Author: whiskyography

The Whisky: Loch Lomond Original (40% abv)

Country Of Origin: Scotland (Highland)

The Location: Warrumbungles National Park, Australia

Volcanos aren’t something Australia is well known for and that’s probably not surprising since the active volcanic activity on our geologically stable continent has been pretty low for several thousand years. But Australia’s landscape is littered with the remains of extinct calderas, craters, cones and dykes. In several places these form impressively rugged, towering features and one of the best known of these is in the Warrumbungles National Park several hours northwest of our home in Sydney.

The Grand High Tops walk is the best way to get a view of many large bluffs, domes and spires in the area and to get up close to features such as the ‘Breadknife’ a crumbling volcanic dyke that runs several hundred meters long, stands around 80 meters high and is barely a few meters thick.

Although a fit walker could do the circuit in a day we chose to complete it as an overnight hike, allowing us the opportunity to explore side trails and to spend a night out in the wilderness.

We started our trek up from Pincham Camp Car Park, winding along the paved tourist path through dense, scrubby forest. Eventually the pavement gives way to a more natural dirt path and the trail hops a few small creeks before the gradient steepens and a long uphill climb commences. As you walk there are glimpses of the tors and bluffs all around, especially Beloughery Spire and Crater Bluff. Gaining elevation improves the views and the scenery starts becoming pretty epic. You fully realise the scale of the spires and bluffs as your circumnavigate them and the occasional rockclimber scaling the sheer cliffs highlights the immensity of some of the rockfaces.    

We took a few minutes to detour to Balor’s hut, favored as a base camp by rockclimbers and then made our way past the Breadknife and up to Finnola Pinnacle

Here we followed the trail along a saddle eventually reaching Dows Camp, a cluster of flat spaces alongside a small creek. It was shady and sheltered and would be our campsite for the night.

I’d brought along with me a miniature bottle of the Loch Lomond Original (LLO). A budget single malt in a plastic mini bottle that I’d been gifted a while ago. I’d worked my way through the fairly unimpressive 12 and 18 year old single malts that made up the trio of this tasting set and after my experience with those I hadn’t been bothered to go further down their range to a NAS single malt. But needing something I could stash in my pack for a chilly night out I grabbed the little bottle of LLO, figuring this would be the best time to get through it.

After pitching our tent we decided we had enough time to scramble up to the top of Bluff Mountain, the highest peak in the national park to get a view of the sunset. I grabbed the bottle of whisky and a glass almost as an afterthought.

After a steep vertical ascent of around 300m in around 30 minutes we were panting but reached the top as the sun started to kiss the horizon. The view is expansive with 360 degree views of the major bluffs and spires. A pair of eagles roamed and soared in the dying light. As the sun set there was just enough time for a few photos. And a whisky.

To say I wasn’t expecting much of this whisky is an understatement. While the 12 and 18 had been ok their orchard fruits seemed subdued with heavy vegetal and damp cardboard notes making for some fairly drab and unimpressive drams. As some of the cheapest whiskies in for their respective age segments it wasn’t a big surprise.

So I raised my glass to my lips, bathed in the golden light of the sunset, not expecting much,  and…… wow! Bursting with juicy ripe fruits this exploded into my mouth in a way I was not expecting. I waited for the prickle of spicy heat that had to be inevitable with a young, budget NSA whisky and while the heat and spice came it was pretty mild and took a back seat to the dominant vibrant fruit – this whisky was turning out better than expected.

It was about then that I realised I should take this tasting seriously.

Nose

Orchard fruits, mild vegetal notes – cooked greens ( a little too much cabbage, though the fruitiness almost totally hides it). Damp oak leaves in autumn. Malty. Cream. There’s oak but it’s old furniture, slightly mouldery with paper in the drawers.

Palate

Quite syrupy mouthfeel (but not a syrupy sweetness). Juicy and abundant orchard fruits. Honey Vegetal (herbs). Custardy, almost brulee. Ever so slightly oily. Some spice, not very well integrated. Light touch of coastal smoke.

Finish

As the finish kicks in I get some sour cardboard (mostly hitting the top of the tongue) with vanilla and fruit trying (mostly unsuccessfully) to cover it up. Vegetal peat is present but subtle. The finish is mostly short although the sourness and some fruitiness carry through and the peat makes it medium dry.

What do I think?

Sensational. Plenty of flaws (youthful heat, bitter spice, a damp cardboard flavor) but the explosion of fruit and the tasty drying peat are the dominant characteristics and these make the experience delightful. For many the fruitiness of the whisky will be too much, it’s like skydiving into an orchard without a parachute, or being hit by a fruit truck, but that’s part of the appeal of this whisky for me. In terms of flavor this really delivers and there’s way more complexity than there ought to be in something this inexpensive. There are some obvious flaws that are mainly balanced or masked by other flavors but the finish is where this lets itself down and for some it’ll probably be what ruins it. For me it keeps it together enough to leave a smile on my face. After my surprisingly great experience with this miniature my next purchase was, predictably, a full sized bottle of LLO and it lasted a matter of weeks (a very short period of time in my cabinet). And I’m already considering another bottle. This was really easy to reach for when I just wanted something I could enjoy without having to over-analyse or delve into nuanced subtlety. I’ve since had a lot of fun mixing with it (this makes a killer Old Fashioned).

