Nine Rivers Distillery Shop
Showing 1–9 of 13 results
Showing 1–9 of 13 results
The Founders’ Casks Expression 5 is finally here. The 5th of 6 expressions of single malt whisky that demonstrate to the whisky loving community the types of whiskies that we are aiming to craft at our new distillery in Longyan, Fujian Province, China.
If you’ve missed the previous three articles, telling you about our journey to this point and what it actually took for us to be able to release The Founders’ Casks Expressions then you can catch up with the links below.
CLICK HERE to read part one.
CLICK HERE to read part two.
CLICK HERE to read the final part
The series consists of 6 bottlings, all released at cask strength and each expressing an individual aspect of our approach to whisky maturation and cask finishes. They are all 700ml bottles
They include virgin oak, ex-bourbon cask, Madeira cask, port casks and sherry casks in various combinations to create what we believe to be some very interesting whiskies.
The Founders’ Casks Expression 5 is a celebration of peat, this expression is bottled straight from the cask at 52.1% ABV and non-chill filtered for full flavour integrity.
We drew samples of this The Founders’ Casks Expression 5 and through a panel of 12 whisky enthusiasts, we created these collective tastings notes.
The nose is gentle, with soft aromas of vanilla and green apples which are brightened with mixed herbs and whispers of hay. It’s creamy on the palate, laced with sweet peat smoke and freshly scraped vanilla pods. These pave the way for amber barley sugars, which twist into a lingering finish of marmalade and peppery spice.
As with all bottles in this series, it comes with an ultra premium box to display your bottle. The packaging also names everyone that was involved in our project, at the point of creating these whiskies.
Buy them while stocks last.
The Founders’ Casks Expression 4 is finally here. The 4th of 6 expressions of single malt whisky that demonstrate to the whisky loving community the types of whiskies that we are aiming to craft at our new distillery in Longyan, Fujian Province, China.
If you’ve missed the previous three articles, telling you about our journey to this point and what it actually took for us to be able to release The Founders’ Casks Expressions then you can catch up with the links below.
CLICK HERE to read part one.
CLICK HERE to read part two.
CLICK HERE to read the final part
The series consists of 6 bottlings, all released at cask strength and each expressing an individual aspect of our approach to whisky maturation and cask finishes. They are all 700ml bottles
They include virgin oak, ex-bourbon cask, Madeira cask, port casks and sherry casks in various combinations to create what we believe to be some very interesting whiskies.
The Founders’ Casks Expression 4 is finished in Oloroso sherry casks from the city of Jerez in southern Spain. Perfect for whisky lovers who can’t get enough of warm holiday sweet, this expression is bottled straight from the cask at 55.8% ABV and non-chill filtered for full flavour integrity.
We drew samples of this The Founders’ Casks Expression 4 and through a panel of 12 whisky enthusiasts, we created these collective tastings notes.
Aged sherry saturates the nose with a rich bouquet of sultanas, nutmeg and dates, which are held aloft on a light base of toasted oak. A final waft of orange peel announces a honeyed palate that brims with dried fruits, berries and plums, topped off with hazelnuts and sharp pepper. The finish is dry and oaky, powdered with an earthy dash of cacao.
As with all bottles in this series, it comes with an ultra premium box to display your bottle. The packaging also names everyone that was involved in our project, at the point of creating these whiskies.
Buy them while stocks last.
The Founders’ Casks Expression 3 is finally here. The third of 6 expression single malt whiskies that demonstrate to the whisky loving community the types of whiskies that we are aiming to craft at our new distillery in Longyan, Fujian Province, China.
PLEASE NOTE THIS PRODUCT CANNOT BE SHIPPED OUTSIDE OF CHINA
If you’ve missed the previous three articles, telling you about our journey to this point and what it actually took for us to be able to release The Founders’ Casks Expression 1 then you can catch up with the links below.
CLICK HERE to read part one.
CLICK HERE to read part two.
CLICK HERE to read the final part
The series consists of 6 bottlings, all released at cask strength and each expressing an individual aspect of our approach to whisky maturation and cask finishes. They are all 700ml bottles
They include virgin oak, ex-bourbon cask, Madeira cask, port casks and sherry casks in various combinations to create what we believe to be some very interesting whiskies.
Expression 3 of The Founders’ Casks is fully matured in charred ex-bourbon casks, which are hand-picked for quality and potency straight from the source in Kentucky. The whisky is bottled at a stiff 56.7% ABV (cask strength) and non-chill filtered to give full play to the sophistication of bourbon-infused oak.
