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Wire Works Heritage Chevallier English Whisky Review

What happens when a distillery resurrects a malt variety that dominated England for 100 years? Wire Works' Chevallier release answers with stunning complexity.

OVERALL RATING

9
$100
  • Phil Dwyer is a freelance whisky writer and consultant with over a decade of experience in whisky retail and online whisky education. Best known for hosting Whisky Wednesday on YouTube, he is dedicated to making whisky accessible and enjoyable by cutting through jargon and complexity.
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Tasting Notes

About:

The first unpeated release of Wire Works offering one of the first contemporary‑era whiskies made from Chevallier malt, a dominant form of malt that was present in England between the 1820s to the 1920s.

Fully matured in ex-bourbon, this is one of the most interesting, robust and historical influential bottles released form the folks at the White Peak Distillery. limited to just 999 bottles.
Appearance:
Light Gold
Nose:
Lemon oil, tangry green apples and freshly baked biscuits. There’s some really pleasant and unexpected almond notes to this, along with powdered sugar. There’s a faint aroma of almond liqueur and when put together with those tangry fruits and bright sugary notes, it’s so welcoming. Some melted butter and a gentle touch of salt, too.
Palate:
Barley grist, dessicated coconut, cake batter, French white vermouth, basil, lemon zest, very waxy texture, olive oil, gentle black peppercorn spices, a nice note of vanilla cheesecake – that creaminess but with a little lactic tang. Lot’s to talk about with this, but the finish is where it really sings.
Finish:
A long, gentle and oily finish with plenty to be said about that waxiness again. It clings to the tongue with a great viscosity and doesn’t want to disappear. More of those cake batter notes with butter, sugar and an almost almond like character again. More melted butter and notes of olive oil that really maximise that long, wonderful texture and finish. Some bright herby notes round it off towards the end: sage and basil.
Comments:
This is wonderful. Wire Works have been at the front of everyone’s mind in the last six years, and they’re a distillery I still need to visit. I’m yet to be dissapointed by any of their releases, but this one might just be my favourite. The finish and it’s flavour and length could rival any large legacy brand with a cask strength release. This being their first unpeated style still has so much depth and charm. A complex, layered, charismatic and historically important release with so much to say about itself and the people who’ve made it.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Phil Dwyer

Phil Dwyer is a freelance whisky writer and consultant. With a decade of experience in whisky retail and nearly as long running Whisky Wednesday on YouTube, Phil is dedicated to sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm with fellow whisky lovers. His goal is to make whisky accessible and enjoyable, dispelling the jargon and complexity that can sometimes surround the spirit. In addition to his online presence, Phil managed The Whisky Shop Manchester, where he curated an impressive selection of some of the finest drams available.

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