What does it remind me of?

Highland Park 10 – fruity and smoky while feeling young – although the LLO has a much better mouthfeel, juicier fruit and I enjoyed it more overall (editors note: much later I tried the LLO against the HP10 and HP12 – the LLO fits between these two, with the HP12 being more balanced and elegant, though for the price I’d go for the LLO over the other two as a fun, daily drinker that can happily mix into cocktails or be thrown onto ice by heathens. At time of writing the LLO is half the price of the HP12). This is also unsurprisingly similar to the Loch Lomond 12 and 18 although weirdly I think the pleasant features of the Original are more pronounced and the flaws (or less pleasant flavors to me) are less apparent – not what you expect when you go to younger, cheaper whiskies!

For what it delivers it’s supremely good value and for new whisky drinkers wanting to expand their selection to include something moderately peated, or for those who want a peated whisky for mixing there’s nothing better on the market for the price.

If Loch Lomond intended to create a super affordable single malt that’s easy to enjoy then I think they’ve succeeded here. I accept that it won’t be a style for everyone, or that the negatives will turn some whisky drinkers off but I think the majority of whisky drinkers will enjoy this and I think it would appeal to a very wide range of drinkers. This is no game changer but it showed me to things: 1) that budget single malts really can be super enjoyable and 2) that even if you don’t like a couple of whiskies in a range that doesn’t mean you won’t like others.

If Loch Lomond intended to create a super affordable single malt that’s easy to enjoy then I think they’ve succeeded here. I accept that it won’t be a style for everyone, or that the negatives will turn some whisky drinkers off but I think the majority of whisky drinkers will enjoy this and I think it would appeal to a very wide range of drinkers. This is no game changer but it showed me to things: 1) that budget single malts really can be super enjoyable and 2) that even if you don’t like a couple of whiskies in a range that doesn’t mean you won’t like others.

This was a surprising and really enjoyable experience to have my preconceptions overturned.

The Whiskies (in order of tasting):

1. Ichiros Malt, Malt and Grain 505 (50.5% abv)

2. Ichiros Malt, Malt and Grain (46% abv)

3. Wardhead 1997 21 (47.7% abv)

4. Sullivans Cove Double Cask (44.9% abv)

5. Ichiros Malt Mizunara Wood Reserve (46% abv)

6. Sullivans Cove Exclusive Store release for Casa De Vinos (56.5% abv)

7. Chichibu Exclusive Store release for Casa De Vinos (62.8% abv)

Countries of Origin:

Scotland (Speyside)

Japan (Saitama prefecture)

Australia (Tasmania)

The Location: Casa De Vinos, Melbourne (via D’s dining table)

Casa De Vinos are a phenomenal liquor store based in Melbourne, Australia. Specialists in spirits (whisky, rum, tequila, gin, sake, etc) they have a terrific range of rare whiskies and have established relationships with renowned distilleries giving them access to spirits that other stores can only dream of.

Casa De Vinos was started 10 years ago by Jose, a winemaker by trade with a passion for whisky and infectious enthusiasm. An absolute gentleman and connoisseur Jose has built Casa De Vinos into one of the most respected whisky stores in the country.

Today’s festivities are to celebrate Casa De Vinos 10^th birthday and like so many events this year we’re coming together virtually with the help of Zoom. 

Casa De Vino’s tastings are always something special with epic line ups usually culminating in an impossible to get whisky. 

Tonight is no exception with two whiskies specially (and exclusively) bottled for Casa De Vinos. The party guests include whisky lovers and staff from other liquor stores and representatives from several distilleries – including Sullivans Cove and Chichibu (whose whiskies are in the line up). Tastings with distillery staff are becoming more common with virtual tastings but having senior staff from two of the world’s most renowned ‘boutique’ distilleries AT THE SAME EVENT is pretty incredible – but unsurprising for a Casa De Vinos event.

D is kindly hosting for the night and we’re joined by P – another whisky fiend sure to keep the mood positive and the jokes smutty. A huge thanks to both of these larikans for making the night so enjoyable and for contributing to my tasting notes.

I’ve grabbed pizzas from Via Napoli to keep us fueled up and we kick off the night jovially with bad jokes and woodfired goodness.

We’ve pulled out the fanciest glassware while Jose and Johnno are resplendent in bow ties and tuxedos.

After a little banter and some introductions we launch straight into the tastings – guided by Jose.

Casa De Vinos tastings usually start with a ‘welcome drink’ the signature Casa Vino Highball combining Ichiros Malt and Grain with Fever Tree Spiced Orange Ginger Ale. It’s a tasty, refreshing highball but we’ve opted to skip it tonight (as we’ve has several in the past) and start the night with an Ichiros 505 (Note: not part of the tasting, this was from D’s cellar).

