Would you like to try an English rye whisky? That's right. Not a rye whisky from the United States, or even Canada. Adnams has grown an English variety of this grain on distillery namesake Jonathan Adnams' farm in Reydon. Local to the Adnams distillery, it is said that rye grew in Reydon for centuries, and that in Old English, Rey means Rye, and Don means Hill.
While Adnams are not the first to grow an English rye malt, it's impressive how much it has embraced the style. The whisky is distilled from a weighty mash bill of 75% rye and 25% barley, which was subsequently aged for at least five years in new French oak barrels. It is was bottled without chill-filtation at 47% ABV.
Big, sweet helpings of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and crackles of black pepper are tempered by tart orange peel, vanilla, rye toast and a smothering of golden syrup.
The palate is much drier than the nose, and carries plenty more well-measured and chewy rye spice, which fizz through thick raisin-fudge, honeyed cereals and a little blackberry.
Ground coffee beans maintain the drying element.
So good it makes me want to sing ‘Jerusalem’, Hope and Glory and a selection of sea shanties!
Thought I'd step out of my usual US ryes to try a more local UK one and I'm impressed. Nosing is a little lost on me with my sinuses, but I do get cinnamon sweetness. The taste of this rye is punchy and warming but not overpowering, despite being 47%. It's welcoming and sits with a pleasing finish. Definitely recommend to those used to rye ike Bulleit, Lot 40 and James E Pepper, like myself
It is incredible!
This is a lovely whisky from Southwold based Adnams distillery. Smooth and yet packing a delicious rye punch. At 47% abv and at least 75% rye content this is a flavoursome, sweet rye whisky reminiscent of Kentucky Rye with an extra dose of the Canadian Rye style. It’s beautifully balanced for a fairly young whisky and matured in French Oak which probably gives it the lovely fruity, sherry aromas on the nose. Adnams are making some really interesting whiskies and putting English Whisky on the map once more. Bravo!
