Australia Archives - Page 3 of 4

Whisky #264 – Great Southern Distillery – Limeburners Barrel M138 Single Malt

October 18, 2014 by Whisky a Day 1 Comment

Great Southern Distillery – Limeburners Barrel M138 Single Malt (bottle 019 / 219). Albany, Western Australia, Australia. ABV: 61%. Tasted at the Great Southern Distillery cellar door, $10 (15mL tasting).

Colour: Bright honey gold.

Nose: Charred oak and molasses. Cigar box hints too.

Palate: Wow – intense warmth and spice. Cloves with a touch of rich syrupy sweetness, almost like a caramelised balsamic. Alcohol kick, oily mouthfeel.

Finish: Long and warm. Hints of candied dried fruits, but the warmth and spice dominates.

Comments: Perfect on a cold rainy day. Even better on a cold rainy day at the Limeburners cellar door in Albany!

Whisky with a smile from the gorgeous Sarah at the Limeburners cellar door

Whisky a Day research is a tough job, but someone has to do it…

Whisky #247 – The Lark Distillery Port Cask Finish (Bottled 2013)

September 23, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

The Lark Distillery Port Cask Finish (Bottled 2013). Tasmania, Australia. ABV: 46.0%. Tasted at home, $45 (100mL bottle).

Colour: Quite an orangey bronze.

Nose: Initially it was a little harsh, but after a short while in the glass the nose softens revealing muscatels and charred oak.

Palate: Rich and full flavoured; toffee sweetness balanced with slightly tart fruity flavours. Tastes a little stronger than 46% ABV.

Finish: Quite dry; cocoa and cigar box flavours. Gentle warmth fades in a medium to long finish.

Comments: Another great offering from The Lark. To be honest, when I took my first sip I was a little disappointed as I thought it was a bit raw and harsher than the other Lark Port Cask Finish (also bottled in 2013) I recently tried. But in the name of science, I pressed on and continued the tasting – I’m very glad that I did as it developed into a great drop. I still rate the Lark Sherry Cask Finish as my favourite Lark expression that I’ve tried so far this year, but the Port Cask offerings are not too far behind.

Whisky #242 – Great Southern Distillery – Limeburners Barrel M87 Single Malt

September 19, 2014 by Whisky a Day 2 Comments

Great Southern Distillery – Limeburners Barrel M87 Single Malt (bottle 220 / 348). Albany, Western Australia, Australia. ABV: 43%. Tasted at home, $0 (won a sample in one of Dram Full Perth’s “Guess That Dram” competitions).

Colour: Deep amber.

Nose: Molasses, charcoal and faint hints of cigar box. A slight prickle from the alcohol.

Palate: Smooth, oily mouthfeel, quite thin on the palate. Toffee and tobacco notes dominate.

Finish: Surprising hint of peat in the fade.

Comments: Another great Limeburners offering. I’m really excited to be heading down to Albany next weekend to visit the guys at Great Southern Distillery and hopefully try a few more Limeburners expressions that I haven’t had before. They really are producing some top stuff down there.

When most people think of Australian whisky they understandably think of Tasmania and some of the fantastic malts being produced out of the Apple Isle. But if you’re looking to round out your Aussie whisky experience, cast your attention to Western Australia and have a crack at some Limeburners, they really are on the up in my opinion. It’s a different style to the Tasmanian malts, but it definitely works.

Whisky #231: Hellyers Road Distillery Original Pinot Noir Finish Single Malt

September 14, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Hellyers Road Distillery Original Pinot Noir Finish Single Malt. Tasmania, Australia. ABV: 46.20%. Tasted at Luxe Bar, $15.

Colour: Nightclub-influenced amber.

Nose: Quite light, some hay-like notes.

Palate: Grassy lemon sherbet.

Finish: Tobacco and straw notes, medium length, quite a dry mouthfeel.

Comments: I’d rate this one a little better than their other expressions I tasted in a Hellyers Road Tasting Flight recently. Though in my humble opinion, I have to say Hellyers Road is not quite in the same league when compared to the other Tasmanian distilleries like Lark and The Nant. Not bad though.

