Resfeber — a Swedish word describing the restless heart and anxious anticipation of a traveller about to depart — is the perfect name for this Whiskymaker's Editions release from the Lakes Distillery. Under the stewardship of whiskymaker Dhavall Gandhi, the Editions series draws from a palette of sherry casks carefully re-racked and married over time, a process Gandhi calls Elevage after the French winemaking tradition.
Bottled at 52% without chill filtration, Resfeber announces itself with a deep ruby-mahogany glow. The nose is pitched toward red and black fruits — cherry compote, damson, plum jam — underpinned by toasted hazelnut and a creamy milk chocolate sweetness. There is warmth here, the sort of aroma that evokes fireside hospitality after a long day on the fells.
The palate delivers on the nose's promise. Think black forest gateau, stewed blackberries, and clove-dusted orange peel, all carried on a silken, oily texture that belies the whisky's youth. A trace of coffee liqueur and old leather gives it gravitas, while the sherry influence never tips into stickiness.
The finish is long, warming, and quietly introspective — the palate left dreaming of far-off places as the name suggests. The Lakes Distillery has, in a remarkably short time, positioned itself as one of the most compelling new voices in English whisky, and Resfeber is a vivid piece of evidence for the case.
