Whisky from the Ground Up: The Heart Cut Collaborates with Fielden on Release #16

June 2025: What happens when two whisky companies - each pushing the boundaries of what whisky can be - come together? You get something remarkable.

Release #16 from The Heart Cut is the culmination of that shared vision: a single cask, limited to just 1,109 bottles. A 100% rye whisky, finished for over two years in a 600L, 45-year-old ex-Solera system Oloroso sherry cask from a bodega in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, on the coastal edge of Spain’s sherry triangle.

A rare makeup in the Fielden world, this whisky is crafted from 100% English rye - 75% unmalted heritage landrace rye grown in the sandy soils of Oxfordshire, and 25% floor-malted rye from Warminster Maltings. And it was entirely distilled at Fielden’s original site in Oxford, using Nautilus - the legendary still built by Paul Pridham and the team at South Devon Railway Engineering.

The whisky was then finished for 2 years and 4 months in a single, extraordinary sherry cask - sourced through master distiller Chico Rosa’s background in wine. This is true coastal sherry territory, where sea winds lend minerality and salinity to the wine, and that maritime character has beautifully shaped the whisky itself. The result is a rich, luscious dram with exceptional depth and a rare note of minerality.

Fielden is reshaping how we think about whisky - not by focusing on the gleam of copper stills but by putting the field at the centre of the story. Their philosophy is simple yet quietly radical: if you care about what ends up in the glass, you have to start with the grain. That’s why Fielden works with regenerative farmers, planting a mix of grains - including heritage rye, wheat and barley - sown directly into clover. They never use chemicals -o fertisiliers,  no pesticides -  just healthy soil, deep-rooted farming, and grains grown not for yield but for flavour. This is No Chem Regen farming. That approach doesn’t just support better agriculture — it yields whiskies with structure, nuance, and Fielden’s signature warm, flaky pastry character. Fielden’s belief is a simple one:  from fields full of life, comes whisky full of flavour.

"We were speaking to Fielden for over a year, talking about this collaboration, and we kept hearing whispers about this cask," says Georgie Bell, co-founder of The Heart Cut. "At shows, over emails - everyone kept saying, ‘You must try cask 292.’ We finally did, and after just one sip, we said yes. Then we heard its story - and we knew we had to share it with others."

"Working with The Heart Cut felt like a natural fit," adds Chico Rosa, Fielden’s master distiller. "They care as much about grain and flavour as we do - and this cask, with its coastal depth and ties to our history, was always meant for something special."

Notes

You’re wrapped in warmth from the very first nose - salted caramel melts into golden honeycomb and a whisper of honeysuckle. On the palate, that saline-sweet caramel deepens, layered with vanilla ice cream and overripe apricot, before thickening into pecan pie richness. Banana chips bring a crisp, tropical chew; nostalgic notes of warm waffles with maple syrup follow. To finish, a playful fizz of kola cubes is grounded by toasted walnuts and a flicker of smoked Maldon sea salt.

The Heart Cut #16 Fielden is limited to 1,109 bottles, bottled at cask strength (56.5% ABV). Available at theheartcut.com and select retailers, including Master of Malt and Berry Bros. & Rudd.

You’ll also find it behind the bar at DRAM and Soho Whisky Club in London, with more pouring partners to follow.