Boutique-y released three separate bottlings from James E. Pepper – the new name for the Henry Clay distillery which reopened in 2017 after a near 60 year silent period. Each one a rye based spirit finished in a different final cask – oloroso, ale and in the case of Door number 18 of the 2019 Advent calendar – Pedro Ximenez. The expressions vary between 3-4 years, ergo, have been sourced by the James E. Pepper team rather than produced by them. The Boutique-y’ release consists of 1,077 bottles at 50% ABV and a cost of £46.95 from Master of Malt.
We all have our favourite bottlers. And we select our whisky darlings based upon our perceived views of the qualities of their ranges and an overall sense of the appeal of their offering. Price is of course important – and particularly the relationship between price and professed quality – but it’s not the only influence. Favoured distilleries always have an allure and bottlers who regularly obtain liquid from these well-supported sites will always attract an audience. Similarly, brand and design do matter – and whilst some might wish for poorer packaging as a sop to lowered prices, these are but a few lonesome voices screaming into a much wider void. But when looking at That Boutique-y Whisky Company, for me, it’s not the immediately recognisable labels that hold the highest appeal, nor the overall quality level – it’s the sheer variation of styles that can be found within the bottler’s selection.
Beer casks have taken longer than I expected to be adopted into the wider whisky world. Despite virtually every nation on the planet possessing a signature brew, the integration of all things beer with all things whisky has only really started to find traction over the last past few years. Early experiments were in my view less than successful, with a handful of whiskies proclaiming beer influence on their labels, but then not really delivering on that promise inside their bottles. However, more recent forays, from Scotland, through Japan and into the US have upped the ante considerably – and whilst I don’t expect beer casks to become any type of everyday norm – the mastery of them and the appreciation of them is certainly growing.