White Peak Distillery, Wire Works, Virgin Oak Finish, Single Malt Whisky, England (51.7%)

This recent release from our friends at White Peak distillery in Derbyshire is a splendid example of judicious oak usage. The house style here is a very lightly peated malt, and, with three years in classic ex-bourbon barrels and then an extra half-year or thereabouts in juicy fresh oak, a pleasingly rich complexity has emerged. Just over 3,000 bottles of this have been made, and mine will find favour alongside aged cheeses and seeded bread.

Rob Whitehead, Spirits Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd (November 2022)