7 Jun 2019
4 Jul 2023
Sherry
A rare and seriously characterful Fielden release, The Heart Cut #16 is a 100% English rye whisky, crafted from a bold and unusual mash bill. A huge 75% of the grain is heritage landrace rye, grown in sandy Oxfordshire soils that lend a natural minerality and warmth. The remaining 25% is floor-malted rye from the esteemed Warminster Maltings, adding a malty richness and texture to the spirit. Distilled and matured with Fielden’s trademark precision, this whisky has been finished for 2 years and 4 months in a 600-litre Solera oloroso sherry cask, originally seasoned for 45 years in Sanlúcar de Barrameda. That’s a serious cask pedigree, and it shows.
Big salted caramel energy – think caramel sauce with smoked sea salt flakes stirred in. Notes of ice cream cone sweets and cinnamon waffles bring a nostalgic sweetness. Then come tropical fruit notes and crushed nuts, with a puff of earthy spice and a flicker of an aroma akin to a freshly sharpened No. 2 pencil.
Layers of spiced honey and red wine tannins coat the tongue, followed by rye spice, warming oak, and toasted cereal. There's a savoury salinity threading through it all, almost Manzanilla-like, with flashes of dried pineapple and clove.
Long, nutty, and complex, with a lingering warmth. A touch of dark chocolate, candied ginger, and that coastal, saline twang to the end.
