This cask strength release from the Cotswolds Distillery comes from our founder Dan's favourite casks: shaved, toasted and recharred American Oak red wine barriques. These uniquely active casks give a rich and intense maturation to the distillery's fruity spirit, offering toffee, oak and red fruits, and a beautiful, deep colour. The barrels were designed by our good friend, Dr Jim Swan, to whose memory we dedicate this special bottling.

The Founders Choice release begins with our new make spirit creamy and incredibly fruity, thanks to the pair of yeasts, 90-hour fermentation and tight heart cut on the spirit still. We dilute to 63.5% ABV for casking, and then fill the American oak STR barriques.

These brilliant casks are designed to get the absolute best from the wood and provide the perfect conditions for maturing whisky. Dr Swans process opens up the wood, allowing for plenty of flavour and colour to be extracted. It also builds the perfect flavours in the oak just enough influence from the original red wine, without overpowering the new make spirit, plenty of coconut and vanilla from the American oak, and deep toffee and caramel notes from the slow toasting and intense charring steps. Its an extremely active maturation and gives a balance, depth of flavour and rich colour normally associated with much older whiskies.

The casks matured for just over three years before Dan selected the nine that would go into this first batch. The casks were then disgorged and bottled at natural cask strength, non-chill filtered and with no added colouring.