The Borders Distillery in Hawick has unveiled its first single malt, marking the return of whisky production to the Scottish Borders for the first time since 1837.
Limited to 10,000 bottles, the eight-year-old inaugural release has been matured in first-fill bourbon casks and finished in Malmsey Madeira casks.
For managing director Giancarlo Bianchi, this debutant represents the culmination of years of work. He says the aim was to create a whisky that reflects its place of origin, with the Madeira cask finish bringing additional layers of flavour while preserving the distillery’s own spirit character.
“The ambition was to create a whisky that reflects the place it comes from,” he says. “For our inaugural release, we’ve chosen a secondary maturation in Madeira casks, adding subtle layers of complexity while allowing the character of our spirit to shine through.
The release takes inspiration from Hawick’s longstanding manufacturing heritage. The town is renowned for its cashmere and tweed industries. The aim is to create a whisky with a distinctly local character but harbouring ambitions to reach audiences worldwide.
The distillery has also drawn on that local identity for the bottle’s design. Its foil-embossed weave logo references the textiles and other industries that helped shape the Borders region.
Tasting notes describe a whisky balancing rich sultanas, bright citrus and sweet caramel…
The Borders Single Malt Scotch Whisky First Release tasting notes
Entitled The Borders Single Malt Scotch Whisky, First Release, the bottling introduces the distillery’s intended house style: fruity, sweet and aromatic.
Bottled at 46% ABV, tasting notes describe a whisky balancing rich sultanas, bright citrus and sweet caramel. Honey and vanilla lead on the nose, followed by warm, lingering flavours of hazelnut and buttery macadamia.
It’s always exciting to add a new name to the bar cart.
The Borders distillery was founded in 2013 by former William Grant & Sons executives John Fordyce, Tim Carton, Tony Roberts and George Tait. Under Fordyce, the operation has built up a reserve of maturing whisky, with the first of that stock now heading to retail.
Its opening in 2018 marked the return of whisky production to the Scottish Borders after a gap of almost two centuries.
The Borders Single Malt Scotch Whisky, First Release, is priced at £46.
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The Borders Distillery in Hawick has unveiled its first single malt, marking the return of whisky production to the Scottish Borders for the first time since 1837.
Limited to 10,000 bottles, the eight-year-old inaugural release has been matured in first-fill bourbon casks and finished in Malmsey Madeira casks.
For managing director Giancarlo Bianchi, this debutant represents the culmination of years of work. He says the aim was to create a whisky that reflects its place of origin, with the Madeira cask finish bringing additional layers of flavour while preserving the distillery’s own spirit character.
“The ambition was to create a whisky that reflects the place it comes from,” he says. “For our inaugural release, we’ve chosen a secondary maturation in Madeira casks, adding subtle layers of complexity while allowing the character of our spirit to shine through.
The release takes inspiration from Hawick’s longstanding manufacturing heritage. The town is renowned for its cashmere and tweed industries. The aim is to create a whisky with a distinctly local character but harbouring ambitions to reach audiences worldwide.
The distillery has also drawn on that local identity for the bottle’s design. Its foil-embossed weave logo references the textiles and other industries that helped shape the Borders region.
The Borders Single Malt Scotch Whisky First Release tasting notes
Entitled The Borders Single Malt Scotch Whisky, First Release, the bottling introduces the distillery’s intended house style: fruity, sweet and aromatic.
Bottled at 46% ABV, tasting notes describe a whisky balancing rich sultanas, bright citrus and sweet caramel. Honey and vanilla lead on the nose, followed by warm, lingering flavours of hazelnut and buttery macadamia.
It’s always exciting to add a new name to the bar cart.
The Borders distillery was founded in 2013 by former William Grant & Sons executives John Fordyce, Tim Carton, Tony Roberts and George Tait. Under Fordyce, the operation has built up a reserve of maturing whisky, with the first of that stock now heading to retail.
Its opening in 2018 marked the return of whisky production to the Scottish Borders after a gap of almost two centuries.
The Borders Single Malt Scotch Whisky, First Release, is priced at £46.
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