It’s official, we’ve come full circle! Last year, Mike had the privilege of visiting Cooper King in the picturesque Yorkshire, and admitted that their spirit was the spirit he was looking forward to trying the most this year. Not long ago, I had the pleasure of immersing myself in their ‘Maturing Malt’ collection to gauge the state of their spirit. The moment we’ve been eagerly awaiting is here: Cooper King has given the green light to bottle their spirit, which now bears the coveted title of “whisky.”

As a quick refresher, over a decade ago, Abbie and Chris made the bold decision to leave their jobs behind. They set out on a journey to Australia, seeking inspiration and the invaluable wisdom of Tasmania, steadily becoming widely renowned as the emerging whisky mecca for those aspiring to master the art of whisky-making. Cooper King’s distillery aligns perfectly with their vision. It employs the use of floor-malted heritage malt, meticulously hand-mashed. The process involves extended fermentation (6-7 days), copper pot distillation, and the whisky matures and is bottled on-site. It’s a genuinely authentic spirit, a reflection of the people and landscapes that have woven their stories into this remarkable journey. Tasmania was where their dream took root, but it’s not where their story concludes. As they declared in their press release for their new whisky, this moment “signals the end of one journey, and the dawn of another.”

Indeed, the moment has arrived. Their whisky proudly carries the moniker, “the Expedition Series,” and this marks the debut of their first whisky made available to the public straight from their distillery. What makes this whisky truly remarkable is that it’s the very first in England to be distilled using net zero energy. This remarkable feat is the culmination of six years of unwavering commitment to sustainability, which includes efforts to reduce their carbon footprint. Astonishingly, they’ve achieved this milestone 27 years ahead of the UK Government’s 2050 net zero target. For those seeking more information, their emissions report and verification provide a comprehensive overview of their sustainability initiatives. These include practices like tree planting, carried out both in the UK and abroad, and the implementation of direct air capture techniques. All of these endeavours have played a crucial role in achieving this remarkable and commendable milestone for Cooper King.

The Whisky

In perfect harmony with their commitment to transparency, they have made every aspect of their process open for viewing. Notably, the whisky blend consists of 44% ex-bourbon, 22% refill sherry, 19% ex-red wine, and 15% ex-cognac casks, with a respectable bottling strength of 48.1%. The wood profile was 56% European oak and 44% American oak, which should hopefully bring an interesting flavour profile to the table. I’m especially delighted to learn that a component of the red wine cask was incorporated into the final product. If it’s the same element that featured in the maturing malt pack, its potent and diverse flavour profile is sure to make this whisky truly stand out.

Their whisky is presented in the signature Cooper King bottle, which exudes a stumpy, elegant, and distinctly premium aesthetic. What’s even more gratifying is their decision to offer it in a 70cl size, a feature that’s becoming increasingly rare in the world of artisan distillers due to the escalating production expenses. It’s the little things too: the fancy paper wrapping of the bottle, the barley growing from the barcode and the handwritten batch numbers; it just feels rightfully elegant.

ABV: 48.1%, double distilled.

Price: £85, however now all sold out!

Nose: the nose is fantastic. There’s a real eclectic mix of boiled sweets, specifically raspberry and clementine peel, orange marmalade with a little bit of cinnamon. There’s a refined touch too, lots of Madagascan spiced vanilla and runny honey come through excellently. The spice extends to a very faint hint of spearmint too.

Palate: lovely, spiced vanilla comes through amongst the mix of spice, lots of cinnamon and clove are evident. The sweetness is prevalent still, with lemon wine gums and orange peel making the palate seriously crave more!  The texture and warmth are spot on, there’s a real hint of chili honey amongst a gently evolving heat. Just incredible balance between each element.

Finish: the finish is also superb, there’s a faint hint of aniseed amongst the heat, almost a burnt caramel note too, but the finish takes a while but comes through exceptionally in the end.

Conclusion

Cooper King is evidently doing something truly exceptional, as their inaugural release sold out in less than ten minutes (589 bottles!). This rapid success is quite remarkable for a relatively new distillery offering a young whisky. It underscores the incredible outcomes that can be achieved when your goals and ambitions are perfectly aligned with your core values. Their achievement is nothing short of brilliant, but what is the whisky actually like?

Brilliant. Firstly, I am incredibly surprised that this is a three-year-old whisky, it certainly doesn’t drink like one. Secondly the ABV is spot on too, it just works…effortlessly. It’s the type of nose you could just sit with for hours and pick out a new note every time, it was my best effort to narrow them down to what was most prevalent. Most impressive of course was the palate. The sheer variety of flavours was just fantastic. I noted it in the notes, but it’s worth re-iterating, the palate just yearns for more, such variety and balance between the sweet and the spice. The red wine notes fortunately came through ever so subtly, but very welcoming indeed. The bourbon has had a real evidential influence too, there’s a clear refinement, a sophistication that a bourbon finish brings, not mentioning the smoothness of the vanilla and sweet honey notes. Having worried about the finish, it surprises me. It takes a while to come through but when it does, it’s lovely. A medium to long finish, it packs so much: spice, heat and sweetness. A real testament to their business.

Whilst some may find the price a little steep for a three-year-old whisky, Cooper King proudly donates £5 from each bottle of the First Edition and future whisky releases to the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust. These funds support apprenticeships for young people in rural areas, focusing on preserving vital UK habitats, particularly the carbon-rich Yorkshire peatlands. I’d be a hypocrite to question their pricing policy, given the way which Killowen have also priced in the past. It seems to be about the ‘going rate’ at present.

Cooper King’s dedication to craftsmanship shines through in this release, and it’s evident in the delightful flavours that grace every sense. Every facet of this release exudes a meticulous and thoughtful approach, embodying the essence of what Cooper King represents.

Score: 8.5/10