Continuing the haul of the 2025 Grand Tour we have our first of two Yorkshire based whisky makers, Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery! Today we’ll take a look at their Filey Bay IPA Finish release (Batch #2 if you’re curious) and see how it stacks up!
Bottled at 46% ABV, this bottle is one that, on the surface, I wouldn’t be interested in. I’m not a big fan of ale, or beer in general, so an IPA cask didn’t really take my fancy. It wasn’t until I got to try a sample at the distillery that I realised there was much more than just meets the eye. But how much more? Let’s take a deep dive!
The nosing is quite delicate, but sweet, with rich clotted cream marred by crumbled up caramel biscuits and topped up by slices of crisp pear. The front is simple, but lays the foundation for the rest of the flavour palate; notes of spicy peppers are most prominent with some complimentary IPA hops, along with an undertone of menthol to add a small cooling factor. The main body continues that hot chilli space, but changes up the other notes with a rich dessert of whipped cream and banana. The finish has a fruitier tone, with mainly a medley of tropical fruits, but it’s complimented by undercurrents of hops and very mild oak.
I noticed this dram’s mouthfeel is really warm, almost too warm in fact, however it just walks the line of being too intense and ends up being a really rewarding sensation. When diluted the hops present in the palate become much more prominent, as well as overall sweeter, however as the fruity notes also subside alongside this change the palate feels somehow more bitter in the end.
I’d say this is best drank neat. No ice, not even chilled; at room temperature and straight is when I think this dram is at it’s best. What’s unfortunate is that any dilution I feel has the effect of closing up the palate rather than opening it up like usual. It’s a bit disappointing.
Overall this is a nice whisky, but there is certainly room for improvement. Although intense on first impression (as many good whiskies are), the more you get used to the palate and you expect more flavour to come out it just… doesn’t. This isn’t inherently a bad thing, as it works well for a casual sipping whisky or a beginner dram, but it does hurt the spirit’s overall potential, I feel. A nice enough drink, but I look forward to seeing if Spirit of Yorkshire takes this great starting point and evolves it into something more complex.
This review’s recommended song is: “MANTRA” – Bring Me the Horizon