1. Ichiros Malt, Malt and Grain 505 (50.5% abv)

The 505 is basically an amped up version of the white label Malt and Grain and was developed with bars in mind – although plenty of it has found its way into the consumer market.

Nose

Malty, vanilla, light oak, honey.

Palate

Sharper than the white label malt and grain with more punch and more intense delivery of the vanilla, malt, sweetness and oak.

Finish

A little sweetness to drying oak. Some heat.

What do I think?

Good and likely better in cocktails and mixed drinks than the ‘standard’ Malt and Grain – although the price tag is a barrier (close to double the standard Malt and Grain).

Next we’re into a sneaky soda highball with the Malt and Grain (White label) while the other guests finish their Spiced Orange and Ginger Highball.

2. Ichiros Malt, Malt and Grain (46% abv) (Highball)

Ichiro’s ‘entry’ level whisky, this is a blend of malt and grain whiskies from around the world. One of the best soda highball whiskies around.

Nose

The water brings the usual maltiness down but the honey and vanilla are still there.

Palate

Brings out the vanilla, honey and grain notes and makes them sparkle. There’s a still some of the fruitiness in there and the oak peeks out too but the biscuit ingredients are what come out foremost in a highball.

Finish

Tasty sweet and malty. A lingering honey.

What do I think?

The Malt and Grain is the epitome of a highball whisky – delicious flavors that aren’t lost with a mixer and I find that the honey and grain notes really make this. I have no doubt that this style of preparation was in mind when this whisky was crafted.

3. Wardhead 1997 21 (47.7% abv)

Next we get serious with the Wardhead 21. Wardhead is an exclusive arm of the Glenfiddich stable and this independent bottling was a surprise to see on the list – although a very welcome one.  

Nose

Light spearmint and vanilla. Sweet lemon.

Palate

More vanilla with soft, caressing peat. Fruit – red berries and orchard fruits. A little more mint.

Finish

Biscuity, vanilla and rounding out with oak and a sweet/sour lemon syrup. The finish is sweet, soft and lingering.

What do I think?

Exceptional. Balanced and magnificent it combines some classic Speyside and American oak characteristics with well moderated peat and coaxes gorgeous, harmonious complexity out of the spirit. This will be hard to beat

We head closer to home for the next dram – the Double Cask from Tasmania’s Sullivans Cove.

4. Sullivans Cove Double Cask (44.9% abv)

The recipient of numerous awards this single malt is matured in ex bourbon American oak as well as finishing up in french and American ex tawny casks It contains 11-17yr old spirit and is pretty much Sullivan Cove’s entry level whisky – that’s a very high level.

Nose

Red berries (especially raspberries) and dried fruit (date, apricot). Rich oak.

Palate

Spice (with a little heat and some kick) then sexy rich oak. Great texture. Vanilla, Malty, fruity (baked apple, date).

Finish

Drying herbaceous and oakey – tiny bit of heat into the chest.

What do I think?

Impressive and delicious. But it jumps around a bit and it’s be more enjoyable if the spicy heat was tempered.

5. Ichiros Malt MWR

Next up is the Ichiros Mizunara Wood Reserve from Chichibu. The MWR is a vatting of several single malts in the notoriously temperamental, exceptionally on trend Mizunara Oak (Quercus mongolica). Literally translated as  ‘Water Wood’ Mizunara is known for behaving unpredictably and often doesn’t seal well, meaning that leaks are common. It gives whisky an unmistakable funkiness – mildly spicy but earthy oak notes. 

At the start of the night we spotted that Casa De Vinos has put out a bottle of the double distilleries – not the MWR – and Jose distracts us while Johnno scurries off to hunt for a bottle out the back. Johnno returns successfully and the MWR is poured at Casa De Vinos.

Nose

An abundance of mizunara funk, but very elegant. (Note: I used to describe the smell of mizunara as ‘cognac incense’ – but some people thought that implied smokiness. It’s got a pungent sweet woodiness like sandalwood incense with a slight musty sourness and slight nuttiness like in aged cognac. Some people find more coconut than tree nuts).

Palate

Numbing spiciness and (like a lot of Japanese whiskies especially from Chichibu and Mars) it feels like an epic wave of heat is about to engulf you but it never arrives. I usually find this pretty distracting and jarring. There’s a quality to it that reminds me of a sherry cask finish – the type of sweetness combined with the oak, the slight mustiness and the texture. Tastes as if it has a much higher abv (from the texture and intensity).

Finish

Dry, sour and oaky. There’s a raw sugar sweetness initially before the mizunara regains dominance and leads into a sour astringency.

What do I think?

A really interesting whisky but not one I’m drawn to on its own. It feels like it needs some grain mellowing and a bit more aging but it is a fantastic example of mizunara influence – the funky oak is close to dominant. But compared against the Double Distilleries and the Malt and Grain Limited edition this falls short and I don’t think it’s one of Chichibu’s best.

The energy levels are up and to this point the tasting has been brilliant – superb whiskies showing difference in distillery style, regional characteristics, maturation and finishing. If the tasting finished here it would have been a pretty incredible event

But we’re only just getting to the main event.

To finish we have two whiskies bottled exclusively for Casa De Vinos 10^th birthday. These are very limited run whiskies and it was quite exciting to sample them.

The first of the two was a single cask single malt from Sullivans cove.

6. Sullivans Cove exclusive store release for Casa De Vinos (56.5% abv)

Nose

Rich sweetness, sexy sexy rich oak. The oak is close to dominant. A pleasant earthy funkiness. Tobacco. Chocolate and coffee. Dried papaya and pineapple.

Palate

Silky yet spicy. Mild cardamon. Sweet black espresso – like a fruity Guatemalan bean.

Finish

Some tannins and plenty of dried fruit before finally drying out totally.

What do I think?

Very very tasty and a beautiful single cask expression. Comparing to the (excellent) Double Cask it shows how the extra care with this has resulted in improvement in all aspects – this is smoother, more intense, more textural, more complex, more enjoyable. This is sensational.

7. Chichibu exclusive store release for Casa De Vinos (62.8% abv)

Finally, the last whisky for the night is a special bottling from Chichibu. The first ever exclusive bottling for Australia by Chichibu, this whisky demonstrates the reputation and goodwill Casa De Vinos and Jose in particular, has with this legendary distillery.

Nose

A dry weird oak. Vanilla. Candle wax. Double cream. Tropical fruits. Minty. (Note: water also brought out some elegant dry oak).

Palate

Without water this kicks like a mule and is much too strong and sharp. With water the creaminess oddly enough disappears to the background more. There’s an energetic texture (like in a Mars Kagoshima). There’s an odd numbing sensation. Custard apple and banana join the other tropical fruits. There’s also vanilla.

Finish

Quite a lot of heat in the chest – too much for me. There’s chewy oak and vanilla leading to a fairly neutral finish of moderate length with everything just fading out.

What do I think?

There’s a lot to like in this but too much that challenges me. It’s a fascinating expression and super complex but I feel like I still don’t get where this whisky is coming from. The combination of flavor is exciting but there are too many surprises and too many flavors that don’t fit for me to settle into this before there’s none left. I love experimentation, especially in Japanese whiskies, but this time I’m left a bit bewildered.

After these Jose winds down, with special thanks to those that have supported Casa De Vinos over the years and especially over the previous year.

Once again Casa De Vinos have put on a brilliant, enjoyable night with an epic line up of quality, interesting and difficult to find whiskies. At this point of the night it’s hard not to miss the mingling and chatting that would usually come with a tasting event in person – with the attendees gradually drifting away. Instead it’s a last round of thanks and the zoom feed ends.

For the three of us it’s a couple of final sneaky pours and a comparison of notes.

For me the Wardhead 21 was the stand out for the night – even after returning to it at the end of the night for comparison. It’s close to flawless – with divine flavor, intensity, balance and wonderful complexity.

If we’re handing out medals the Sullivans Cove exclusive store release comes in 2^nd place. Stunningly delicious and balanced – it’s awesome and the best Sullivan’s Cove I’ve tasted. This was like a platter of dried tropical fruit, chocolates and biscuits with a fresh espresso. Incredible. I could happily spend a lot of time with this (note: out of everything we had this was the whisky foremost in my memory the next day and the one my tastebuds were missing the most).

There are plenty of great tastings around at the moment, but Casa De Vinos are among the best and come highly recommended. A round of applause for the Casa De Vinos team and congratulations on 10 years of success.

The Whiskies: Archie Rose Rye Malt Whisky (Cellar Door Handfill, 52% abv), Single Malt Whisky (Batch 1), White Rye (50% abv)

Country of Origin: Australia (Sydney)

The Location: Archie Rose Distillery and Bar, Roseberry, Australia

The past few years has seen a lot of new distilleries start up and it’s been great to see a few local whisky distilleries appear. This has been a really positive development for the local whisky community and a reflection of how much of a following whisky has in Sydney and Australia more widely.

Archie Rose is a great example of a young (founded in 2014) distillery, operating out of a refurbished warehouse in the middle of an industrial district in the heart of Australia’s most populous city.

It took me longer than most to catch onto how great Archie Rose’s spirits were and their gins were my gateway into the brand. Like with many start up distilleries, Archie Rose looked to other products that didn’t require aging to get cash flow. Their range of gins are supremely good – their Native Spirits and Poormans Orange gins are two of the best I’ve had anywhere, both in quality of the spirit and in the use of unique ingredients.

But Archie Rose always planned to produce whisky and while their gins were gaining popularity their first whiskies were quietly aging. They’ve released several to date, including a Chocolate Rye Malt, Sandigo Heritage Rye Malt, Ironbark Smoked Rye Malt and more recently the multi award winning Rye Malt and their Single Malt. In particular the Rye quickly accumulated a number of accolades and praise within the whisky community – locally and further abroad taking out the world’s best Rye in the World Whisky Awards.

Rye whisky isn’t something I’ve had a lot of, mostly because what I have has was harsh, overly spicy and inferior to an equivalent priced scotch, Irish, Japanese or even bourbon and that had turned me off delving further into the style. I’d deliberately steered clear of Rye for a while, only occasionally dipping back in to be disappointed.

