Elsburn Willowburn - Ember Batch 004

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 46% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Ember Batch 004 combines a high proportion of sherry-cask-matured whisky with the deliberate use of smoked malt. Of the whisky, 84% matured in sherry hogsheads and 16% in bourbon casks; half of the barley malt used was smoked over wood. Bottled in 2025, the batch comprises 1,824 bottles at 46% and is neither coloured nor chill-filtered.

The aromatic profile combines raisins, mandarins, oranges and fruitcake with wood smoke, roasted almonds and apricots. Caramel, dark chocolate and roasted coffee add depth, while vanilla, malt and marzipan accompany the long, gently smoky finish.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, raisins, oranges and mandarins mingle with delicate wood smoke.
• Palate: On the palate, a velvety texture meets apricots, grapes, dark chocolate and roasted coffee. Marzipan and roasted almonds complement the profile, while raisins, caramelised almonds, apple and a subtle smoky note add further accents.
• Finish: The long, malty finish combines subtle vanilla and a hint of apple pie with fruity and gently smoky nuances.

Distillery/Bottler:

Hercynian Distilling Co. distilled the whisky and bottled it in-house after maturation. Willowburn is the company’s spicier whisky range, characterised by the deliberate use of sweet-wine casks and casks from southern wine regions.

The Buchholz family’s whisky project began in 2002 at the old Hammerschmiede in Wieda. It later moved to the Elsbach valley in Zorge in the Harz region; the name Willowburn recalls the former site beside the Weidenbach stream.

Facts: