Rhythm and Booze Records's Latest WhiskyTranslates a Musician's Sound Into Blended Scotch

Independent record label and spirits bottler Rhythm and Booze Records has put out its fourth bottle. The idea of the project is unique: each release pairs a bottling with exclusive music from a featured artist, accessible via a QR code on the back label. The music doesn't appear on any streaming platform. You buy the bottle, you get the songs.

This latest release is a blended Scotch whisky made in collaboration with Cask Le Sens, a Hong Kong-based independent bottler and cask consultancy, and features original songs by Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter Nicole Cassandra Smit.

Previous Rhythm and Booze releases worked by finding a spirit that was already ready to bottle, then matching it with an artist whose music felt like a good fit. This time, the process was flipped: the Scotch whisky was blended from scratch to reflect Nicole's music, with the songs coming first and the liquid following.

"This is the first time we've created a whisky that was directly inspired by the music rather than the other way around. Nicole's sound shaped the decisions made at the blending table."
– Felipe Schrieberg, co-founder of Rhythm and Booze Records and award-winning whisky writer

The blending was done by Winnie Ng, co-founder of Cask Le Sens. At the centre of the blend is a significant portion of 35-year-old Invergordon grain whisky, a Highland grain distillery whose older expressions tend towards creamy weight. That's supported by malts from Speyside and the Highlands, which provide structure and fruity character. Ng describes the project as one she had been wanting to do for some time: "curating a whisky that truly connects with music, to build a blend from scratch that fits the vibe and voice of a specific artist without any shortcuts and no pre-blended whisky in the recipe."

The finish whisky is described to be a reflection of Nicole's sound: initially sweet and easygoing, with more complexity emerging over time.

Nicole Cassandra Smit brings a varied background to the collaboration. Born in Jakarta, Indonesia and raised in Stockholm, Sweden, she settled in Edinburgh and built a following on the Scottish live scene through performances at the Edinburgh Fringe and Jazz & Blues Festival, fronting acts including Nicole & The Back-Up Crew and lo-fi trio Smitten. Her 2022 debut solo album Third in Line moves between soul, blues and experimental electronica.

For this release, Nicole revisits her lo-fi roots with songs celebrating her heritage and family.

As with all Rhythm and Booze releases, the bottle's front label features the artist, while the QR code on the back links to a private page for streaming or downloading the music – exclusive to the bottle and not available on any streaming platform.

Rhythm and Booze Records #4: Nicole Cassandra Smit – Blended Scotch Whisky is bottled at 50% ABV with an outturn of 300 bottles. It is priced at £65.00 and is available through Ruiseart Spirits.

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team