But with the favorable reviews, awards and building fervor I knew I needed to get some Archie Rose whisky into me.

D, K and I took advantage of a reduction in Covid restrictions that fortunately coincided with an open day at the Archie Rose distillery to do a tour and tasting.

The space, the tour and the Archie Rose staff

We were taken through Archie Rose’s distilling processes and equipment by Jonathon, Archie Rose’s Venue Manager and one of the founders of the Archie Rose venture. One of the wonderful thing about the size of most distilleries in Australia is that you’re usually doing tastings and tours by people who have thrown their hearts into making the whisky, people who have a long standing and deep connection to the brand and product.

The tour was great and engaging – pitched to comfortable cover those on their first distillery tour and to those of us that have done a few before. Although the space we were in, and the equipment we were being shown is the same equipment made to produce Archie Rose’s spirits to date they are currently in the process of moving to a new premises (nearby) and commissioning upgraded and expanded equipment. Another great sign that Archie Rose isn’t taking the foot off the gas and is moving onto bigger and better things to combat their supply bottleneck by expanding production. Aside of increased capacity the new facility will allow for distilling spirit from each of the grains (in the current mash bill) separately rather than together as is currently done. This will allow for easier tweaking and my guess is some single grain expressions down the track – as they’ve done previously with the limited Sandigo Heritage Rye Malt and the Chocolate Rye Malt expressions they’ve previously launched.

With that it was time to grab a glass and taste some whisky.

For this review we’ll cover two whiskies (a Rye and a Single Malt) and also Archie Rose’s Rye new make. Let’s start with the new make, or as Archie Rose call’s it – their ‘White Rye’.

White Rye: This is un-aged, un-oaked, double distilled spirit, the core of the Archie Rose Rye Whisky – i.e. ‘new make. And let’s be clear, new make isn’t whisky, but it gives you an idea of the character of the spirit before any wood influence.

The nose is grain dominant with some grass. It’s got a vibrant intensity reminiscent of white rum.

The palate is spicy and bready, and some cocoa. There’s plenty of heat in the back of the throat but it’s an intense warmth rather than a bonfire.

The finish is so short it’s not worth talking about.

What does it remind me of?

It does have a white rum/vodka like characteristic, especially a spiced or flavored rum or vodka but with a very cereal, bready core flavor. It’s also a bit Anejo tequila-ish – similar heat to a decent Anejo, similar vanilla influence from the casks and similar spices. I wouldn’t choose this over most good white rums or tequilas, but after a couple of years in a barrel I can see this becoming quite drinkable (see below!) and can see it working in a cocktail. But, as you’ll read below, the extra time in the barrel is certainly worth it and produced something quite delicious.

What do I think?

I don’t drink new make for a reason but as far as new make goes it’s not too bad. The rye characters definitely come through and it’s interesting to get a perspective on a whisky by trying the liquid component  while it’s still a baby. Not buying a bottle of it though.

Rye Whisky (Cellar Door Handfill):

This uses a combination of a local pale malt and a german sourced rye malt (both kiln dried). Archie is using a variety of char levels in their new american oak barrels – I believe the char level for the batch we were tasting was a char level #4. Maturation is a touch under 2 and a half years.

There’s vanilla and brown sugar on the nose. The vapors are heady but clean – these may blow off after a few minutes but we had a set time to work to so the whisky went straight down the hatch. The oak is balancing and with the cereal (rye dominant) notes it gets fairly savory.

See the end of this post of a list of awards the Rye has won.

The palate is deliciously spicy – some soft black pepper, coffee, a touch of anise. It’s chocolatey and bready – fresh toasted rye bread. The vanilla from the oak makes it like a mildly spiced chocolate cookie. The finish drys out with espresso and buffalo grass.

What does it remind me of?

As I said before I haven’t had many Rye Whiskeys and it’d be uncharitable to the Archie Rose Rye Malt to compare it to any of these – it’s definitely the best Rye whisky I’ve had to date and where as other forays into Rye turned me off this has definitely left me with a curiosity and a desire for more.

What do I think?

I think it’s great. Rye still isn’t up there as a style that I’m excited about but this was delicious. Given the awards it’s received I think a lot was lost on me but that’s on me, not on the whisky.

And…. That was it for the tour. One whisky and one new make. A surprise because one of the whiskies we’d come to try was the recently released single malt, but given the quality and popularity of Archie Rose’s other products (especially the accolades awarded to their Rye) the Single Malt sold out almost straight away and there wasn’t any available for tasting at the tour. We’d also hoped that some of the previous limited releases (the Sandigo Heritage the Ironbark Smoke Rye) would also be available to try to showcase more of the house style and the ‘experiments’ to date. A little odd for a tour of a whisky distillery, especially on an open day, but a great sign that Archie Rose is being well received by consumers (editorial note: at time of writing Single Malt batch 2 is available for sale).

Fortunately Jonathon let us know the bar definitely had the Single Malt – and other expressions – so we headed across to the well appointed bar and dining area.

