Two whisky makers known for pushing boundaries — The Heart Cut and Fielden — have joined forces for a distinctive collaboration: Release #16, a 100% rye whisky matured in a single, unusually large 600L ex-Solera Oloroso sherry cask from Sanlúcar de Barrameda.
Limited to 1,109 bottles, the whisky was distilled entirely at Fielden’s original Oxford distillery using their custom-built Nautilus still, and is bottled at 56.5% ABV.
What sets this rye apart is its grain makeup:
- 75% unmalted heritage landrace rye grown regeneratively in Oxfordshire’s sandy soils
- 25% floor-malted rye from Warminster Maltings
The whisky spent 2 years and 4 months finishing in a 45-year-old Oloroso sherry cask, sourced through Fielden master distiller Chico Rosa’s wine-world connections. The cask came from the coastal edge of Spain’s Sherry Triangle, where proximity to the sea adds minerality and salinity to the wine — characteristics that have now influenced the whisky itself.
This release embodies Fielden’s approach to grain-first whisky making: no pesticides, no synthetic fertilisers, and an emphasis on flavour over yield. Their regenerative system relies on interplanting grains into living clover, producing what they call No Chem Regen whisky — spirits that begin in biodiverse fields and deliver depth, structure, and nuance in the glass.
Tasting notes:
Nose: Salted caramel, golden honeycomb, honeysuckle
Palate: Vanilla ice cream, overripe apricot, pecan pie, banana chips, waffles with maple syrup
Finish: Toasted walnuts, smoked Maldon sea salt, kola cube fizz
More at: www.theheartcut.com
