Side by side: Bimber's Shoulders of Giants Series Pt 2

 @BimberLondon have recently released a set of 8 Shoulders of Giants bottlings.

This is the 2nd release in the series, Bimber sent me some samples to review - let's see what they are like!

"We are thrilled to announce the anticipated second release from Shoulders of Giants! This exceptional series pays tribute to the world’s greatest thinkers, innovators and visionaries, whilst showcasing our continued passion for crafting extraordinary whiskies. 

Following the incredible success of our first Shoulders of Giants release, we’ve crafted a new selection of single cask, single malt whiskies that celebrate eight more extraordinary figures whose legacies continue to inspire us all - each crafted from our single farm barley and distilled using traditional methods."

Three are UK exclusive

Dram	Darwin – The Naturalist	Victoria – The Monarch	Winston – The Statesman
Characteristics	Cask #376 American oak ex-bourbon 58.3% ABV 259 bottles	Cask #450 Pedro Ximenes sherry 57.9% ABV 298 bottles	Cask #473 Spanish Oloroso sherry 58.5% ABV 302 bottles
Distillery notes	This single cask release has been drawn from a single American oak ex-bourbon cask. It presents as a beautifully bright, fruit-forward Bimber, that is layered with intricate spicing.	This single cask release has been drawn from a single Pedro Ximenes cask. This rich and opulent single malt offers layers of deep fruit and chocolate perfectly balanced with our against our characteristic fruit-forward style.	This single cask release has been drawn from a single oloroso sherry cask. The result merges glorious sweet Spanish sherry with our fruit-forward London single malt style into a perfect marriage.
My thoughts:
Appearance
	Mid gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, tale an age to bead up and fall as slow thin oily legs.	Bronze in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line bead up forming at inverted crown and eventually fall as slow thin legs.	Bronze  in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line bead up slowly and fall as slow thin legs.
Nose	Tropical fruit bowl: pineapple, kiwi, mango, banana, peach and melon. There's some brown sugar, a little milk chocolate and vanilla ice cream. A little forest floor note to finish.	Sherry bomb territory: dried fruit, dates, figs, plums and a lovely black cherry note. There's some marzipan, muscovado sugar, dark chocolate and a little stewed pear.	Less of a sherry bomb, more of a berry bomb: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. There's toffee pennies, milk chocolate and a little spice.
Palate	The tropical fruit from the nose come though to the palate with a load of sweetness. There's honey, icing sugar and a bite of chilli spice.	Thick treacle like arrival: dark fruit, brown sugar and walnuts. There's some sherry soaked dried fruit, dry cinnamon spice and bitter dark chocolate.	Black Forest Gateaux in a glass: black cherries, dark chocolate, cream with a lovely ginger spice bite. There's a little plum, orange peel, dry brown sugar and a lovely toffee note.
Finish	Lingering honey sweetness, chilli spice and tropical fruit.	Long and dry with cinnamon spice, chocolate and dates.	Long and dry with ginger spice, chocolate and cherries.
Overall	Darwin (ex-bourbon) reminds me a lot of Dickens from earlier in the year -typical Bimber: honey, tropical fruit and icing sugar. Yummy! Victoria (PX) swapping to first names now for a full term PX, I'm assuming 5 years, which gives a spicy, fruity sherry bomb. Very Christmassy and perfect with a Mince Pie! Winston (Oloroso) sticking to first names now for a full term Oloroso which gives a lovely Black Forest Gateaux note - my favourite of these three.