Archie Rose Single Malt (Batch 1):

The single malt has six malted grains in the mash bill, a pale malt, amber malt, caramel malt, aromatic roasted malt, chocolate malt and a peated pale malt. How does a ‘single’ malt have 6 different malted grains in it? Look up the curly definition of a ‘single malt’ to understand this better.

The Single Malt Batch 1 was matured in mostly ex-Apera (Australian) casks with a little ex-bourbon and ex-rye (from Archie’s own Rye malt) casks in the mix.

See: https://archierose.com.au/spirit-data/single-malt-1st-Batch/ for the full details on grain selection and treatments, fermentation, distillation and maturation.

See the end of this post for a list of awards the Single Malt has won.

The nose is fruity with vanilla, dry herbs and caramalised sugar.

The palate is surprisingly silky at first but then becomes suddenly dry and hot with dry spices – especially a soft white pepper. There’s dusty oak, chocolate, milk coffee and a sweet dark grain flavor – like pumpernickle.

The finish is dry and herbacious – slightly oily and a teeny bit soapy. There’s the slightest wisp of smoke from the peated grains.

What does it remind me of?

I have to say this really reminded me of the Rye, but I think it’s more of the house style of grain led, subtler whisky. The experience is very much a melding of complimentary flavors with few really standing out. Although there’s some grain overlap between the Single Malt and Rye there’s not enough to make them similar. The maturation is different too. Being in the distillery I am wondering how much of the remnant aroma of grain may have affected my sensory experience so I’m keen to taste the Rye and Single malt again in a different setting. Just another example of how when and where you drink a whisky can potentially affect your experience of it! In any case a lot of the same characteristics come through for the Single Malt as did for the Rye. So this suggests to me that Archie Rose has a house style and that they’re able to achieve consistency.

Other than that I feel like this is a pretty unique style of single malt and avoids imitating any mainstream style so there’s nothing I’ve had that I’d immediately compare it to. That alone is pretty exciting to me.

What do I think?

It’s got good, although subtle character and is really well balanced.

It’s not rich -it’s a fairly savory whisky. I don’t think it’s quite distinctive enough or good enough to offer other single malts in it’s price band a run for their money, but it’s very good, very moreish and for an Australian single malt offers very good value. The single malt definitely feels quality and it nails the mouthfeel, controls heat and you can sense the complexity in there. I feel like a noisy bar with all the smells from the kitchen/distillery was a tough place to really get to know a subtler whisky and I’d love to spend more time with this and see what else it does so a bottle for the cabinet may be required when stock is available again.

Awards for the Archie Rose Rye Malt Whisky

• World’s Best Rye Whisky – World Whiskies Awards (London)
• World’s Best Rye Whisky – ADI Craft Spirit Awards (USA)
• World’s Best Rye Whisky – World Whisky Masters (London)
• Australia’s Best Rye Whisky – San Francisco World Spirits Competition (USA)
• Australia’s Best Rye Whisky – International Wine & Spirits Competition (London)
• Australia’s Best Rye Whisky – Los Angeles International Spirits Competition (USA)
• Australia’s Best Rye Whisky – SIP Awards (USA)
• Australia’s Best Rye Whisky – International Review of Spirits (USA)

Awards for the Archie Rose Single Malt Whisky

• Australia’s Best Single Malt Whisky – San Francisco World Spirits Competition (USA)
• Australia’s Best Single Malt Whisky – World Whisky Masters (London)
• Australia’s Best Single Malt Whisky – World Whiskies Awards (USA)
• Australia’s Best Single Malt Whisky – SIP Awards (USA)

The Whiskey: Method and Madness Single Grain (Virgin Spanish Oak finish) (46% abv)

Country of Origin: Ireland (County Cork)

The Location: ‘The Factory’

‘The Factory’ as we’ve come to affectionately call it, is a derelict stone processing facility hiding in suburban woodlands. The original building was built in the early 1900s to process rock for building roads from a nearby quarry. In the early 2000s the operation ceased to be profitable and was acquired by the local council – under tense circumstances.

The future of the factory is uncertain but its’ days seem numbered. A decaying eyesore it’s of no practical use and it’s unlikely that it could be converted into any alternative purpose. It may have some questionable heritage value but even this may not outweigh the issues the building poses, places as it is in a prime recreational area.

But while it remains it makes an excellent urbex (URBan EXploration) destination, with the many staircases, ladders, ramps and gantries providing for exploration in all dimensions. These are separated by void spaces and conveyers often meaning that to access a different section mere meters away requires dropping back down several levels, ducking under machinery and ascending a separate set of ladders and stairs. The higher sections give a vertiginous view of the factory’s inners while the lower spaces are shrouded in brooding darkness.

The old building has a great atmosphere, it’s creepy and ghoulish, with dim light, dark corners and Halloween perfect spider webs. But it’s also intriguing for its’ industrial aesthetic, with heavy metal plates, rusted machinery and purposeful geometry.

Although the main section isn’t enormous – it’s perhaps three times the size of an average house, the maze like interior allows for a lot of exploration. The various pieces of defunct processing equipment add interest. There’s a control room hidden to one side and a giant hopper for the incoming unprocessed stone. Conveyers crisscross and divide the space.

