Fisherman's Retreat Edition 6.1

I've written about @FishRetreat a number of times before, a restaurant in the Twine Valley at the edge of the Pennine hills around 15 miles north of Manchester. They are also an Independent Bottler maturing Bruichladdich and Arran whiskies in wine casks.

Their latest release has been double matured - let see what it's like!

So far there have been 8 releases from Fisherman's Retreat I wrote about how impressive the Edn 1, 4 & 6 were here, and compared the 6 to a similar Distillery Bottling here (and 7 here and 8 here!).

Edn	Distillery	Year	Age	Cask	ABV
8	Arran	2007	7yo	Yalumba Viognier White Wine	60.4% & 50%
7	Bruichladdich	2011	8yo	Yalumba Octavius Red Wine	50.4%
6	Bruichladdich	2007	12yo	Rivesaltes French Wine	50.4%
5	Port Charlotte	2008	10yo	Château Haut-Brion	54%
4	Arran	2013	5yo	Yalumba Octavius Red Wine	54%
3	Bruichladdich	2008	7yo	Ex Buffalo Trace Bourbon & Yalumba Muscat	65%
2	Arran	1997	15yo	First fill Ex-Sherry Hogshead	53.8%
1	Bruichladdich	2007	5yo	Ex Buffalo Trace Bourbon & Yalumba Muscat	59.6%

But this one isn't Edn 9 but Edn 6.1:

6.1

Bruichladdich

2007

14yo

Rivesaltes French Wine then 2 years in  Yalumba Fortified wine cask

50.4%

100 litres of Edn 6 have been 'finished', had a 'second maturation' or 'double matured' (take your pick on what you call it!) for a further 2 years in a Yalumba Fortified wine cask. @FishRetreat were kind enough to send me samples of both the original Edn 6 and new Edn 6.1.

Edition 6 : Bruichladdich 2007 12yo Rivesaltes French Wine 50.4%

Bottler info: Jim McEwan: At 50.4% the addition of a little spring water allows the spirit to reveal some beautiful aromas. Initially, you are welcomed by the fruitiness of pomegranate & plump ripe grapes with floral hints of honeysuckle & gorse in bloom, followed by an updraft of heather and moorland flowers with coastal drift of Atlantic breezes. 

My thoughts: (updated)

Appearance: Dark gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, taking it's time to bead up and eventually falling as slow thin legs.

Nose: Typical sherry bomb notes - dunnage warehouse, old leather, strawberry jam and maybe a hint of smoke? There's also hints of the red fruit to come.

Palate: Thick syrupy arrival - sweet - very drying. Lots of sweet dark fruit notes - dates, figs, black cherries, sultanas, raisins etc - typical sherry bomb stuff. Some cola cubes and a lovely nutty dark chocolate leaving a dryness in the mouth. A few more sips reveal a ginger spice and some smoke, a little sour drying citrus as the liquid disappears - Nice!

Finish: Long drying dark chocolate notes with a bite of ginger spice.

Edition 6.1 : Bruichladdich 2007 14yo Rivesaltes French Wine & Yalumba Fortified wine 50.4%

Bottler info: none.

My thoughts:

Appearance: Dark gold in the glass, the extra maturation may have turned it a shade darker? Swirls again cling as a thin line, taking it's time to bead up and eventually falling as slow thin legs.

Nose: Similar characteristics to the Edn 6 - dunnage warehouse, old leather, strawberry jam but all just a little bit thicker. The smoke hint from the Edn 6 has gone, replaced by a stronger red berry note.

Palate: Again a thick syrupy arrival, very sweet and dry but led by berries rather than dark fruit - strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, blackberries. The extra wine cask finish subtly changing the mixture. The nutty dark chocolate is still there but the spice has all but gone, a faint peppery note on the tongue as the liquid disappears. Very nice!

Finish: Long lingering berry fruit - dry and woody.

Thoughts: I really liked the Edn 6 but I think the extra two years in the Yalumba cask has toned down the sherry cask dunnage notes a little replacing them with a little more berry fruit and taking away a little of the spice. For me it's improved the dram a little, both are very good in their own right, but trying them together has allowed me to see the impact of the additional Yalumba finish. If you can get both go for it, only want one - get the 6.1

Don't just take my word for it - here is what Jim McEwan thinks:

Fisherman's Retreat have bottles of the 6 and 6.1 for sale on their website with packs of both available for you to compare. The whisky will go on pre-sale on Monday 24th May-Sunday 30th May priced at £85.00 per bottle. It will then go on general sale on Monday 31st May at £95.00 per bottle.