Notch Single Malt Whisky

About Notch Single Malt Whisky

Notch Single Malt Whisky — so named because it is not Scotch — is crafted from 100% unpeated, Marris Otter malt. Randy Hudson, Triple Eight Distillery’s master distiller (he was selected to be the United States representative at the 2013 International Whisky Competition in Edinburgh) mills and mashes the grains at his distillery located on the island of Nantucket. Afterwards, he ferments the wort for approximately five days before twice-distilling the wash through his 175-gallon, Holstein copper pot still.

Following distillation, the whisky is aged for nearly ten years in former bourbon barrels sourced from the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky. The Marris Otter malt, together with the bourbon casks, imparts notes of caramel, vanilla and buttery biscuits to the whisky. After a slumber in the bourbon barrels, a portion of the whisky is double-barreled, or finished, for just over six months in former Sherry casks, giving the whisky hints of dried fruit and apricots. In addition, the short temperature spikes on the island of Nantucket, where the barrels rest, result in faster maturation of the whisky.

After aging the whisky for over a decade, Hudson, with the help of John Ramsay — the master blender of the Edrington Group (makers of Macallan, Highland Park and Famous Grouse) — selects the perfect blend of barrels in order to create Notch Single Malt Whisky.

Notch Single Malt has already won a series of accolades, including ranking as “Liquid Gold”in the 2012 Whisky Bible with a rating of 95.5 points, making it one of the highest ranking single malts in the United States and just two points shy of the world’s best!

Notch Single Malt is available only through Caskers, so pick up a bottle today!

About The Notch

In 1932, Dr. G.D.H. Bell joined the faculty at the Plant Breeding Institute located on Marris Lane in Cambridgeshire, England. Having received a degree from University College and completed postgraduate work in genetics, Bell’s research focused on the breeding of barley, field peas and sugar beets (just after World War II, he published a book entitled Cultivated Plants of the Farm). In 1966, Bell bred Marris Otter Malt by crossing two varieties of malt: Proctor and Pioneer, the latter of which was a lso created by Bell.

Bell’s express purpose in producing Marris Otter was to create a barley variety that would provide consistently high-quality malt for cask ale. Due to its low nitrogen content and superior winter hardiness, Marris Otter malt — which has a buttery, biscuity flavor — soon became the foundation of the finest English cask-conditioned ales. While other varieties of malt are now dominant due to their superior yield, Marris Otter is still prized by England’s most prestigious breweries, including Adnams (founded in 1872) and Wolverhampton & Dudley (founded in 1834).

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About Whisk(e)y

Whiskey origin dates back to Ireland more than 600 years ago and has become the fastest-growing spirit category on the planet since then.

It is produced worldwide from scotch, Irish whiskey, bourbon, rye, Japanese whisky, and other types. Each has a distinct flavor profile due to numerous factors from different types of climate, ingredients, distilling methods, and the aging process.

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