The various separate accessways create an Escher-like effect, but one where you can step into the frame and become part of the crazy, almost physics defying design. Extensive graffiti adds a punkish surrealist touch.

Seems like the perfect place to get a little crazy. And I have the perfect whisky for that.

Irish Whiskey made a brief resurgence recently after an Irish single malt won the prestigious World’s Best Single Malt in the 2019 World Whisky Awards (for the Teeling 24 yr old Vintage Reserve). For a little while there was a some fervor for Irish whisky with several producers releasing new expressions – either experiments, older stock or offerings that were lucky enough with the timing. Established producers also benefited from this and rightly so – the spotlight on the Teeling helped to shine a light on other great Irish whiskey producers such as Green Spot, Powers, Glendalough, Hyde, Redbreast and Bushmills (and others). Most of the attention was focused on single malts – the marketplace still favors single malts over single grains, and often for good reason. The complexity, balance and strength of a single malt often beats out the more linear and more reserved profile of many single grain whiskies. But not always and although single grains are often overlooked due to a reputation for blandness and because they can often be created relatively inexpensively in a continuous (column) still, they can be delicious – bursting with bright, sweet flavor – like candy, bubblegum and honey. They take on oak beautifully adding vanilla and wood shavings and a dryness to the finish. Many grains inherently provide flavors of cereal or baked goods – like breakfast cereals, shortbread cookies and freshly baked pastries.

Method & Madness (M&M) are an experimental arm of Irish Distillers under the umbrella of the Pernod Ricard group and are based in the Midleton distillery in county cork (the home of Green Spot, Redbreast and Jamesons – although these whiskies are produced in a range of stills on site).

The ‘madness’ is mostly about their innovative approach to distillation, blending, maturation and finishing. A great example of this is their use of unusual woods for finishing – chestnut, acacia, wild cherry… and in this case virgin Spanish oak.

This is a whiskey intended to stand out from the crowd. Normally I’m not that fussed about bottle shape or labels, but the M&M has a brilliant bottle design and is beautifully labelled. Over time I’ve come to appreciate both of these and there’s something great about wrapping your fingers around the textured octagonal bottle when you reach for it.

Another point of difference is the finishing – the whiskey is matured in ex bourbon barrels which is standard enough but is then finished for 12 months in medium toasted virgin Spanish oak (from Galicia in north western Spain).

But where it really stands out is in its’ remarkable flavor. So let’s get to it.

Aromatically the M&M gives sweet creamy candy, like a handful of jelly raspberries, Redskins and milk bottles (together). I get strong vanilla and very sweet breakfast cereal, like an overly sweet muesli or granola.

There are lingonberries soaked in vodka, dried peaches and something medical with a synthetic sweetness – berry flavored bandaids (sticking plasters) or condoms maybe. The first scoop of a crème caramel where you end up with too caramel sauce too. I find a hint of furniture polish and syrup laden dry wood – like an old feasting table with spilled butterscotch sauce. There’s a lot going on. And we haven’t even sipped yet.

On the palate it has a lightness that I associate with single grain but is much more densely flavored and complex that your average. It starts off velvety before a little tip of the tongue sharpness and a synthetic sweetness overload for a moment before the mouth filling candy comes through – jelly raspberries and strawberries & cream. Cereal notes (raspberry jam biscuits) and slightly sour oak round out the palate with the oak playing against the sweetness deliciously.

This leads seamlessly into the finish with lingering vanilla laden sweetness, almost tingling with the oakey sourness giving backbone throughout. Cherry lollies dominate at first before yielding to the oak to make the finish drier (but still sweet) finally fading out to a licorice root like dry sweetness (sensation – not flavor).

The heat is low to moderate with warmth on the swallow and a little way into the chest during the finish. It’s smoother than I expected.

What does it remind me of?

The cereal notes in this makes me think of the Suntory Chita (a Japanese single grain) but it’s very different in most other respects. There’s similarity to the Suntory Toki too ( a blend) in the mouthfeel and some flavors but the M&M has much more candy and is more flavorsome all round. The nose reminds me of the Redbreast 12 although the Redbreast is more floral whereas the M&M has more fruit and some synthetics and is sweeter.

What do I think?

Super tasty. Beautifully distinct from my single malts and even stands out from my other single grains. Something I always look forward to drinking and have a flavor echo for a couple of days afterwards.  Not a premium whisky, but I’m buying this in the $60-$80 range and it’s an absolute treat compared to the alternatives. It’s a brilliant example of what a single grain can do and a great example of contemporary Irish Whiskey, although it’s not a representative expression – go for the Killbegan single grain or Powers Gold Label instead. But in my opinion the M&M Single Grain beats each of these easily (noting that these are all in about the same price bracket). It’s the perfect whiskey for a lively chat with friends (new or old) and it has sufficient strength of flavor to be mixed without being totally obliterated. It goes well with soda, cola or good quality ginger ale. I can see it working well with some of the new premium and exotic mixers that are available. For those of you who love your whiskey neat this isn’t so pricey that you’ll screw your face up if your friends mix it – although do encourage them to try it neat, or at least on the rocks. It isn’t the smoothest whisky but it’s not aggressive and the little spikiness in this is overpowered by the abundance of flavor. M&M have done really well to keep this balanced, a common issue in single grains and especially in very flavorful single grains where among the pretty flavors lurk paint thinners and nail polish. This whiskey isn’t without those presences but they’re pushed well into the background. A little water will reduce them even further if needed. The flavors are a joy to explore throughout and it’s incredibly complex for a sub $100, no age statement whisky. It’s bursting but balanced with classic notes like vanilla, cream and cereal keeping us rooted while the lollies and synthetics make things a little wild.