We drew samples of this The Founders’ Casks Expression 3 and through a panel of 12 whisky enthusiasts, we created these collective tastings notes.
On the pour, this dram dances with aromas of malt, barley sugar and apples, rounded off with pears and a soft punch of melon. The palate is syrupy sweet, well rounded and warm like vanilla sponge cakes, straight out of the farmhouse oven. This expression melts into a comforting finish of brown sugar and toasted wood.
The Founders’ Casks Expression 2 is finally here. The second of 6 expression single malt whiskies that demonstrate to the whisky loving community the types of whiskies that we are aiming to craft at our new distillery in Longyan, Fujian Province, China.
If you’ve missed the previous three articles, telling you about our journey to this point and what it actually took for us to be able to release The Founders’ Casks Expression 1 then you can catch up with the links below.
CLICK HERE to read part one.
CLICK HERE to read part two.
CLICK HERE to read the final part
The series consists of 6 bottlings, all released at cask strength and each expressing an individual aspect of our approach to whisky maturation and cask finishes. They are all 700ml bottles
They include virgin oak, ex-bourbon cask, Madeira cask, port casks and sherry casks in various combinations to create what we believe to be some very interesting whiskies.
Expression 2 of the Founders’ Casks is fully matured in the finest selection of port casks from the Baixo Corgo wine region in Portugal. Sweet and spicy, this whisky is bottled at full cask strength (55.3% ABV) and non-chill filtered for a creamy mouthfeel and full expression of flavour.
We drew samples of this The Founders’ Casks Expression 2 and through a panel of 12 whisky enthusiasts, we created these collective tastings notes.
The nose is bright with sweet candy, fruits and berries. Expect to find strawberries in chocolate, vanilla and a snappy mix of red apples, plums and spices. Smoothness defines the palate. Notes of oak and red berries carry the flavour forward, followed by raisins, juicy plums and a dash of cinnamon. The finish swells with a final rush of spice, settling down into a warm confection of red berries.
Traditional whisky Stones are notoriously bad at what they are supposed to do, which is to cool your whisky. We took the time to understand why most whisky stones don’t work and fixed those problems. Most whisky stones are actually made of soap stone, a type of rock that is easy to work with but with poor cooling properties. The size and shape of most whisky stones (small cubes) don’t really work either.
After extensive research, we have replaced soap stone with marble and granite, and changed the size and shape of them to better suit a typical whisky glass. Just one of our stones will cool a 50ml measure of whisky to the optimal drinking temperature.
Each set includes 6 different colours of marble and granite whisky stones. Each stone is 3.5cm in diameter and 3cm thick. One of the 6 stones is laser engraved with our logo. Additionally, the set comes with a hardwood serving tray which is branded with our name, Nine Rivers Distillery.
The price of ¥118.88 includes delivery anywhere in mainland China (not including Hong Kong, Macau or Tibet). If you live outside of mainland China then please contact us to discuss any additional shipping costs before you make a purchase.
PLEASE NOTE – these will be shipping in the last week of August 2021.
If you prefer something a bit more exclusive, how about one of our limited release Black Rock Edition whisky stones? CLICK HERE if you want to learn more.
Ex Bourbon Cask – if that’s what you’re looking for then you’ve come to the right place. If you were looking for another type of cask, then please CLICK HERE and choose one of the other cask types.
Let start with explaining what you’re signing up for here. It’s a first-fill, never been used before (except once to mature bourbon) Ex Bourbon Cask. The cask is hand made in the USA, has typically been toasted and charred to char level 3.
The toasting process is necessary for all casks, including an Ex Bourbon Cask. Essentially it means that the cask is heated gently and this is done by placing the barrel over a relatively light flame to seal the wood. This has to be done to every barrel as it stops the natural saps interfering with the liquid stored in the cask. In the case of wine, beer and cider, this is usually as much that needs to be done. However, for the legal requirements of bourbon as an example, the cask also needs to be charred.
Toasting results in the oak having a dark brown colour rather than a blackened char. The slow and gentle burn means the sugars in the oak do not have enough time to caramelise. As such, the spirit is lighter in colour and not as sweet as one from a charred cask. Toasted casks impart some nuttiness, light vanilla flavours, and some sweet notes akin to a light caramel and toffee.