Whisky #220 – Great Southern Distillery – Limeburners Barrel M37 Single Malt

September 6, 2014 by Whisky a Day 2 Comments

Great Southern Distillery – Limeburners Barrel M37 Single Malt. Albany, Western Australia, Australia. ABV: 61%. Tasted at my mate Joel’s place, $0 (Joel’s shout – well it was part of a whisky tasting swap).

Colour: Deep copper.

Nose: Bit of an alcohol prickle, suggests quite a hit to come. Sultana aromas too.

Palate: Candied dried fruit, overshadowed by the big alcohol heat.

Finish: Again the heat dominates, slowly filling your chest as it makes its way down. Long finish, a few meaty flavours in the fade.

Comments: A whisky to put hairs on your chest, bottled at a barrel strength of 61%. Not as refined as the other Limeburners I’ve tried so far (see the M104, M100, M67, M174).

Whisky #213 – Whipper Snapper Crazy Uncle Moonshine

August 27, 2014 by Whisky a Day 2 Comments

Whipper Snapper Crazy Uncle Moonshine. Perth, Western Australia, Australia. ABV: 40.0%. Tasted at the Whipper Snapper Distillery in East Perth, $4.

Colour: Vodka clear. Almost like moonshine strangely enough…

Nose: Cachaça and citrus notes; quite fragrant. Certainly has a bit of a kick of alcohol up the nostrils.

Palate: Much lighter than I was expecting after having sniffed it. Peppery lemon; very crisp.

Finish: Dry mouthfeel, short finish.

Comments: I was very keen to try Crazy Uncle after being privileged to have tried Whipper Snapper’s Prototype Whiskey back in April, which was fantastic. As a moonshine, Crazy Uncle is essentially the Whipper Snapper new make spirit (using an 80/10/10 mix of corn, wheat and barley) which has been diluted down to 40%.

Personally, to be honest I’m not a huge fan of the moonshine, though I do admire them for going after a unique market segment (at least here in Australia). Lots of other distillers produce gin, vodka or other spirits in their early years to get some sales ticking over while their whisky is ageing – I think it’s fantastic that the Whipper Snapper guys are staying true to their aim of producing a unique and high quality whiskey. I can’t wait to try it when it’s eventually released, in the meantime I’m looking forward to going on a tour of their East Perth distillery this weekend.

Whiskies #208-210 – Hellyers Road Tasting Flight: Original, Slightly Peated & Peated Single Malt Whiskies

August 26, 2014 by Whisky a Day 1 Comment

Hellyers Road Tasting Flight – Original, Slightly Peated & Peated Single Malt Whiskies. Tasmania, Australia. ABV: 46.20%. Tasted at home, $99 (3 x 250mL bottles).

Three expressions from Tasmania’s Hellyers Road…what a great excuse to have a tasting flight to compare the three of them side by side.

Colour: They’re all pretty much identical – golden straw yellow.

Nose: Original: earthy aromas, think freshly snapped branches if a tree when you’re walking through a forest. Slightly Peated: Peated: like a smokey campfire.

Palate: Original: quite fruity pineapple, lemons, a hint of sweetness but not too much. Slightly Peated: banana, hay-like scents. Lots of hazelnut and chocolate. Peated: herbaceous, salty, smokey…like smoking something you…ahem…really shouldn’t be.

Finish: Original: tingly oily mouthfeel. Sweet straw notes. Slightly Peated: drier mouthfeel than the Original, nutty chocolate in the fade. Peated: Somewhat sweet peaty tingle at the front of the mouth, not a massive mouthful of smoke though. It really does leave the taste in your mouth like you’ve just smoked a joint. Well at least that’s how a friend of mine once described it to me…

Comments: The Slightly Peated is probably the pick for me. I found the Original was way too fruity for my tastes, whereas the Peated expression is great but I couldn’t quite get past the pot flavour. Overall, the Hellyers Road expressions here weren’t as complex or as enjoyable as other Tasmanian whiskies I’ve tried so far. Not bad, but not brilliant.

