The Village Spirits Fair 2026 – Part I
It has been a while since my last spirits fair. This is why I was especially excited to visit the Whisky Village 2026. Compared to my other two visits it felt like there were even more whisky and rum fans attending. While I concentrated on visiting a few friends, we also focused a bit on peated whisky.
First, some English Single Malt
First up, we visited Maik at the Cotswolds booth. My good friend Torben from Trinklaune was a big fan of the Cotswolds Single Malt. We tried the Flaxen Vale, Rum Cask as well as the Peated Cask and all three were powerful, but excellent. English Single Malt still is way too underrated!
Still a big Compass Box fan
I just need to try some Compass Box whisky when I get the chance to. In this case, we tried the Flaming Heart 25th Anniversary which has subtle smoke, and one of the most complex tastes I ever encountered in Scotch. Next, the Peat Monster Cask Strength delivers way more than just a amped up version of the regular bottling. However, I might just have to get a bottle of the former.
Local whisky from the malt makers
Naturally, we also had to stop by at the Weyermann booth. The current regular bottling Roggstar use only malted rye. This way the whisky delivers a rather unusual taste for a rye. You get a lot of fruity and nutty flavours, almost reminding me of a hazelnut eau de vie. Similar to last year, Weyermann also offered a limited Whisky Village release.
Bourbon and the ‘Macallan Killer’
We spent quite a lot of time at Stock Spirits with my friend Marcus Wolf. I already tried the Heaven Hill 7-Year-Old at the pre-fair event two days earlier. So, Marcus poured me the super exclusive Elijah Craig Ryder’s Cup. He did describe it as a ‘Breakfast Whiskey’ and there might actually be some truth to it. Next, the Tamdhu Distinction with its American Oak Sherry Casks was a perfect choice for a follow-up. On top of that, the Cigar Malt delivered a ship-load of European oak flavours.
‘King of the Lowlands’
Last but definitely not least, Marcus was so kind to pour us a tiny bit of Rosebank 31-Year-Old. Even though this legendary single malt takes a more subtle approach, it still managed to show its complexity. In the nose I got dried herbs like rosemary, thyme and oregano. On the palate I found heather, chamomile and vanilla.
It has been way too long
The last time I met David Goelles was at the Finest Spirits 2019. So, I was very happy to see him again. We tried his rum from molasses from Paraguay. They have a beautiful balance between ester notes, spices as well as a hint of sweetness. I really loved the Port Cask Limited Release which will be available soon. David’s whiskies surprised me with their unique character. The Alois I a plum brandy barrel aged rye had a great fruitiness and the two peated bottlings can put some of their Scottish counterparts in their place!
German sugarcane
The folks at Heimat Distillers started to grow their own sugarcane here in Baden Wuerttemberg. Now you can taste the 2025 harvest in their Terra Blanc limited edition. Well, when I say you can taste it, I mean you can pre-order the 2026 harvest. The last vintage already sold out. Nevertheless, the rum tastes like high-quality Rhum Agricole.
*The fact that I received a product reviewed in this article for free, did not – in any way – influence the rating of said product. I received the tickets for the spirits fair for free from Stock Spirits.
