Side by side: a pair of Bimber 8yo's

It's been a little while since we've heard anything from Bimber, but a new Head of Marketing and Communications has been sending out tasting packs.

As well as Dunphail New make and a set of the latest Bimber Underground releases I received a pair of Bimber 8yo's

"The eighth anniversary of our London single malt whisky is an opportunity to reflect on Bimber’s journey - the challenges overcome, the accomplishments realised and a future that promises continued innovation and excellence.

From the distillery team who work tirelessly to create each release, to the enthusiasts who have embraced Bimber’s vision, this milestone is a shared achievement.

Whilst the distillery’s story is still being written, the advent of our first age-statement release is a turning point in our ongoing legacy and represents the culmination of years of passion, craftsmanship and dedication to the art of whisky-making."

Dram	Bimber 8 year old (Single Cask Edition)	Harmony of Eight
Characteristics	Ex-Bourbon Cask Ref. 11 268 bottles @ 56.8% abv	Ex-Bourbon & PX casks 1,090 bottles @ 50% abv
Distillery notes	This 8 year old single cask single malt is a testament to our dedication to traditional methods. It embodies the true spirit of Bimber - fruit-forward, complex and deeply satisfying. Nose: Rich and inviting with pineapple, dried apricots and aromas of resinous pine. Jamaican ginger cake, treacle sponge and a spice rack of nutmeg, clove and cinnamon join a light herbaceous note of eucalyptus. Palate: Full-bodied and decadent with big chocolate, roasted cereals and caramel. Dark wood notes and brown sugars sit alongside cinnamon dusted doughnut balls, whilst bold notes of liquorice and join almonds, hazelnuts, crème caramel and vanilla pods. Finish: An indulgent finish that lingers beautifully. French toast served with black tea, cinnamon crunch cereal and lingering apricot with a late minty note.	Bottled as a celebration of our journey, this landmark single malt whisky release embodies the challenges we’ve overcome, the achievements we’ve marked, and a bright future that promises ongoing innovation and excellence. Nose: Fresh, ripe strawberries and raspberries sit alongside meringue, whilst mango and pineapple join gingerbread men and an assortment of gummy sweets. Palate: Supple and immaculately integrated. Berry and tropical fruit salad is topped with drizzled melted chocolate, nougat pieces and chopped hazelnuts. Oak spice follows – gently piquant and adding uplifting cinnamon and a peppery bite. Finish: Lingering fruit sweetness married perfectly with enduring oak and fading spices.
My thoughts:
Appearance
	Dark gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, bead up slowly and fall as slow thin legs.	Dark gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, bead up slowly and fall as slow thin oily legs.
Nose	Typical Bimber ex-bourbon tropical fruit notes to the fore: pineapple, mango and kiwi. There's honey, vanilla, forest floor hints and a little ginger spice. Some walnut and liquorice allsorts notes round things off.	This one is a little more closed, takes a little time to reveal tropical fruit, dried fruit, prunes and some berries. There's a lovely rum and raisin ice cream note, a little citrus and some honey.
Palate	Thick, sweet, oily, arrival: honey and caramel. The fruit is more orchard now: poaches pears, apricots and peaches. A little nutty milk chocolate and some of the allsorts from the nose. A lovely cinnamon spice and dry icing sugar note left on the tongue as the liquid disappears.	Another thick, sweet, oily, arrival: honey and berries to the fore this time. Strawberries, raspberries and blueberries hint at wine rather than sherry so I'm guessing there's more bourbon than PX in the mix? A little milk chocolate and some of the rum and raisin ice cream from the nose. Dry icing sugar and a gentle peppery spice.
Finish	Lingering caramel, dry spice and a little walnut.	Lingering berries, spice and milk chocolate.
Overall	Doesn't time fly when you're having fun? I remember trying the first 3yo's released by Bimber as if it was only a couple of years ago. The spirit was matured well and these 8yo are good whiskies. They share the Bimber DNA tropical fruit, spice and icing sugar notes that we are all used to but ae a little more refined and a little more complex. The 8yo Single Cask hides it's high ABV well, but tastes like liquid caramel in the glass. A lovely dram! The 8yo Harmony is another lovely dram which probably shows it's lower ABV a little more. I'm thinking it wasn't a very active PX cask, I'm getting more berry and cherry notes rather than dried fruit, dates and prunes. Unfortunately both of these bottles are long gone, and both the wrong side of £100 for me but if you did manage to get one or both of them you'll be rewarded by a pair of very nice drams.

Many thanks to Steve Rush, Bimber & Dunphail's new Head of Marketing and Communications for the samples!