Whisky #186 – Great Southern Distillery – Limeburners Barrel M174 Single Malt

July 30, 2014 by Whisky a Day 1 Comment

Great Southern Distillery – Limeburners Barrel M174 Single Malt (bottle 263 / 340). Albany, Western Australia, Australia. ABV: 43%. Tasted at the Perth Good Food & Wine Show, $5 (sample).

Now we move onto the Limeburners M174. The codeword is “whisky”.

Rachel, who concedes she is not too experienced with drinking whisky, comments that she really likes it. For her it initially burns a little, but then it becomes very smooth. Joel as a more seasoned whisky campaigner also finds it very smooth, though for him there is not much heat. Is “malty” the word I’m looking for, he asks? Our other friend Jo is speechless, which is highly unusual for her. “I have nothing to say at all – I can’t handle it.” Jo is clearly not a regular whisky drinker, but for a girl from Geraldton, it’s unsurprising that her tastes are a little unrefined. 🙂

Palate: For me, I agree with Joel’s comments above. It’s malty, full-flavoured and very smooth. On the palate it’s kind of like hot buttered crumpets slathered in golden syrup, with just a hint of some mixed spices too. Not Old Spice as the girls suggested.

Finish: The warmth tends to slowly build as the golden syrup-like aftertastes slowly dissipate, particularly toward the back of the palate towards the roof of your mouth.

Comments: Overall I really like this one. If this were a SMWS bottling, I would christen this one “Crumpets with lashings of golden syrup”. Upon hearing this, Brett remarks “God you’re full of shit.” Finally something the whole group agrees upon!

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all of the Limeburners whiskies I’ve tasted so far this year (see the M104, M100, M67) – there simply hasn’t been a bad one. They’ve all been outstanding in their own way, each with their own characteristics. I’m very keen to head down to the Great Southern Distillery cellar door in Albany over the coming months and sampling some more. I stand by my comments about the Tiger Snake Sour Mash Whiskey, in my opinion it’s not a patch upon the Limeburners whiskies – although I recognise they are totally different beasts. Before I moved to Perth I hadn’t heard of Limeburners over in the eastern states, so if you get a chance I recommend tracking some down, the guys down there are doing some amazing stuff.

Whisky #185 – Great Southern Distillery – Tiger Snake Whiskey (Batch 4)

July 29, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Great Southern Distillery – Tiger Snake Whiskey (Batch 4). Albany, Western Australia, Australia. ABV: 43.0%. Tasted at the Perth Good Food & Wine Show, $5 (sample).

As Australia’s very first sour mash whiskey, I was very keen to taste the latest offering from Great Southern Distillery given how much I’ve enjoyed the Limeburners whisky releases I’ve tasted so far this year. So I dragged a few of my friends as willing participants to join me for a group tasting.

An Australian sour mash? Yes, made with a mix of corn, rye and barley grown right here in Western Australia.

Whisky a Day: So Rachel, tell us your thoughts on the Tiger Snake?

Rachel: I think it’s very smooth, smoother than Don Draper. Very smooth.

Brett: In fact Todd I’ve forgotten what it tastes like already, could you get me another one please?

Whisky a Day: Bloody cheapskate, tight-arse. Ok then.

Brett: I could murder another one right now.

Rachel: It’s a lot smoother than Raspberry’s belly (Raspberry is Brett’s nickname that he accidentally revealed to us recently).

Whisky a Day: So maybe Raspberry hasn’t waxed recently [lifts up Raspberry’s shirt] – oh nope, he definitely hasn’t!

Brett (aka Raspberry) and Whisky a Day tasting the Tiger Snake

So onto the tasting…

Nose: I’m getting some corn aromas. Brett’s also getting some bullshit aromas potentially from the rubbish we’re all coming out with at the moment.

Palate: It’s quite dry on the palate. Brett: I’d love another one. Rachel: Are you hinting for me to buy you another one?? Brett: No no… Joel: You might need to choose your friends a bit more carefully!

