In addition to their core range whiskies and some special annual releases like the Yorkshire Day edition, Filey Bay (produced by the Spirit of Yorkshire distillery) releases a limited number of single cask expressions. Here's one: an Oloroso sherry single cask, fully matured for a bit more than 4 years.
We know this is natural color, and what a color it is - that dark liquid is pointing toward a relatively intense cask influence considering the modest age statement. This was distilled in February of 2018, just 2 years after the distillery was established; bottling took place in August of 2022, and it was left at its natural cask strength of 59.2% ABV.
Filey Bay 4 Year Oloroso Single Cask
England - Single Malt
Price: USD 100 (2025)
Age Statement: 4 Years
Strength: 59.2% ABV
Cask Makeup: Oloroso sherry hogshead
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; distilled February 2018; bottled August 2022; cask no. 904; 306 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 2 years; bottles at 30%, 90%, and 40% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Strong, sweet sherry - very sweet, in fact, with red fruits like cranberry, strawberry, red grape, and figs. Darker fruits continue with raisin and prune; very juicy and nicely rounded, though cask dominated. Time brings a subtle nutty spice and some more sweetness from honey and butterscotch.
Palate: Medium-thick and a bit hot from the strength; then, it's all juicy red fruit again. Strawberries, fresh cranberry, raspberry, too - pear adds a lighter orchard sweetness. Caramel and nutmeg combine in the background to add baking flavors, and we get a nutty oak spice again; at the end, a hint of plum.
Finish: Soft spice from the end of the palate: cardamom, cinnamon. Red fruits are still dominant, strawberry in particular, but a nice tropical note develops at the end: candied mango, nectarine. It's a medium length finish, and in the aftertaste we get fig and rhubarb.
Final Note: A true sherry bomb at just 4 years of age - this is quite sweet and juicy, full of those red and purple fruit flavors. It's a bit more challenging to pick out the distillate in this whisky, though other experiences with Filey Bay point toward a light, fruity spirit, so the effect may be compounded here. Nice nutty spice on the back end, too - a fun whisky, if a bit straightforward.
Value here is okay - this single cask was available to us at $100, which feels a little bit steep for the age, but it is sherry matured and cask strength. Not the worst price for a real flavor bomb, though we're curious how the complexity and nuance of their spirit will change as they get older stocks.
Our Average Rating: 6.7 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 5.75
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
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