By Genevieve Jacot-Guillarmod
Rating: B-
Bain’s is the brand name of the single grain whisky produced at the James Sedgwick Distillery, which is located in Wellington (just outside of Cape Town) in South Africa. Bain’s was first released in 2009, and over the years has gradually expanded its range with some age-statement and limited-edition releases.
Bain’s Symphony is one of these limited-edition releases. This whisky began its life as their standard Bain’s offering (a no-age-statement whisky that’s been aged for approximately five years in new American oak casks), but it has been matured for an additional two years, giving it a 7-year-old age statement.
The whisky itself is actually a little peculiar. It gets its name from the fact that it is also “sonically-matured,” (a gimmick which has appeared in American craft whiskey as well) which means that it was finished for three months in what the distillery calls a “sonic cellar.” Here the music of Tellaman, a South African artist, was played into the barrels. The idea behind this process was that the vibrations of the music would cause the maturing whisky inside to constantly move and interact with the wood. Only 6,000 bottles were produced, and it’s bottled at a very decent 48.6% ABV.
The Whisky
On the nose, Bain’s Symphony offers the familiar grain sweetness of the standard release. There are also plenty of vanilla and toffee notes, as well as some hints baked apples, with a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg. I found that faint coconut notes also made an appearance.
On the palate there’s more vanilla sweetness. More baking spices, and a gentle hint of cocoa. Some faint tropical fruit notes, and ripe bananas. It’s quite soft and creamy in texture, with a warming and gently spiced finish.
My sense is that the flavor profile of the 7 year old Symphony is slightly richer and deeper than that of the standard Bain’s release. Whether this is merely due to the extra maturation time, or whether the “sonic maturation” has actually played a key role here is hard to say. It’s certainly an interesting experiment, but one that would have been more interesting if there was a 7 year old Bain’s which had had no exposure to music while maturing to compare it to!
Price
Bain’s Symphony was recently available for approximately $35. However, as a highly limited release, it now seems to be largely sold out at both South African and international retailers. While it may no longer be easy to source, if the price tag stays reasonable, it’s a playful experiment worth trying if you get the chance.
