Nine Rivers Distillery Shop
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9PAAM – Verdelho Madeira Cask
Casks
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.
Madeira Cask
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.
Toasting
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.
Previous Use
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.
Why Verdehlo Madeira? What about Malvasia?
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.
The Full 9PAAM Experience
- We’re delivering a complete whisky lover’s experience as a VIP Platinum Whatever all-in inclusive price of absolutely everything. For those following along at home, that means supplying your Madeira cask, filling your cask, storing your cask, then maturing and monitoring your whisky while it ages for up to 5 years. This also includes the cost of bottling, closures, labels and shipping to anywhere in mainland China.
- You and up to 3 guests to come to Nine Rivers Distillery and spend half a day with one of our team who will give you a personal tour of the distillery, allowing you to get up close and personal with all aspects of production. From taking in grain, milling, mashing, fermenting and distilling, you’ll have the access that will only be available to the very highest level of VIP guests. Maybe you’ll even meet that moggy.
- Taste some sample expressions so you and your guests can understand the variations in finished whisky that can be created by adjusting mash bills and your choice of cask.
- We fill TWO Madeira casks of your choice. At the end of the maturation of your whisky, you can choose your favourite of the two casks that have matured – or, if you want both, then just pay the same amount again and have two casks of whisky.
- Every year, after each anniversary of the cask being filled, the cask owner is welcome to visit again to sample their cask. Samples can also be sent out by post for those that are unable to visit. The cask will also be measured for volume and ABV (“regauged” as it’s called in the industry) and certified for the cask owner.
- Come back on bottling day and be involved in everything from disgourging, filling your bottles, putting in the stoppers, adding the capsules and sticking on the labels. Or we do it for you if you can’t attend. Either way, shipping the bottles to anywhere in Mainland China is included in your cost.
- You own the cask. You can take it home with you. You can have it shipped (at your cost) anywhere. Or you can donate it to local crafters who will make it into nik naks.
Reservation Deposit Only
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.
Cost Per Bottle
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.
Gimme Gimme Gimme
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.
¥4,000
9PAAM – Fino Sherry Cask
Casks
If a Sherry 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.
Sherry Cask
Let start with explaining what you’re signing up for here. It’s a brand new, never been used before Sherry Cask. The cask is hand made in the USA from American Oak, toasted, not-charred, shipped to Europe and then used to mature sherry for a minimum of 2 years. It’s then shipped to us in China to be filled with our new make whisky.
Toasting
The toasting process is necessary for all casks, including a Sherry 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.
Previous Use
Your Sherry Cask will have been previously used to mature sherry for at least 2 years. While this is not too dissimilar to the process of seasoning, where it differs is the quality of sherry that is used in this process. A sherry seasoned cask will typically use the lowest quality sherry available and after that sherry has been used a few times to season a number of casks, it’s typically thrown away. The sherry from our casks is bottled and sold as Fino Sherry.
Why Fino? What about Olorosso or PX?
Most “sherry cask” whisky will toot its horn about Olorosso, or Pedro Ximenez (PX) being THE types of casks to use. Both types have become synonymous with sherry cask matured whisky and have developed an almost cult-like following. Well, we think they are all wrong. A brave statement to make as a startup distillery but it’s supported by the fact that a significant number of the people both involved in and leading Nine Rivers Distillery come from a background of wine knowledge and wine expertise – right up to WSET Level 4 qualified.
Olorosso and PX casks can 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 (another big tick in another box).
Fino sherry is a very dry sherry. It’s fresh, subtle and carries over crisp and nutty aromas and flavours. It also allows the unique characteristics of the original new make whisky to carry through and be part of that experience. It’s a more challenging whisky to deliver when you can’t hide behind Olorosso or PX casks – but that’s a challenge that we are more than prepared to make. I’m sure we have mentioned, we’re trying to do things differently, but differently to be better, not just for difference’s sake.
If you’re looking for a cliched “sherry bomb” 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.
The Full 9PAAM Experience
- We’re delivering a complete whisky lover’s experience as a VIP Platinum Whatever all-in inclusive price of absolutely everything. For those following along at home, that means supplying your Sherry cask, filling your cask, storing your cask, then maturing and monitoring your whisky while it ages for up to 5 years. This also includes the cost of bottling, closures, labels and shipping to anywhere in mainland China.
- You and up to 3 guests to come to Nine Rivers Distillery and spend half a day with one of our team who will give you a personal tour of the distillery, allowing you to get up close and personal with all aspects of production. From taking in grain, milling, mashing, fermenting and distilling, you’ll have the access that will only be available to the very highest level of VIP guests. Maybe you’ll even meet that moggy.
- Taste some sample expressions so you and your guests can understand the variations in finished whisky that can be created by adjusting mash bills and your choice of cask.
