Borders Distillery WS:01 - Malt & Rye

Yet to release a single malt, Borders Distillery are teasing us with a single blend, not a term you'll find in the SWA handbook but one which a number of distilleries can now produce.

Let's see what it's like...

Opened in March 2018 in the town of Hawick it's the first Scotch Whisky distillery in the Scottish Borders since 1837, the distillery is an award-winning conversion of Hawick’s former electrical works, a prominent landmark in the town since 1903.

The distillery’s founders have a keen sense of environmental and social responsibility, and wanted to support regeneration efforts in their corner of rural Scotland. Rather than erect a soulless new-build on the town’s outskirts, they chose to invest in refurbishing an existing building in the heart of the town, creating employment opportunities and a tourist attraction.

Borders Distillery has become the first official distillery listed on the WelcoMe platform, which confirms that its building is more accessible to disabled visitors.

A combination of swan neck pot and straight neck stills allow the distillation of

single malt whisky, single grain whisky and vodka.

Both the single malt and single grain (rye) in this blend were distilled in the swan neck post stills.

Distillery notes: 

"Some say there’s nothing new in Scotch Whisky. We say, think again. Welcome to the Workshop Series. 

In 2019, we distilled a small batch of rye spirit and matured it in the same fresh-fill bourbon casks as the malt, to create this remarkable and aromatic whisky. This is the first Blended Scotch Whisky to leave the Scottish Borders since 1837, and the first expression of the Workshop Series from the Borders Distillery."

Bottled without filtration. 63.8% Single Grain, 36.2% Single Malt. 

Nose: The rye dominates with warm spice and toasted wood.

Taste: Warming with velvet like creaminess. Warm from the over banked fruit tart in buttery shortcrust pastry. Butterscotch sauce over golden syrup sponge.

Aftertaste: Warm, and custard like softness.

My thoughts:

Appearance: Very pale gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, bead up quickly and fall as slow thin legs 

 

Nose: Orchard fruit to start: stewed pears, apples and a little vanilla custard. There's some digestive biscuit, honey, oak and a hint of peppery spice.

Palate: Sweet arrival, it's only 40% but feels a little stronger - thicker. Honey, toffee, syrup notes. The liquid coats the mouth leaving the orchard fruit notes from the nose, a little digestive biscuit, almonds and a warming bite of spice.

 

Finish: Lingering oak spice, pear drops and a little vanilla ice cream.

Thoughts: First off the official bottle picture must have been photoshopped - the liquid is not that dark - at first I though it was clear like new make but there is a little gold in the colour. 64% grain and 36% malt at around 3yo is going to have that much colour. What is misses in colour is offers in taste, there's no new make hints or off notes, very drinkable, very tasty. I'm sure a little more ABV would have added to the complexity but at 40% it still has something to offer. The first fill ex-bourbon giving both spice and vanilla notes to the dram. Worth a try. This is Workshop Series release 1, I can't wait to see what else Borders have up their sleeves!

Many thanks to Borders and @FairgroundComms for the sample!

Geeky bit:

I can't think of many other 'single blends', I think Loch Lomond's Sassenach for Outlander's Sam Heughan is one, that use single malt from traditional stills and grain from their continuous stills - can you think of any others?

WS:00 is their New Make Spirit also available in bottles!