Queen Victoria, Kestrels, and Whisky

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When I was nine, I went on a school trip to the Isle of Wight. I went to a theme park, watched a birds of prey show, and saw Queen Victoria’s summer house. This was many years ago, but I still remember the taste of the fresh sea air. We toured the island, observing the serenity of nature and finding spots where kestrels floated in the sky. Shockingly for a school trip, there wasn’t much alcohol involved.

Had they been distilling whisky then; I hopefully wouldn’t have cared. Hopefully. But there is whisky now though, and I really, really do.

Wight Whisky have just released their Signature Malt Blend, a whisky that encapsulates the landscape of the Isle of Wight. The barley, grown on the island, is transformed into a ‘seductively smooth, full-bodied whisky’ that reflects the language of its creators..

WW (Walt Whitman, Woodrow Wilson, Walter White?) have made the choice to blend their whisky. Those who have read The Whisky Road’s complimentary E-Book may remember that this act does not make it lesser in any way. It is an extremely complicated and often artistic process. It requires the careful selection of whiskies that complement each other elegantly.

They are nonetheless creating an original single malt. It's on the way, but the aging process has just begun. It will be three years before the malty elixir is extracted from the cask.

The barley isn’t the only ingredient that derives from the isle. The mash is produced over seven days at Goddard’s Brewery before being transported to New Farm, Wight Whisky’s HQ, where the distilling process begins. They then use Wight Crystal, a local supplier of fresh spring water, which is key in distilling and blending the whisky. In short, very little of the creative process happens outside of the island.

Something we’re seeing more and more is an emphasis on sustainability. The bottle is beautiful and sustainably sourced, with its composite parts being recyclable, compostable, or biodegradable to ensure that its impact on the environment is solely positive.

But for the most important part – what does it taste like?

While we have not yet tried it ourselves - it is described as having a nose of vanilla, honey and spice, a floral palate of dried figs and toffee, and a light honey finish. These smooth, sweeter tastes are often characteristic of English whisky, and it is nice to see that Isle of Wight have honoured that tradition while instilling modern flavours such as dried fruits.

It's not often that a distillery springs up on a new island, so we find Wight Whisky fascinating for that reason alone. If you would like to try it, it can be bought on their website. (We are not sponsored by them, but if you are a distillery looking to sponsor a few articles please feel free to give us a bell).

Whisky truly reflects the earth from which it is extracted, so this is a rare chance to enjoy something that blends the exquisite, the modern, and the revolutionary. If you try it now, you could be part of a new age of whisky.

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