I have taken great pride in the rise of English whisky. But I will admit that it has taken me far too long to properly review what might be my favourite release from one of the most globally recognized English distilleries: the Cotswolds Reserve Single Malt. And because I waited so long, I genuinely feared I had already ruined it. Let me explain.
This bottle has been sitting on my shelf for a while, and it was looking pretty sorry for itself. Once a whisky drops below the halfway point, you are in a dangerous game. The oxygen takes over where the whisky once was, and over time, it can dull the flavours.
Those bright, zesty notes go flat, the sweetness fades, and you lose some of the magic that was there in the early pours.
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My rule is simple: once it is below halfway, the countdown clock is ticking. So if you have got a bottle you love and it is down to the last third, either bring it to the front of your shelf and keep enjoying it, or decant it into a smaller bottle. Do not let your best whisky go out with a whimper.
Now, to the Cotswolds itself. Founded in 2014, this distillery is a pretty huge part of the wider English whisky movement that is making waves globally.
They use 100% locally grown barley, they do not chill filter, they add no coloring, and they bottle at respectable strength. The Reserve, bottled at 50% ABV, has more bourbon cask influence rather than the heavier STR wine cask character of their Signature release.
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READ THE STORYThe result is something I would call a more naturally pure expression of the spirit.
On the nose, there is a lovely sweetness: custard cream biscuits, malted milk, toffee popcorn, and a fruity wash of apples, pears, and orange.
On the palate, it delivers a big, punchy hit of malt and citrus spice, followed by waves of fudge, caramel, and rich custard. There is cinnamon, a fizzy prickle like apricot sweets, and a creamy, hazelnut quality that makes it dangerously moreish.
The finish really holds, with earthy, slightly dusty notes giving way to sweet vanilla warmth. Hearty, dense, clean, and chunky. Pure chewy, tasty whisky. I scored it an 8 out of 10, which for me is a very big number.
At around £55 to £60, it sat at a price point where it genuinely competes with a lot of Scotch whiskies that cost considerably more.
The unfortunate news is that Cotswolds has stopped producing this for its core range. That is a real shame, because this was a banging whisky and probably my favorite from their entire range. The good news, however, is that it is available at travel retail. So, not gone entirely. Just more difficult to get hold of.
As for whether letting the bottle sit half-empty for months ruined it? Not at all. I was genuinely surprised. It was just as beefy and impressive as I remembered, which speaks volumes about the quality of the liquid.
If you have a bottle tucked away somewhere, consider this your nudge to crack on and enjoy it. And if you have tried other Cotswolds releases, I would love to hear which one is your favorite and whether you think English whisky is ready to stand shoulder to shoulder with the best of Scotch.
To see my full tasting, check out my YouTube video.
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