Finish: Medium to short finish. Brett would still love another one. Doesn’t have the residual sweetness that I was expecting.

Comments: Look it’s quite ok, though I don’t know if I’d rush out and get another one…I think that Great Southern are much better at their Limeburners whisky than they are at this sour mash whiskey which is more of a bourbon, spelled with an “-ey”. They sure know how to spell, I’ll give them that! To be fair, this is my first (quite small) tasting so I’d like to give them another crack sometime and get to know the Tiger Snake a little better. I’m sure Brett will be keen to have another with me!

Whisky #182 – The Lark Distillery Port Cask Finish (Bottled 2013)

July 26, 2014 by Whisky a Day 1 Comment

The Lark Distillery Port Cask Finish (Bottled 2013). Tasmania, Australia. ABV: 43%. Tasted at Yallingup White Tail’s Rest holiday home, $40 (100mL bottle).

Colour: Bright toffee.

Nose: Not as sweet as the sherry matured Lark we just tried. Vanilla, cocoa & faint tobacco.

Palate: Toasted dried fruit flavours. A lot softer than the sherry matured Lark.

Finish: Soft pepper, soft sweet notes too. Medium length, a little drier than the sherry dram.

Comments: It’s ok, in fact it’s quite decent. But after the sherry dram raised expectations very high it makes it a little hard to live up to those.

Whisky #181 – The Lark Distillery Sherry Cask Finish (Bottled 2013)

July 25, 2014 by Whisky a Day 1 Comment

Lark Distillery Sherry Cask Finish (Bottled 2013). Tasmania, Australia. ABV: 58%. Tasted at Yallingup White Tail’s Rest holiday home, $47 (100mL bottle).

Colour: Deep golden syrup.

Nose: Creamy toffee; sticky date pudding. Smells like a honey badger.

Palate: Toasted sweet vanilla flavours. Big warmth, but not overpowering. Very smooth for a dram at 58%.

Finish: Creamy oily mouthfeel. Flavours, spice and heat balanced nicely. Warmth fills the mouth and builds as the flavours very gradually (and unfortunately) begin to subside.

Comments: Wow. Stunning. I could drink this all night, a shame I’ve only got such a small bottle.

Whiskies 179 & 180 – The Grove American Style Spirit & Distiller’s Cut

July 24, 2014 by Whisky a Day 1 Comment

The Grove American Style Spirit. Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia. ABV: 40.0%. Tasted at The Grove cellar door, $10.

Colour: Bright gold.

Nose: Like opening a bag of corn chips.

Palate: Corn; herby notes.

Finish: Sweet honey & herb aftertaste. Very gentle warmth, shortish finish, quite dry.

Comments: Meh, nothing special about this one I’m afraid.

The Grove American Style Spirit “Distiller’s Cut”. Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia. ABV: 55.0%. Tasted at The Grove cellar door, $10.

Colour: Lustrous copper.

Nose: Chocolate liqueur.

Palate: Nowhere near the amount of corn flavours of the 40% bottling. Muscatelles, orange peel and spices.

Finish: The warmth & flavours build.

Comments: A much better offering than the 40% release, lots more depth of flavour and interesting flavours to be honest. Still not the most polished drop, but not too bad.

Whisky #178 – The Lark Distillery Port Cask finish (Barrel #226)

July 24, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Lark Port Cask finish (Barrel #226). Tasmania, Australia. ABV: 58%. Tasted at Yallingup White Tail’s Rest holiday home, $0 courtesy of my mate Joel.

Colour: Glorious gold.

Nose: At 58%, I expected it might be a lot more confronting up the nose; it’s actually quite subtle. There were some unusual savoury kind of notes, a little salty…it sounds really strange, but it actually reminds me a little of the flavour sachets from Maggi 2 minute chicken noodles. Comfort food from my childhood.

Palate: Thankfully it has a lot more flavour depth and complexity than 2 minute noodles. Salty, but some vanilla notes and a touch of sweetness too. Meaty. Oily mouthfeel, but not too slippery.

Finish: Loooooong. Minty meaty tingle lingers.

