THE Borders Distillery in Hawick has released the first in what it describes as an experimental new line, dubbed the Workshop Series.
WS:01 Borders Malt & Rye is a 40% ABV whisky produced by blending malt and rye grain spirit – both of which were produced at the distillery and matured in fresh-fill bourbon casks.
The resulting whisky is described as having notes of warm spice and toasted wood on the nose, with flavours of fruit tart, butterscotch and golden syrup sponge.
Only 6000 bottles have been released in the UK, with a further 3000 released internationally.
“In 2019, we distilled a grain spirit made from rye spirit and matured it in the same fresh-fill bourbon casks as the malt to create this remarkable and aromatic whisky,” said John Fordyce of Borders Distillery.
“The spiciness of the rye combined with the Borders malt, which is rich with fruit and vanilla, makes this a very approachable blend with character and depth.
“The Workshop Series is about respecting the rules but challenging the status quo. A rye-based blend is exactly that – it’s innovative, it’s inventive and it gives a taste of what is to come as part of the Workshop Series.”
