This whisky represents just the second ever bottling from the Manx Whisky Company, which is located on the Isle of Man. This sits in the Irish Sea between the coasts of England to the east, Scotland to the north and Northern Ireland to the west. Batch Two features just two small three-year-old casks in the final single malt – 70% first-fill ex-bourbon firkin and 30% first-fill ex-Oloroso sherry firkin (a firkin is more commonly used in the beer industry and is around 40 litres in capacity). These were married together for six months prior to bottling.
The Manx Whisky Company was founded in 2019 by Magnus Grinneback and Scott Young with the aim of creating a small whisky distillery on the Isle of Man and making whisky in a very traditional way. All the barley used for production is grown on local farms on the island, including some heritage varieties. All malting is completed at the distillery site, the stills are direct-fired and maturation takes place in a small outbuilding.
The first cask was filled in December 2020 and the inaugural bottling, Batch One, was released in December 2023. This Batch Two was released in November 2024, with Batch Three expected in May 2025. All are very small batch. The Manx Whisky Company Batch Two was bottled at the natural cask strength of 58.7% ABV and is both non-chill filtered and of natural colour. There were just 83 bottles, which sold out in no time. Each 50cl bottle cost £78.
Our Tasting Notes
The colour is deep gold and the nose is robust, sweet and malty. Initial aromas of milk chocolate and toasted cereals rise from the glass and are joined by further aromas of canned peaches, vanilla extract and stewed green apple – this has a distinct tartness to it. Then comes some fresh yeast and earthy peppery spice in the background.
On the palate, this whisky has plenty going on – it feels rich, bold and peppery. Early notes of tart green apple and stewed orchard fruits, especially peach and apricot, evolve to become more tropical with time – think of caramelised pineapple, dried papaya and a hint of lychee. Then comes the distinct malty and earthy quality from the nose. These underpin everything and add complexity, depth and structure to the whisky.
Hints of golden syrup, dark chocolate and prune also develop. A bold peppery spice threatens to dominate and some late drying wood spice comes through. With time, more chocolate and caramel notes develop. The finish is of decent length and is full of warming peppery spices and vibrant green fruit, especially that tart green apple again.
The addition of water softens the whisky nicely and really accentuates the earthy cereal notes. These are almost creamy and biscuit-like in feel. Late hints of cocoa powder and apricot jam elongate the finish further.
What’s The Verdict?
We always love to try new whiskies from new places, and this second ever offering from the Manx Whisky Company is no exception. It is very expressive and the chocolatey and wood spice notes are very nice. The fruitiness is still on younger and greener side, and this shows the whisky’s youthful age. However, there are some lovely tropical fruits developing, which is very encouraging.
This is a very bold and expressive whisky and one with plenty of character, With just 83 bottles out there, it feels like a real treat to even get the chance to taste it. This is whisky made in the hand-crafted traditional way. We are excited and cannot wait to see what is coming next.