Comments: I enjoyed this one because it is unusual and had many twists and turns along the way. I probably enjoyed the palate more than the other components. Not the finest example of Lark that I’ve tried, but it certainly adds to the fabric of their offerings.

Whisky #175 – Sullivans Cove Single Cask French Oak Single Malt, Barrel HH0401

July 22, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Sullivans Cove Single Cask French Oak Single Malt, Barrel HH0401. Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. ABV: 47.50%. Tasted at Helvetica, $26.

I wouldn’t normally review two separate barrels from the same whisky, but as the Sullivans Cove Single Cask French Oak recently won best single malt in the world at the prestigious World Whisky Awards in London, albeit from a different barrel to this release (the winning barrel was HH0525). I thought it might be interesting to compare the two.

Colour: Light copper.

Nose: Like walking into an old spice shop. Not a shop that sells Old Spice, but an old shop with loads of dried spices for sale. Cardamom, cloves, maybe even some dried garlic. A rich and complex nose. I’m not getting the rye scents that I got from the other Sullivans Cove French Oak Single Malt I tried, which was from barrel HH0533.

Palate: Definitely a very similar palate to the other French Oak barrel HH0533. No fennel this time, but some oaky vanilla, pepper and mixed spices abound.

Finish: The rich, long finish of chewy dried fruit has the good grace to hang around for a while so you can really savour the flavour. Gentle warmth tingles the front half of the palate as with the HH0533.

Comments: Hard to directly compare the two barrels having tasted them quite a few weeks apart.

This one is certainly a fantastic drop, but I’d still stand by my last assessment that while it is a great whisky, I’m not sure I’d rate it as the world’s best. In saying that, I’d like to have a couple of bottles in my collection – one to enjoy and one as an investment.

Whisky #172 – New World Whisky Distillery, Starward Single Malt Whisky

July 22, 2014 by Whisky a Day 1 Comment

New World Whisky Distillery, Starward Single Malt. Essendon, Victoria, Australia. ABV: 43.00%. Tasted at home, $72 (bottle).

Colour: Deep amber, like an amber ale. It looks a little like a sherry-matured whisky (even though it’s not).

Nose: Toffee; almost some very subtle stewed meat aromas too.

Palate: A big dose of mixed spice, pepper and tingle at the front of the mouth announces the entrance of a very complex and enjoyable dram. Syrupy dried fruit flavours abound too.

Finish: Some sweet meaty flavours to conclude, plenty of oak and residual heat too. Long delicious fade.

Comments: Who would have thought a whisky produced in suburban Melbourne, Australia, could be so complex and stunning? It’s the best concoction to come out of Essendon since the Bombers started dabbling in peptides! Amazing value, love to support our Australian producers too – do yourself a favour and grab a bottle. You won’t be disappointed, in fact you’ll be very pleasantly surprised!

Whisky #154 – Old Hobart Distillery Overeem Port Cask Matured Single Malt

July 15, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Old Hobart Distillery Overeem Port Cask Matured Single Malt (cask number OHD-068). Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. ABV: 43.00%. Tasted at Helvetica, $19.

Colour: Pale rosey amber-copper.

Nose: A gorgeous nose. Dried muscatels, sultanas, other dried fruits. Sweet, woody, some chocolate and golden syrup notes. A hint of smoke.

Palate: Is that some thyme or fennel? No, that’s just the taste of the breadstick I stupidly just took a bite of without thinking. After cleansing the palate, I’m getting some mixed spices, sultanas and buttery almonds.

Finish: A bit of a peppery, salty-sweet (think salted caramel but not quite as sweet), oaky notes to fade. Medium-long finish for the flavours, medium warmth but it lingers long (primarily at the front part of the palate) after the flavours subside.

Comments: I loving the flavour complexity of the Tasmanian whiskies I’ve tasted, they really are quite special. All the more remarkable that Overeem is produced in a suburban garage of the Overeem family. I thought the wonderful nose was let down a bit by the palate. My mate Brett thought it was overrated – Overeem, overrated – overall, I think we’re over it!