Whisky Focus - Bimber Spirit Of The Underground Collection Release No.5

London’s Bimber Distillery has unveiled the fifth instalment of their 'The Spirit of the Underground Collection' which they have produced in conjunction with Transport for London.

Bimber Spirit Of The Underground Collection Release No.4 showcases four new stations taking the total number of stations released to date to 20, the four new stations featured in this batch of releases are: four new stations: Bond Street, Hammersmith, Regent's Park and Tottenham Court Road – and once again each whisky "tube" and bottle label features iconography presenting unique pieces of London’s history that observes the significance of each station’s location.

This release showcases a distinct departure from Bimber's traditional house-style, blending the familiar ex-bourbon maturation with the robust and spicy influence of ex-rye casks. These four new offerings are sourced exclusively from the distillery's finest casks, all filled during the same production month. They are said to proudly exemplify the heightened levels of maturity and complexity emerging within Bimber's expanding collection of casks. Each bottle is presented at its natural cask strength and remains unfiltered:

• Bond Street – fully matured in an ex-bourbon cask, 56.3% ABV, 278 bottles
   
• Hammersmith – fully matured in ex-rye cask, 56.9% ABV, 280 bottles
   
• Regent’s Park – fully matured in an ex-bourbon cask, 56.8% ABV, 284 bottles
   
• Tottenham Court Road – fully matured in an ex-rye cask, 57.1% ABV, 274 bottles

The Collection comprises a total of 44 individual releases, showcasing a range of iconic single malt whiskies that pay tribute to the rich heritage and cultural diversity of the distillery's hometown. Each bottle features distinct and captivating designs, with every label depicting a different Tube station from the historic London Underground network, the world's first underground passenger railway.

The forthcoming Release No. 5 of The Spirit of the Underground Collection will be accessible exclusively through Bimber's Spirit of the Underground website. The opportunity to purchase this release will be available via a ballot system, running from Tuesday, October 31st, to Friday, November 3rd, and it will be priced at an RRP of £135 per bottle.

Speaking of the launch of the fifth release of the Collection, Matt McKay Bimber’s Director of Marketing and Communications said: "The latest release not only presents a glimpse into some of London’s most famous locations, but it also offers a fascinating insight into Bimber’s maturation regime. All four casks from this release were filled within the same month of production – with Regent’s Park and Tottenham Court Road being sequential casks which were filled from the same spirit run, but into different cask types. As such, these four new Spirit of the Underground releases offer a particularly nuanced exploration of the developing character of our London single malt whisky."

Ellen Sankey, Brand Licensing Manager at TfL, said: "The continuation of our partnership with Bimber Distillery sees the release of four new bottles, named after some of our most recognisable Tube stations, which is particularly significant as this year is the 160th anniversary of London Underground.

"We are proud to be collaborating with a London-based independent brand, highlighting again that the city houses products of great quality. The creative and original use of our branding to help portray unique elements of our city's history shows the benefit that an innovative, long-term collaboration like this can have."

This collection represents the most recent addition to a comprehensive licensing initiative, a collaborative effort between TfL and its global licensing representative, IMG. This program skilfully introduces the rich historical heritage and iconic brand identity of the London Underground to a worldwide audience through distinctive and authentic means.

All the expressions featured in The Spirit of the Underground Collection were meticulously crafted to meet Bimber's rigorous standards. The spirit is meticulously produced using single farm barley, malted on a dedicated floor at Warminster Maltings, and then fermented for a period of seven days in custom-built American oak washbacks on the distillery premises. Distillation takes place in Bimber's specialized stills, which boast an expanded copper surface area, resulting in a complex, fruit-forward, and multi-layered spirit.

You will also find the current Bimber whisky range available from specialist online whisky retailers such as The Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt
 

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