Charring is when the cask is subjected to a much more intense (hotter) flame for a short period of time. This gives a layer of charcoal on the inside of the cask, which can vary in thickness depending on the amount of time that the cask is charred for. It’s typically a process that is only available for Virgin American Oak Casks or Ex Bourbon casks. Ex-wine casks are almost never charred.
The main purpose is that charring opens up the wood and the uneven surface increases surface area within the cask for the spirit to react with. The charcoal works as a subtle filter in the cask, removing unwanted compounds which can be created during the distillation process. Additionally charring alters compounds found in the oak so the char also influences the colour and flavour of the whisky while it matures over several years.
The intense heat caramelises the sugars in the oak which imparts a sweeter flavour along with caramel notes, vanillins and some tannins along with a deep and dark colour to the spirit.
Char levels refer to the length of time the interior of an oak barrel has been exposed to an intense heat source. There are generally four types of char that can be chosen for a bourbon cask and our Ex Bourbon Casks are almost always charred to level 3. Other chars can be ordered although they will typically have a lead time.
Please note, that your purchase here is for the reservation deposit only. You are paying 5% as a downpayment to reserve your cask. The total cost for this is ¥60’000, therefore the 5% deposit payable now is ¥3000.
Assuming a 3 year maturation process, 5% annual loss to the angels share and an original casking strength of 63% ABV resulting in 240 bottles, then this is the equivalent of ¥250 per bottle. Assuming a 5 year maturation process, 5% annual loss to the angels share and an original casking strength of 63% ABV resulting in 220 bottles, then this is the equivalent of ¥272 per bottle.
If you want our very own Ex-Bourbon Cask then scroll back up and click on ADD TO CART. You can then check out and pay.
If Virgin American White Oak casks are what you’re looking for then you’ve come to the right place. If you were looking for another type of cask, then please CLICK HERE and choose one of the other cask types.
Let start with explaining what you’re signing up for here. It’s a brand new, never been used before (not even for maturing bourbon) Virgin American White Oak Cask. The cask is hand made in the USA, and can either be toasted, charred or both toasted and charred.
The toasting process is necessary for all casks, including a Virgin American White Oak cask. Essentially it means that the cask is heated gently and this is done by placing the barrel over a relatively light flame to seal the wood. This has to be done to every barrel as it stops the natural saps interfering with the liquid stored in the cask. In the case of wine, beer and cider, this is usually as much that needs to be done. However, for the legal requirements of bourbon as an example, the cask also needs to be charred.
Toasting results in the oak having a dark brown colour rather than a blackened char. The slow and gentle burn means the sugars in the oak do not have enough time to caramelise. As such, the spirit is lighter in colour and not as sweet as one from a charred cask. Toasted casks impart some nuttiness, light vanilla flavours, and some sweet notes akin to a light caramel and toffee.
Charring is when the cask is subjected to a much more intense (hotter) flame for a short period of time. This gives a layer of charcoal on the inside of the cask, which can vary in thickness depending on the amount of time that the cask is charred for. It’s typically a process that is only available for Virgin American White Oak Casks or Ex-Bourbon casks. Ex-wine casks are almost never charred.
The main purpose is that charring opens up the wood and the uneven surface increases surface area within the cask for the spirit to react with. The charcoal works as a subtle filter in the cask, removing unwanted compounds which can be created during the distillation process. Additionally charring alters compounds found in the oak so the char also influences the colour and flavour of the whisky while it matures over several years.
The intense heat caramelises the sugars in the oak which imparts a sweeter flavour along with caramel notes, vanillins and some tannins along with a deep and dark colour to the spirit.
Char levels refer to the length of time the interior of an oak barrel has been exposed to an intense heat source. There are generally four types of char that can be chosen for your Virgin American White Oak cask.
Please note, that your purchase here is for the reservation deposit only. You are paying 5% as a downpayment to reserve your cask. The total cost for this is ¥60’000, therefore the 5% deposit payable now is ¥3000.
Assuming a 3 year maturation process, 5% annual loss to the angels share and an original casking strength of 63% ABV resulting in 240 bottles, then this is the equivalent of ¥250 per bottle. Assuming a 5 year maturation process, 5% annual loss to the angels share and an original casking strength of 63% ABV resulting in 220 bottles, then this is the equivalent of ¥272 per bottle.
If you want our very own Virgin American White Oak cask then scroll back up and click on ADD TO CART. You can then check out and pay.
