Over the Mountains to Spain – The Road to Jerez, Part V

At the close of this summer, Hawkridge’s Phil and James embarked from Portsmouth alongside Cripps & Co’s Harry Henriques, Fred Hicks, and Alex D’Elia on a journey to discover the casks that will shape Hawkridge’s and Cripps’ future spirits—tracing each barrel back to the very place its story begins. Their travels led them through sunlit vineyards, historic cellars, and working cooperages across France and into southern Spain, where they met the craftsmen behind the craft and hand-selected the wine and sherry barrels destined to nurture their spirits in the years to come.

Leaving Bordeaux behind, we set our sights on Spain. The roads grew longer, the air warmer, and the scenery changed from the soft greens of France to the rugged, sun-baked tones of the Basque Country. The drive itself became part of the experience, hours of winding mountain passes and open stretches that reminded us why we’d chosen sports cars for this journey in the first place.

We paused for a day in San Sebastián, a city that understands flavour in a way few others do. There, amid pintxos bars and ocean air, we talked again about our mission – the search for casks that could lend their character to whisky, just as the local wines and sherries carried the spirit of their regions.

From there, we travelled south through Cáceres, its old town glowing in the evening light. Spain has a rhythm all its own .. slower, more deliberate. It suited the nature of our trip: patient, curious, always looking for detail.

As the miles passed, we reflected on how each stop along the way had deepened our appreciation for the craft behind the materials we use. From the cooperages of France to the bodegas of Spain, the link between wood and time was becoming ever clearer.

By the time we crossed into Andalusia, the anticipation was unmistakable. Ahead lay Jerez – the home of sherry, the heart of oak, and the final chapter of our journey.