Heritage malts hold a legendary status among both brewers and distillers, for their ability to impart unique flavours, but more importantly for us, their texture. Texture and mouthfeel are key components of flavour. From heavy and oily, to light and silky, mouthfeel markedly impacts the character of a spirit.
To date, we have used 4 heritage malt varieties.
Chevalier was cultivated in 1820 by English labourer John Andrew when he planted the seeds from a fine ear of barley he found in his shoe. From this humble start, the varietal would go on to dominate the British brewing crop for the next sixty years, sought after for its creamy characteristics. That is until the Malt Tax of 1880 was introduced and brewers started to substitute Chevalier with cheaper grains such as rice and maize.
Maris Otter is often described as the ‘Rolls Royce” of heritage barleys, and holds a legendary status among brewers and distillers, for its cereal qualities and smooth texture.
Golden Promise is a classic British Spring barley that made its name as the varietal favoured by Scottish single malt distillers during the late 1960s. Golden Promise was renowned for its rich flavour. However, it fell out of favour with distillers as its spirit yield could not compete with the East German varieties that eventually replaced it. It produces a uniquely oily texture.
Plumage Archer found providence in the 20th Century when it sat side by side with Chevalier. It was the first commercially cross-bred barley, used to impart a smooth and silky texture and mouthfeel.
