Tasting notes·Bimber

Apogee XII 12 Years

The so-called Pure Malt Whisky (euphemism for blend) Apogee XII from the house of Bimber is described as a milestone of the London-based craft distillery founded in 2015. According to their own statements, they are reacting to the increasing demand and are extraordinarily convinced of their product.Bimber's 12-years blend consists of single malts from Speyside and the Highlands and is finished in Bimber's own ex-bourbon casks. If you believe Bimber, it took two years to give this whisky its character through the fine art of blending: "Over two years in development, Apogee stands at the apex of our blending prowess and offers a showcase of our ceaseless dedication to meticulous maturation." We are curious! The Pure Malt comes in an exciting bottle. Made from a haptic, hammered glass, it is meant to mimic the surfaces of Bimber's small copper stills.

The panel

Marcel
69
Sascha
69

Mean 69.0 · spread 0

Value for money 2/5

Distillery
Bimber
Type
Blended Malt Whisky
Country
England
Age
12 years
Strength
46.3% ABV
Character
delicate

Tasting

Nose

A sweet scent of pear and brown sugar comes to us as soon as we pour it into the Glencairn glass. After a short time, nutty and caramel aromas become noticeable and push their way to the fore.

Palate

The oaky start lingers for a long time. Later it slowly gives way to a pleasant apple-cinnamon flavour, which gets a special touch with a slightly spicy mint.

Finish

A slightly fruity-sweet oak accompanies us here for a medium length.

Verdicts

Marcel

The Apogee XII is a quite drinkable whisky with sweet notes of pear and caramel, but the taste is somewhat dominated by the wood – almost like taking a stroll through a hardware store. For the price, we would have hoped for more depth and character; nevertheless, it’s enjoyable and invites you to have another glass.

Sascha

The Apogee XII shows a clear structure but suffers from a dominant wood note that shifts the balance in favor of oak and vanilla. Despite harmonious hints of apple and mint, the blend comes across as somewhat one-dimensional overall and rather expensive compared to the complexity offered.

What it is worth

We do not yet hold bottle-level auction results — that sits behind Whisky Hunter’s authenticated feed. What follows is the market for Bimber as a whole, which sets the weather for this bottling without pricing it.

£10£100£1k2017201920202021202220232024

Latest mean bid £121 across 251 lots · 2024-08

Source

Tasting note and scores by WHISKY:EDITION — tasted by Marcel and Sascha, published 2022-02-25.