Three are German exclusives

Dram	Marlene – The Actress	Albert – The Physicist	Ludwig – The Composer
Characteristics	Cask #442 Spanish oloroso sherry 58.1% ABV 285 bottles	Cask #304/8 Tawny Port Finish 58.3% ABV 52 bottles	Cask #402 American oak ex-bourbon 58.7% ABV 242 bottles
Distillery notes	The naming in honour of the legendary actress Marlene Dietrich is no coincidence. Her unforgettable presence and the complexity of her performances are reflected in this unique whisky . Each glass tells a story of elegance and character that combines both the fascination of the film world and the art of whisky making.	The Single Cask is a homage to Albert Einstein, one of the most influential scientists in the world. Worthy of the genius' profound contributions, the whisky unfolds a multi-layered profile bursting with juicy fruitiness ranging from ripe berries to stewed orchard fruits.	The Bimber Bourbon Cask #402 honours one of the most influential figures in classical music: Ludwig van Beethoven. In keeping with its expressive music, the whiskey unfolds a symphony of aromas - from lush fruits to sweetness and spices.
My thoughts:
Appearance
	Dark gold in the glass, swirls cling as a hairline crack line, take an age to bead up and fall as slow thick legs.	Bronze in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, bead up  slowly and fall as slow thick oily legs.	Dark gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, take an age to bead up and fall as slow thin oily legs.
Nose	Thick sherried fruit notes: dates, prunes, figs and plums. There's a little  dirty dunnage funk and a little burnt toast. There's some marzipan and walnut nuttiness and some red berry hints.	Black Forest Gateaux in a glass: black cherries, dark chocolate and cream. There's blueberries, hazelnuts and a lovely vanilla custard note. Again a little dirty dunnage funk! Yummy!	Honey, tropical fruit: pineapple, mango and banana. There's some stewed orchard fruit and icing sugar sweetness. There's a little vanilla custard, spice and a hint of dunnage funk.
Palate	Thick sweet arrival: honey and caramel drizzled on dried fruit and figs. There's some spicy orange marmalade, blueberry jam and a hint of almond. This is yummy! A little peppery spice develops on the tongue before the liquid disappears leaving it dry and wanting more.	Thick mouthcoating arrival with the black cherries, and blueberries from the nose alongside treacle toffee and coffee grinds. It's very dry and a little tannic. There berry notes are refreshed with each sip adding strawberries, raspberries and  blackberries to the mix. A little peppery spice left on the tongue as the liquid disappears.	Thick sweet arrival: honey, caramel and a little icing sugar dryness. All the tropical fruits from the nose are here along with vanilla ice cream, ginger spice and a little almond - typical Bimber notes for me. There's a little milk chocolate and some sour grapefruit. Nice.
Finish	Lingering sherry soaked dried fruit, marzipan and blueberries with peppery spice.	Lingering cherries and berries, peppery spice and dry oak tannins.	Lingering honied fruit sweetness, ginger spice and a little milk chocolate.
Overall	The Marlene is a yummy dram, not a lot of typical Bimber tropical fruit notes but loads of lovely oloroso themes.  The Albert was my favourite of these three, but then Tawny Port always is! Loads of cherry and berry notes and a lovely spice note. The Ludwig is your stereotypical Bimber ex-bourbon : tropical fruit, vanilla and ginger spice - nice! All three of these shared some dirty dunnage funk notes - I'm guessing they are all at the older end of Bimber's casks and have matured nicely.

There are also exclusives for Belgium and Poland

Dram	Sax  – The Inventor	Witkiewicz – The Artist
Characteristics	Cask #437 Pedro Ximénez sherry 58.3% ABV 302 bottles	Cask #460 Spanish oloroso sherry 58.7% ABV 285 bottles
Distillery notes	Sax – The Inventor is a single malt whisky aged in a Pedro Ximénez cask, offering rich flavors of chocolate, fruit, and spices. This limited release celebrates Adolphe Sax, inventor of the saxophone, showcasing Bimber’s commitment to innovative whisky craftsmanship. Bottled at cask strength and unfiltered.	This expression was matured in a single Oloroso cask, a choice that enhances the whisky’s rich, sherried depth and introduces layers of fruity and spicy complexity. Adding another dimension, this whisky is peated, offering smoky undertones that beautifully complement the Oloroso influence. Bottled at cask strength, this peated release pays homage to Witkiewicz’s daring artistry, making it a fitting tribute for those who appreciate both creative and whisky craftsmanship.
My thoughts:
Appearance
	Bronze in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, bead up  slowly and fall as slow thin oily legs.	Dark gold in the glass, swirls cling as a hairline crack line, take an age to bead up and fall as slow thick legs.
Nose	Sherry soaked dried fruit, figs and dates. Toffee pennies, coffee and dark chocolate. There's some rum & raisin ice cream, liquorice hints and a little tropical fruit. A little dunnage funk.	Gentle sweet peat smoke, salted caramel and honey. There's the typical Bimber tropical fruit: pineapple, banana and kiwi. There's a lovely spicy orange marmalade note and the dirty dunnage funk note I've seen on all of these releases.
Palate	Very similar to the Victoria : thick treacle like arrival: dark fruit and brown sugar. There's some sherry soaked dried fruit and bitter dark chocolate. Huge blueberry jam notes, dates, cocoa and a lovely cinnamon spice. A little orange zest and dry icing sugar round things off.	Thick sweet arrival: orange marmalade, honey, some tropical fruit and then the dry smoke blankets everything - much more pronounced than the nose. This is a heathery smoke like Highland Park but very dry. There's some berry notes, lemon zest and a dry nutmeg and cinnamon spice.
Finish	Long and dry with cinnamon spice, dark chocolate and citrus.	Lingering dry spice, toffee and some berry notes.
Overall	The Sax is very similar to the Victoria, loads of PX goodness blanketing the Bimber DNA - but still nice! The Witkiewicz is a rare Bimber - peated barley - this one is very subdued on the nose but huge on the palate - very drying. Toffee and berry notes rather than tropical fruit can be found. Of the two the Witkiewicz was my favourite - a very different Bimber!

Like I said with the previous releases I don't think you'll be able to buy bottles of these anymore but I'm sure they will soon be available on auction sites. I'd go for the Albert and Winston if you can get them?

Thanks very much to Bimber for the chance to try them.