sour mash

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Tiger Snake Whiskey (Batch 6). Albany, Western Australia. ABV: 43.0%.

Last Sunday it was another stunning winter’s day sailing out on Sydney Harbour. After being cooped up at home with Covid cabin fever the past few months, it truly is fantastic to get back out on the water racing again. And what better way to celebrate a 3rd place finish than with a cheeky dram!

With Australia gradually emerging from the crisis in pretty good shape so far (touch wood), I thought it was time to take a look at another Aussie drop: Tiger Snake Whiskey.

Colour: A dark dusty sunset.

Nose: Hay-like notes, cigar boxes and freshly sawn timber.

Palate: Vanilla butter and soft spices, cloves and black pepper smothered in honey. Get me some lobster, this would be an amazing drink to accompany some fresh salty lobster tail!

Finish: Creamy flavours and mouthfeel. Black pepper and honey sauce, but very light on the pepper.

Comments: An Australian take on the American sour mash whiskies, Tiger Snake is entirely sourced from corn, rye and malted barley produced in Western Australia.

Tiger Snake Whisky is produced by Great Southern Distilling Company, makers of another fantastic Aussie whisky called Limeburners. Many long time readers would know I’ve been a huge fan of Limeburners over the years, so much so that I’ve represented them at a few whisky shows simply because I’m a big believer in the quality of the whisk(e)y they’re producing.

I’ve had this bottle of Tiger Snake tucked away at the back of the whisky cabinet for a while now, maybe because I’ve focused on their Limeburners offerings and juice from other exciting producers. I’ve probably not given Tiger Snake the credit it probably deserves, but after cracking this bottle open in the last couple of weeks it has swiftly sprung a leak…surely one of the best endorsements at Whisky a Day HQ!

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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!

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!