If Colere Edition 1 was an argument for Alba barley, Edition 2 is the same argument made with a different witness. Released in 2021, this follow-up from Westland's Outpost Range features the Fritz variety — another two-row malting barley — again sourced from a single Skagit Valley farm and processed through Skagit Valley Malting, then aged five years in new American oak at 50% ABV.
Side by side with its predecessor, Edition 2 is a noticeably drier, more savoury creature. The nose leans into toasted cereal and malt loaf, with dried apricot and a whisper of clove threading through. There is oak here too, a little more assertive than in Edition 1, giving the whisky a faintly spiced, almost wintry character.
On the palate it is bready up front — think warm crust and toasted walnut — before a honeyed barley sweetness opens beneath, carrying baked apple and a dusting of cinnamon. The mouthfeel is firm, the strength well-judged, and the overall impression is of a whisky that prizes structure over opulence. Where Alba felt orchard-fresh, Fritz feels bakery-warm.
The finish is medium-long and drying, with toasted grain, a nutty undertone and a slight tannic grip that invites another sip. Colere Edition 2 is perhaps less immediately charming than Edition 1, but it makes the terroir case just as clearly: change the barley, change the whisky. For anyone curious about how much influence a single ingredient can exert on a finished spirit, these two bottles are a small masterclass worth tasting together. I would happily pour Edition 2 alongside a wedge of aged cheddar or a slice of walnut cake; its drier profile makes it an unusually versatile companion at the table, and the oak grip gives it the backbone to stand up to stronger flavours.
