Review #519 - Filey Bay 4 Year Oloroso Single Cask
In addition to their core range whiskies and some special annual releases like the Yorkshire Day edition, Filey Bay (produced by the Spirit of Yorkshire distillery) releases a limited number of single cask expressions. Here's one: an Oloroso sherry single cask, fully matured for a bit more than 4 years.
We know this is natural color, and what a color it is - that dark liquid is pointing toward a relatively intense cask influence considering the modest age statement. This was distilled in February of 2018, just 2 years after the distillery was established; bottling took place in August of 2022, and it was left at its natural cask strength of 59.2% ABV.
Filey Bay 4 Year Oloroso Single Cask
England - Single Malt
Price: USD 100 (2025)
Age Statement: 4 Years
Strength: 59.2% ABV
Cask Makeup: Oloroso sherry hogshead
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; distilled February 2018; bottled August 2022; cask no. 904; 306 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 2 years; bottles at 30%, 90%, and 40% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Strong, sweet sherry - very sweet, in fact, with red fruits like cranberry, strawberry, red grape, and figs. Darker fruits continue with raisin and prune; very juicy and nicely rounded, though cask dominated. Time brings a subtle nutty spice and some more sweetness from honey and butterscotch.
Palate: Medium-thick and a bit hot from the strength; then, it's all juicy red fruit again. Strawberries, fresh cranberry, raspberry, too - pear adds a lighter orchard sweetness. Caramel and nutmeg combine in the background to add baking flavors, and we get a nutty oak spice again; at the end, a hint of plum.
Finish: Soft spice from the end of the palate: cardamom, cinnamon. Red fruits are still dominant, strawberry in particular, but a nice tropical note develops at the end: candied mango, nectarine. It's a medium length finish, and in the aftertaste we get fig and rhubarb.
Final Note: A true sherry bomb at just 4 years of age - this is quite sweet and juicy, full of those red and purple fruit flavors. It's a bit more challenging to pick out the distillate in this whisky, though other experiences with Filey Bay point toward a light, fruity spirit, so the effect may be compounded here. Nice nutty spice on the back end, too - a fun whisky, if a bit straightforward.
Value here is okay - this single cask was available to us at $100, which feels a little bit steep for the age, but it is sherry matured and cask strength. Not the worst price for a real flavor bomb, though we're curious how the complexity and nuance of their spirit will change as they get older stocks.
Our Average Rating: 6.7 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 5.75
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
Check out our other Filey Bay reviews:
