Cotswolds H&C Rum Cask

Article written based on press release and PR sample.

Cotswolds have long been a firm favourite of mine. They’re my closest distillery with whisky on the market and they make some excellent quality drams in a surprisingly short maturation period. So the opportunity to try out their newest release is always a welcome one. Let’s take a look at the Hearts & Crafts Rum Cask.

What they have to say about it

The limited-edition Rum Cask Single Malt Whisky is the third expression in Cotswolds Distillery’s Hearts & Crafts collection. This yearly limited-edition series celebrates the Arts & Crafts movement which flourished in the Cotswolds and stood for the importance of traditional craftsmanship - the same values upon which the rural distillery was built.

This limited release has been aged in rejuvenated French oak ex-red wine casks seasoned with fine Caribbean rum, resulting in a well-balanced single malt with notes of soft brown sugar and ripe pears. All bottles come with a limited-edition William Morris design presentation tube.

My tasting notes

Nose: Sweet apple crumble, buttery biscuit.

Palate: Sweet but not sickly so, lots of brown sugar, slightly citrus back end

The ex-wine oak and the rum marry quite well and neither shouts louder than the other. Tasty and easy drinking, a dangerous combination for a pricey (but good value) whisky.