A few weeks ago Bimber distillery released a new series Shoulders of Giants (announced here). It pays homage to thinkers, innovators and visionaries who have shaped our world. Each release features artwork and biographical details that celebrate the accomplishments of historical figures.
Three of them were exclusive to the UK – sold by Bimber directly (now sold out, or so it seems). The other three are only available in Poland through Tudor House. Today we make a pretty random selection from both sets: Chopin, Shakespeare and Newton.
Bimber ‘Chopin – The Composer’ (52%, OB ‘Shoulders of Giants’ 2023, Fino sherry finish, cask #513/28, 328 btl.)
Nose: quite nutty, with roasted almond and hazelnut. Spent matchstick heads. Charred apricots and light hints of cigar boxes. Then a pickled smell, almost vinegary. Sweet honey and citrus peels in the background, along with black peppercorns and a kind of dustiness that reminds me of Oloroso bodegas down in Jerez.
Mouth: more sweet and sour fruits at first. Plums and raisins, mixed with cocoa notes, drops of clove oil, more moist wood. The gunpowdery edge is still there. Bitter chocolate and bitter herbs, some baking spice, salted walnuts and hints of marmalade. Peppery warmth in the end.
Finish: long, still peppery, with sour berries, the dryness of young walnuts, and hints of chocolate.
Not a totally faultless Fino cask, in my opinion. On the other hand this makes for a very intruiging whisky that kept me coming back to it for a long time. Moreover it does take me back to the smell of a bodega.
The Shakespeare release has been additionally matured in an ex-beer cask. It is the distillery’s first release from ex-barley wine casks, created in partnership with French brewery La Debauche.
Bimber ‘Shakespeare – The Playwright’ (57,7%, OB ‘Shoulders of Giants’ 2023, beer cask finish, cask #517/30, 271 btl.)
Nose: fresh, green and lightly minty. Plenty of lemon notes, apples and peaches, melons, cream soda and plenty of fresh malt. Then a caramelized note, along with a lightly hoppy / dried floral note which could be the beer influence.
Mouth: now the beer is very clear. It brings a dusty maltiness, a dry leafy quality, a lightly herbal bitterness and subtle aniseed. Some darker caramel underneath. Then walnuts and an increasingly savoury hint. Funny how most of the fruits seem to have been absorbed, except for a little lemon.
Finish: medium, drying and fairly leafy now, with nutmeg and hay.
Again an intresting very dry and un-fruity example of Bimber. Barley wine plays in a different alcohol register of course, so this is not your typical beer cask. Overall a worthy experiment. Score: 85/100
Last but not least: Sir Isaac Newton, a lightly peated release, bottled from a first fill American oak ex-bourbon cask.
Bimber ‘Newton – The Mathematician’ (58,3%, OB ‘Shoulders of Giants’ 2023, ex-bourbon cask #467, 256 btl.)
Mouth: nice oily texture (classic Bimber) and the same feeling of fruity spirit coupled to a mild mineral and smoky side. Peaches, apples, orange peels. Then light menthol, green pepper and herbs. Cold ashes, a little toffee sweetness and a growing ginger / pepper combo.
Finish: quite long, still peppery and minty, sharper than the nose suggested. The herbal side makes it a little drying.
A nice mix of Bimber’s fruits and oily body with ashy and leafy notes. I really like style, so this would be my pick. Score: 88/100