THE OXFORD ARTISAN DISTILLERY DEBUTS A NEW SERIES OF WHISKIES CALLED
GRAIN STORIES WITH RELEASE OF BRITAIN’S FIRST CORN WHISKY
The Corn Whisky a unique limited edition whisky
• The Oxford Artisan Distillery is an award winning distillery
• Corn Whisky is limited edition with only 830 bottles available
• The distillery grow their grain at local farms including Highgrove
• The Corn Whisky is floral, herbal, creamy and spicy, with notes of shortbread, raw nuts, banana and ginger cake
The Oxford Artisan Distillery launches a series of experimental whiskies titled Grain Stories, with the inaugural release of Heritage Corn Whisky.
Each expression in the new collection will focus on Master Distiller Francisco Rosa’s research into different heritage grains combined with a variety of distilling and maturation processes. The name is also indicative of the creativity and experimentation planned for the bottlings, giving the distilling team plenty of room for play.
Francisco comments: “Every whisky we produce has its own narrative and with our exclusive use of heritage grain, the different varieties we use play a vital part – it is these distinctive grains which are the thread that binds every chapter in this tome of Grain Stories whiskies.”
The distillery’s regenerative and organic farming partners, led by their Head of Grain & Sustainable Development, John Letts, grow the heritage grains, the likes of which have not been grown in England for centuries. The Oxford Artisan Distillery is the only distillery in England to use these populations, painstakingly sourced and bulked up over many years, and now grown sustainably using ‘restorative’, carbon-negative methods.
Heritage Corn Whisky has a particularly unique, and serendipitous, origin. Letts grew up in Canada surrounded by fields of modern hybrid corn used to make products like corn flakes and high fructose syrup. A few farmers grew multicoloured corn (technically North Eastern ‘flint’ corn) that was once grown by native people all over North America. Some also grew a slightly sweeter corn – the ancestor of modern ‘sweet corn’ – which has a mutation that prevents the sugar initially stored in the seed from turning into starch (flour) as it ripens.
In 2010 John collected samples of both ‘flint’ and ‘sweet’ corn from gene banks all over the world and added this to seed he’d obtained from Canada. He planted all of it in a large research plot in his garden and allowed it to cross-pollinate for 5 years., which produced a genetically-diverse population with a large range of cobs with multicoloured seeds. After every harvest he selected out the earliest ripening plants with the healthiest and most productive ears.
In 2017 John harvested about a ton of corn – by hand! Half of this was dry, but the other half was still damp and began to germinate (malt) on the barn floor as it was being cleaned. What at first appeared to be a disaster was actually an opportunity. John comments: “I flaked and crushed all of this maize and sent it to the distillery in a panic… and the team immediately put it in the distilling vat.”
The grain ratio the team used contained 51% corn (a mixture of ‘sweet’ and ‘flint’ corn seeds), half of which had germinated (malted) along with 34% rye, 10% wheat and 5% malted barley. Lactic maceration was undertaken prior to mash, and the corn was fermented dry as a paste after milling and before mixing with water and the other grains for three days boosting creamy characters and textures.
Having been fully matured in New American oak for three and a half years, the highly active wood has gifted the creamy spirit sweet vanilla, allspice and cinnamon notes.
Francisco comments: “The second most abundant grain used is rye which is quite noticeable through its spicy character, but the corn is oily and its charm comes through with butter and biscuity notes that elevate the spirit. The whisky is full of the distillery’s characteristic floral and herbal tones coupled with shortbread and unroasted nuts, while banana and ginger cake flavours interplay with the whisky’s smooth velvety mouthfeel, finishing with spicy and green grass vibes.”
Heritage Corn Whisky is a first from a British distillery. It has been bottled at 50.4 % ABV, and the batch consists of 830 bottles, priced at £95 for 50cl and will be available exclusively from the distillery’s website.
www.theoxfordartisandistillery.com
