Bimber’s The Spirit of the Underground series is just a very clever thing. I’m not sure how Bimber manages to create such a frenzy with every release, but they do. Just last month Release No. 6 hit the market. I believe it sold out instantly via ballot. Today, I’ll review all four new single malts from The Spirit of the Underground Collection – Wimbledon, Stratford, Oval and Wembley Park.
If the name or the packaging isn’t enough of a clue, The Spirit of the Underground celebrates London’s underground passenger railway network. Or the Tube, as it’s more colloquially known. With Release No. 6, the total of whiskies in this series now sits at 24, each named after a station. That may sound like a lot, but the London Underground has 272 stations overall.
That leaves another 248 possible releases for Bimber’s The Spirit of the Underground Collection. While I can’t imagine they’ll go that far, at least Release No. 7 has been announced on the official website. Considering the succes of the series so far, I’ll doubt that’s the last one in the range.
Each expression in The Spirit of the Underground Release No. 6 has matured in a combination of American and European oak, spending more than three years in a second cask. There’s Wimbledon (Vino de Naranja casks), Oval (Moscatel casks), Stratford (Fino sherry casks) and Wembley Park (Marsala casks). No further information on ages, but we know Bimber is a young distillery anyway.
Bimber Oval (57,6%, OB ‘Spirit of the Underground’, C#282/22)
Nose: There’s just a soft vegetal note at first, but it quickly makes way for passion fruits and tinned pineapple. Hints of beeswax as well, accompanied by a tinge of butterscotch and a very pleasant minerality. There’s some white peach as well, but we’re ending on notes of floral tea leaves.
Taste: Oily, but we’ve come to expect that from Bimber. Hints of dark chocolate, kilned grains and caramel that’s almost burnt (but not quite). Then whispers of Demerara sugar, quite intense oak spices and just a tinge of aniseed.
Finish: Medium length. Baking spices linger. There’s orange blossom too, as well as grape must.
Bimber Stratford (58.5%, OB ‘Spirit of the Underground’, C#267/16)
Nose: Opening up on hints of apricots, a tinge of pollen and some notes of darker caramel. Or maybe caramel-glazed apples, because I’m surely getting some apple peel too. Warming spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg add richness. Getting more citrus-y now, mainly notes of orange peel and Cointreau.
Taste: Thick, oily mouthfeel. Hints of tobacco, cigar boxes and bung cloth. Much darker than I expected. There’s still a fruitiness though. Mainly jammy apricots, some Asian pears too. Also, there’s a whisper of peanut skins that I really enjoy. Oh, and roasted malts too.
Finish: Medium. Quite dry, gentle spices and just a whisper of menthol and cigar tobacco.
Bimber Wembley Park (58.3%, OB ‘Spirit of the Underground’, C#300/10)
Nose: A fairly candy-esque first impression. There’s some nougat, but also a good amount of orange zest and nectarines, accompanied by soft floral notes. Also tamarind, a touch of date and even apricots. Soft baking spices add warmth.
Taste: Mouthfeel = oily. Need I keep mentioning that? Pretty heavy on the spices. Cloves, nutmeg and allspice, along with mixed peel and a gentle earthiness, as well as some coffee grounds and chocolate.
Finish: Medium length. Burnt toast, lemon pith and tangerines.
Bimber Wimbledon (56.6%, OB ‘Spirit of the Underground’, C#310/5)
Nose: A lovely sweetness highlighted by raisins, some dates and ripe oranges. Also touches of chocolate pralines, some eucalyptus and just a touch of vanilla. There’s a whiff of apple compote too. Finally a sliver af almonds.
Taste: Okay, one last time then – an oily mouthfeel. Very orange-y. Preserved oranges, blood oranges. Also thick caramel, vanilla and Werther’s Original. Some soft oak spices linger in the background.
Finish: Medium length. Sweet caramel, honeycomb and oranges.
Samples provided by Bimber