- We fill TWO Sherry casks of your choice. At the end of the maturation of your whisky, you can choose your favourite of the two casks that have matured – or, if you want both, then just pay the same amount again and have two casks of whisky.
- Every year, after each anniversary of the cask being filled, the cask owner is welcome to visit again to sample their cask. Samples can also be sent out by post for those that are unable to visit. The cask will also be measured for volume and ABV (“regauged” as it’s called in the industry) and certified for the cask owner.
- Come back on bottling day and be involved in everything from disgourging, filling your bottles, putting in the stoppers, adding the capsules and sticking on the labels. Or we do it for you if you can’t attend. Either way, shipping the bottles to anywhere in Mainland China is included in your cost.
- You own the cask. You can take it home with you. You can have it shipped (at your cost) anywhere. Or you can donate it to local crafters who will make it into nik naks.
Reservation Deposit Only
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.
Cost Per Bottle
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.
Gimme Gimme Gimme
If you want your very own Sherry cask then scroll back up and click on ADD TO CART. You can then check out and pay.
¥4,000
The Founders’ Casks Expression 1
Single MaltWhisky
The Founders’ Casks Expression 1 is finally here. The first 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.
The Backstory
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
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 1 Madeira
Expression 1 of the Founders’ Casks is initially matured in virgin American oak first fill ex-bourbon casks from the USA. After its initial ageing of almost 5 years the whisky is then finished in carefully hand-picked Madeira wine casks.
Bottled at cask strength (53.4% ABV) and non-chill filtered for purity of flavour, this whisky derives its unique palate from thick and velvety Portuguese wine.
Tasting Notes
We drew samples of this The Founders’ Casks Expression 1 and through a panel of 12 whisky enthusiasts, we created these collective tastings notes.
The nose is fruity, laced with raisins and sultanas on a bed of vanilla and cream fudge. A final hint of citrus peels makes way for a smooth and honey-rich palate, complete with green apples, peaches and a viscous underflow of caramel, cream and malted milk biscuits. The finish is light and quick – a tropical flourish that gives way to dried stone fruits.
Secure Your Bottle
¥488.88
A Brick For Life – In The Plenum Wall
Accessories
SORRY EVERYONE – YOU’RE TOO LATE TO GET IN ON THIS NOW
If you’re not sure what A Brick For Life is, then CLICK HERE and read all about it before you go any further. If you’re already familiar, then here’s a recap on what you’re buying:
- A brick that will be engraved and painted with your choice of letters (in English, Chinese, or both).
- Your brick will be cemented into a wall at our distillery. The wall will be on the stairs that lead up to the observation platform of the malting, milling, mashing and fermentation building.
- You are welcome to come along to our site during a weekend in July 2023 (specific date to be confirmed) and cement in your own brick – or we can do it for you. We’ll send you some high resolution photographs of your brick once it’s laid.
- We’ll feature content about the brick laying ceremony and we’ll add your name to a dedicated website page for everyone that has supported our project by purchasing A Brick for Life.
- As the owner of a brick, you’re entitled to a free dram (50ml measure) every time you visit our site in Da Chi, Longyan, Fujian.
Add the name(s) as you want them printed on your brick to your order notes.
If you’re paying with a bank card, then choose STRIPE as your payment method.
*If you’re not sure what ¥299.99 converts to it’s around US$42.79 /€40.34 / £35.52 – STRIPE will convert from whatever currency you wish to pay in.
¥299.99
9RD Rocks Stars
Accessories
9RD Rocks Stars shouldn’t need any introduction. You’d have to have had your head in the sand to not be aware of what Team Delta Farce have been working on the for last few months. The ultimate statement in whisky glassware.
What Are The 9RD Rocks Stars
A set of 4 unique, hand cut, hand polished whisky glasses. Each of the 4 glasses have one of the Nine Rivers Distillery buildings lasers into the glass, using 3D sub surface laser engraving.
The glasses are presented on a piece of locally cut and polished granite. By local we mean a 10 minute drive down the road from our site.
Team Delta Farce
A bit of kudos to our special ops team of creative ninjas for putting this together, team Delta Farce.
The Weigh In
The 4 whisky glasses and the granite slab, weigh in at a Rocks Stars Heavy Weight Contender mass of 4.4 kilograms.
For those of you thinking that the granite slab is most of that mass, you’re not wrong. Here’s the weight of the 4 glasses without the slab.
A more modest 2.1 kilograms for the 4 glasses, giving an individual glass weight of just over half a kilogram.
Limited Production Run
There will only be 250 sets made of the 9RD Rocks Stars.
Shipping Date
Please note that the 9RD Rocks Stars will be shipping in the third week of September 2022.