PX was bottled as Norfolk PX. After 3 years the whisky was reduced from 58% to 53.9% ABV and bottled.

Nose: Rich peaches in amaretto, nutty late-harvest sherry, time in the glass brings out dried fruit and warming spices

Palate: Delicious oily mouthfeel, caramel, creamy milk and white chocolate, sweet sun dried raisins and black pepper

Finish: Dried fruit followed by a long tail of peppery wood spice

My thoughts

Appearance: dark gold almost bronze in the glass, swirls cling as a thick line and fall as slow thick oily legs.

Nose: Dried fruit, vanilla, strawberries drizzled in Balsamic Vinegar, dark chocolate, blackcurrant jam, marzipan.

Palate: Thick sweet oily arrival, lovely and mouthcoating, blackcurrant jam, coffee, dried fruit, blueberries. There's a ginger spice left on the tongue.

Finish: Lingering blackcurrants, vanilla and ginger spice. Yummy!

Huge thanks to Dan, Jamie and Paul for the samples and an enjoyable evening of draming! Looking forward to Release 007, a 1962 Macallan?