London Distillery Company - YesteRYEar

The third release from the Renascence of the London Distillery Company, this time taking us on a journey!

A sherry finished dram - let's see what it's like!

Alongside TLDC’s legacy casks, the remains of the LV-1767 Edition were discovered preserved in glass – a forgotten milestone in London’s whisky renaissance. Crafted from 100% Warminster Rye and matured in English oak, TLDC’s first release was laid down in October 2014 and bottled in 2018. It was named the LV-1767 Edition in recognition of the last company to successfully produce whiskey in London – Lea Valley Distillery. Rather than leaving the milestone release as an artefact, Matt McKay sought to return the spirit to wood, to let it mature once more and evolve into something truly contemporary.

Following eighteen months additional maturation in first-fill sherry octaves, the whisky was then reassembled into a refill sherry quarter cask for 6 months, allowing the aromas and flavours to marry into a cohesive whole. The result is a six-year-old rye whisky that embodies London’s dual identity – steeped in tradition, yet unafraid to reinvent itself.

Distillery thoughts:

We’ve revived this historic whisky, returning it from glass to first-fill sherry octaves and finishing it in a refill sherry quarter cask – and in doing so, have created a reimagined expression of the whisky that started it all.

Yesteryear stands as a bridge between what was and what’s to come – honouring the past while shaping the future of London whisky.

Nose: Seville oranges join sugar-coated red berries, while clove and cinnamon mingle with rich toffee and luxurious chocolate.

Palate: Thickly textured marmalade and buttery toffee sit alongside classic rye spices, whilst malty biscuits join toasted almonds and cocoa nibs.

Finish: Lingering cinnamon and herbaceous rye snuggle up to berry fruit tea and well-balanced cask-led pepperiness.

My thoughts:

Appearance: Bronze in the Glencairn, swirls leave thin lines which bead up quickly, hang around and eventually fall as slow thin oily legs.

Nose: We're almost in sherry bomb territory here but there's a little something at the back that's a wee bit different... a little musty dunnage funk gives way to orange marmalade, blueberries and a hint of Parma Violets. There's pepper, baking spices and some herbal notes.

Palate: Thick sweet arrival but immediately herbal and spicy. The orange marmalade is blanketed in cinnamon, cloves and pepper, herbal rye notes come to the fore. It's very juicy and mouth coating, some berries and dried fruit stick their heads above the parapet but there's too much spice for me. Peppery notes left on the tongue and lips as the liquid disappears.

 

Finish: Lingering cinnamon spice, berries and orange marmalade.

Summary: I'm not a rye fan, I thought the sherry finish would mask the spice and herbal notes a bit, it does on the nose but not the palate - it's just not for me. Boutique-y Dave probably loves this!