If a Port Cask is what you’re looking for then you’ve come to the right place. If you were looking for another type of cask, then please CLICK HERE and choose one of the other cask types.
Let start with explaining what you’re signing up for here. It’s a brand new, never been used before (to age whisky) Port Cask. The cask is hand made in the USA from American Oak, toasted, not-charred, shipped to Europe and then used to mature port for a minimum of 3 years. It’s then shipped to us in China to be filled with our new make whisky.
The toasting process is necessary for all casks, including a Port Cask. Essentially it means that the cask is heated gently and this is done by placing the barrel over a relatively light flame to seal the wood. This has to be done to every barrel as it stops the natural saps interfering with the liquid stored in the cask. In the case of wine, beer and cider, this is usually as much that needs to be done.
Your Port Cask will have been previously used to mature Tawny Port for at least 3 years.
Ruby port is normally aged in steel or concrete vats and there are rarely casks involved in the maturation process.
Please note, that your purchase here is for the reservation deposit only. You are paying 5% as a downpayment to reserve your Port Cask. The total cost for this is ¥80’000, therefore the 5% deposit payable now is ¥4000.
Assuming a 3 year maturation process, 5% annual loss to the angels share and an original casking strength of 63% ABV resulting in 240 bottles, then this is the equivalent of ¥333 per bottle. Assuming a 5 year maturation process, 5% annual loss to the angels share and an original casking strength of 63% ABV resulting in 220 bottles, then this is the equivalent of ¥363 per bottle.
If you want your very own Port cask then scroll back up and click on ADD TO CART. You can then check out and pay.
If a Madeira Cask is what you’re looking for then you’ve come to the right place. If you were looking for another type of cask, then please CLICK HERE and choose one of the other cask types.
Let start with explaining what you’re signing up for here. It’s a brand new, never been used before Madeira Cask. The cask is hand made from European Oak, toasted, not-charred, and then used to mature Verdelho Madeira wine for a minimum of 5 years. It’s then shipped to us in China to be filled with our new make whisky.
The toasting process is necessary for all casks, including a Madeira Cask. Essentially it means that the cask is heated gently and this is done by placing the barrel over a relatively light flame to seal the wood. This has to be done to every barrel as it stops the natural saps interfering with the liquid stored in the cask. In the case of wine, beer and cider, this is usually as much that needs to be done.
Your Madeira Cask will have been previously used to mature Madeira wine for at least 5 years. There are Madeira wines casks that have been used for considerably longer than 5 years, but we believe that those really old casks are lacking massively in the oaky characteristics that we want to carry through into our whisky.
In a similar view that we have on sherry cask matured whisky, with Malvasia being the equivalent of an Olorosso or Pedro Ximanex (PX), Malvasia casks do create pretty good whisky. But they also create a massive smother over the base new make spirit both in terms of colouring and excessive sweetness. Essentially, two things that can make an average or a below average whisky seem to be better than it actually is.
As we all know a lot of people will assume a darker whisky is better than a lighter one (a big tick there from both Olorosso and PX casks) and heavy, thick, sweet aromas and flavours will appeal to the vast majority of drinkers who perhaps don’t quite have the experience to pick out the taints and imperfections when smothered with dried fruits, raisins and christmasy things.
Verdehlo Madeira is drier and has a lot of smokey notes to it. Subtle, delicate and refined it will contribute some pleasant characteristics to a whisky, without fundamentally changing the whisky into something that, well, isn’t really a whisky anymore.
If you’re looking for a a syrup-sweet whisky, then this is not the cask for you. This is the cask for a whisky connoisseur that wants to experience something different and sophisticated. A whisky that is enhanced, subtly, and not simply changed into something else to make it more palatable.
Please note, that your purchase here is for the reservation deposit only. You are paying 5% as a downpayment to reserve your cask. The total cost for this is ¥80’000, therefore the 5% deposit payable now is ¥4000.
Assuming a 3 year maturation process, 5% annual loss to the angels share and an original casking strength of 63% ABV resulting in 240 bottles, then this is the equivalent of ¥333 per bottle. Assuming a 5 year maturation process, 5% annual loss to the angels share and an original casking strength of 63% ABV resulting in 220 bottles, then this is the equivalent of ¥363 per bottle.
If you want your very own Madeira cask then scroll back up and click on ADD TO CART. You can then check out and pay.