High Coast (Sweden) 2012/2023 - Ex-Lochindaal Cask Finish #4333 (Berry Bros and Rudd)

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 59.8% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

A two-year finish in an ex-Lochindaal cask brings together Swedish fruit notes and additional Islay peat smoke in this High Coast whisky. High Coast distilled the single malt in 2012; during its total maturation of more than eleven years, the whisky spent the final two years in a cask that had previously held heavily peated Lochindaal spirit from Bruichladdich. Berry Bros. & Rudd bottled the whisky from cask 4333 in 2023 at a cask strength of 59.8%. The cask yielded 243 bottles; the whisky retains its natural colour and is non-chill-filtered.

The fruity character remains discernible alongside the powerful smoke. Orchard fruit and a restrained sweetness complement the peat notes, while apple, ash and minerality meet vanilla, toffee and delicate spice on the palate. The two-year finish strengthens the peaty character, which also persists through the long finish.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: The nose initially reveals distinct, powerful peat smoke. With time, bright orchard fruit and a subtle sweetness reminiscent of icing sugar emerge.
• Palate: The whisky is powerful on the palate. Juicy green apples meet peat smoke, pronounced fireplace ash and minerality; vanilla, toffee and delicate spice complete the picture.
• Finish: The finish is long and intense. Peat smoke lingers persistently, with the two-year ex-Islay cask finish further accentuating the peaty character.

Distillery/Bottler:

High Coast Distillery stands on the Ångermanälven river in northern Sweden. The company was established in 2007; its first cask was filled in 2010, and the distillery, previously known as Box Destilleri AB, adopted its current name in 2018. Cold river water provides cooling during the condensation of the spirit. The unheated warehouses experience pronounced seasonal and daily temperature fluctuations: in warm conditions, the whisky expands and penetrates deeper into the oak; as it cools, dissolved wood compounds return to the liquid. These changes promote aspects of the maturation process.

To produce its fruit-led distillery style, High Coast uses clear wort, French distilling yeast and an average fermentation time of 82.5 hours. During distillation, the distillery distinguishes between unpeated and peated spirit and adjusts its cut points accordingly. Berry Bros. & Rudd is the independent bottler of this whisky. Established in 1698, the British wine and spirits merchant is based on St James's Street in London and has remained family-owned for more than three centuries.

Facts: