Here it is, Henstone Whisky – Ex-Peated Release 2 (handwritten label is batch 19)! For full details see our RELEASE PAGE. We’ve been asked many times for a peated whisky and as a result have created this expression. The spirit spent more than three years in ex-Jim Beam (bourbon) casks and was then transferred to a 125 litre ex-peated quarter cask for finishing – on this occasion the finishing took 20 months! The result is a very pleasant, peated single malt whisky. Bottled at 46%, there are only 107 x 70cl bottles in this batch!

he reason we finish in peated casks, rather than use peated barley, is because of our association with Stonehouse Brewery. The brewery makes our (whisky) wash and if we were to use peated barley there is the potential that all the beers subsequently produced by the brewery would be tainted with peat. As a result, we acquired ex-Islay peated casks and finished the whisky in them. Interestingly, Scottish Whisky Association rules mean that we cannot know which Scottish distillery they came from, and the butts (ends of the casks) are painted grey to remove the chance of identification.

From Master of Malt (link new window)

English whisky from Henstone here that was matured initially in 200-litre Jim Beam bourbon casks and then finished in 125-litre peated quarter casks for a few months, adding a rich and spicy burst of smoke.