London-based whiskymakers, Bimber Distillery and Compass Box, announced the debut of ‘Duality,’ a pair of uniquely crafted blended malt whiskies. The unveiling is set for Tuesday, 4th July and will be available directly from each producer’s websites.
These parallel releases, created collaboratively by Matt McKay of Bimber and James Saxon of Compass Box, represent an exploration into the contrasts and symmetries of sherry-matured whiskies and heavily peated malts. Each expression has been composed of components sourced from both England and Scotland, showcasing a juxtaposition of youth and maturity, texture and intensity to form a harmonious final product.
The whiskymakers employed an array of component whiskies from Bimber’s burgeoning warehouse and Compass Box’s extensive Scotch archive to bring their shared vision to life. Both releases not only offer balance and symmetry within their respective bottles, but also present a distinct duet created from a shared initial vision.
The Bimber Duality expression blends textural, vibrantly fruity Bimber whisky drawn from a peated ex-bourbon cask with an elegant 1st fill sherried malt from Glendullan Distillery. This release, limited to 340 bottles at 54% ABV, retails at £120.
In contrast, the Compass Box Duality unites an intensely smoky whisky from Ardbeg Distillery with rich and textural Pedro Ximénez-matured Bimber whisky. This version, available in 1,050 bottles at 52% ABV, retails at £180.
Speaking about the launch, Matt McKay of Bimber Distillery said, “The Bimber Duality bottling is the first time our London whisky has been utilised in conjunction with malts from different distilleries – we’re incredibly proud of the result and are delighted to have collaborated with Compass Box to produce this duo of Dualities.”
James Saxon of Compass Box echoed the sentiments, stating, “Duality is unlike anything we have made at Compass Box before – the weight and texture the Bimber brings to our heavily-peated Islay malt is truly compelling.”
Both releases highlight the blend of two distilleries’ distinct characters and the experimental spirit of the whiskymakers. The Duality releases are set to make waves in the whisky world, offering a distinctive taste experience that represents the best of English and Scottish whisky production.