Whisky Tasting at Rodney Densem's in Nantwich - June 2023
After a very sparse period of local tastings, I received an e-mail from Rodney Densem Wines for a Gin and Whisky Tasting the following day. The evening was hosted by Chris Toller from Henstone Distillery in Shropshire. Henstone was founded in 2017 and produced its first new make spirit for whisky later that year and its first gin in 2018.
Henstone uses a variety of Bourbon casks, typically from Heaven Hills, Jack Daniel's and Jim Beam. All their whisky is single cask. Fermentation is allowed to run for 10 days to allow the fruity esters to develop. New make spirit is brought down to 65.4% ABV for putting into casks.
Henstone distills its own gin but buys in organoleptically neutral ethanol as the starting point and adds water and its own new make spirit. The botanicals used in the still are juniper, coriander, cardomom, angelica, and orris root. A gin basket is placed in the still's line arm and this contains orange peel, lemon peel, juniper and a small quantity of hops.
A 5% discount was available on all purchases made that evening.
Tastings
Whiskies
The whiskies were all priced at £59.99 and, while they were perfectly acceptable, they were not worth that price.
- Single malt, 43.8%
- Oloroso 46% finished in quarter casks
- Finished in an ex-peated whisky cask at 46%, so not a peated whisky, just finished in what was probably a Laphroaig cask
Gins
- London Gin, 44.9%
- Rosé Gin, 44.9% aged in virgin oak cask. The same cask is being re-used so the ageing time is longer on each occasion
- Strawberry and Pink Pepper Gin, 40%
- Navy Gin, using the 'Navy' to denote its strength of 57.3%. Traditionally, to be called 'Navy' anything, the ABV must be at least 57.1%.
Vodka
- Vodka, made with British wheat
Corn Liquor
- Old Dog Corn Liquor, made with 68% maize, 16% barley and the remainder wheat. It can't be called Bourbon because it wasn't distilled in the USA, and it can't be called whisky because is isn't three years old but nevertheless it had a pleasant oaky palate and tasted very similar to a Bourbon.
Rum
- White rum, 41% and matured for 4-5 months. Made from Billington's Molasses Cane Sugar.
- Toasted Spice Rum, 41%
Purchases