This is a beautiful and I’ll say innovative expression – the use of virgin Spanish oak for finishing isn’t commonplace and Method & Madness should be recognised for taking a single grain in this direction and executing it so very well.

My expectation is that single grain whiskies with innovative finishing techniques like this will become much more common as the market cries out for value whiskies full of flavor. But for now it represents one of the more interesting options in the niche of value single grains and is well worth a look.

I find this utterly moreish, so be warned, when the bottle runs out the memory of this tasty whiskey could drive you crazy.

The Whisky: Glenlivet 12 Double Oak

Country of Origin: Scotland (Speyside)

The Location: Blue Lake, Kosciuszko National Park

For the most part Australia is a flat, arid country fringed by greenery towards the coastlines. But in a few places the hills reach an altitude capable of attaining snow and it’s to one of these regions, the Kosciuszko National Park, that we’re headed for our first serious adventure away from home this year.

Named after Australia’s highest mountain – which in turn is named after a Polish-Lithuanian freedom fighter (General Tadeusz Kosciuszko) – Kosciuszko National Park is home to a rolling mountain range of peaks that just surpass 2000m. In winter it becomes a snowy playground and has several ski resorts to cater to the masses – and an expanse of backcountry for the more adventurous. It’s into this ‘backcountry’ that K and I are headed, for a few days of roaming the snowy hills in search of some climbable ice. Australia has very few locations where climbable water ice reliably forms, but Blue Lake, close to Mt Kosciuszko is one of the more consistent locations.

Early one winter morning we leave the car in the overnight parking at the base of Guthega ski resort, step into our snowshoes, heft our packs and start out into the icy wilderness.

It’s perfect weather – blue skies, low wind. The snow cover isn’t great, even by Australian standards, but it’s hard packed and covering the undergrowth, giving us a solid, level surface perfect for snowshoeing.

We cross a couple of small bridges and pass the iconic Illawong hut, gradually ascending a ridgeline leading toward Mt Twynam. After a few hours we reach an ideal campsite tucked into some trees in one of the higher treelines. Sheltered from the wind and level it’s also positioned to capture the early morning sun. We set about making camp before spending the rest of the afternoon exploring parts of the area we haven’t visited before. As darkness descends we head back to camp and our cozy tent.

The next morning see us up early, striking out towards a wide saddle that separates Mt Twynam from the smaller peak of Little Twynam. Over the saddle lies Blue Lake, our destination, via a steep, snowy couloir. We descend, keeping an eye out for skiers dropping in from above us and watching for any sign of potential avalanche risk. Partway down I remove my snowshoes while K swaps hers for crampons and we plunge step our way down to the frozen lake.

Blue Lake is one of only a handful of cirque lakes on the Australian mainland. The other three (Cootapatamba, Albina, and Club) are located nearby, scattered across the Main Range only a few kilometers from Blue Lake. Blue Lake is fringed by hard granite cliffs, eroded by ancient glacial movement and is a testament to how much this landscape has changed over time. The gullies and clifflines are striking against the rounded topography of the surrounding hills and are mostly hidden from view until you enter the basin itself. This isn’t the first time whiskyography has visited Blue Lake – we also walked past in warmer months when we reviewed the Nikka Miyagikyo NA.

The north-western to north-eastern walls provide almost day long shade in the colder months, helping to form and maintain ice flows that attract the adventurous to scale the heights with ice axes and crampons.

When we arrive we see that other climbers have beaten us there, but it’s still mostly empty, the long walk in deterring all but the most committed. The alpine cirque offers a variety of alpine conditions and it’s almost as fun to watch others ascend the ice flows, gullies and couloirs as it is to climb on them ourselves. We find a few patches of ice to play on and relish the opportunity to sink the axes into solid ice.

The scenery is epic, with glistening white snow and soaring ice clad cliffs meeting a pure azure sky. It’s an incredible, otherwordly place to spend the day and it’s inspiring to watch the other climbers enjoying the conditions. The other groups are competent and friendly and everyone is deeply respectful of the special place that has brought us together.

After a while we being to tire and it’s time to find a comfy place for lunch – and a whisky.

Today I’ve brought a small bottle of Glenlivet 12 Double Oak – yet another whisky claiming that it’s double…. something. In this case it’s to do with the maturation in both European and American oak.

As far as I can tell this is the same, or very close to, what was previously the Glenlivet 12 (with no reference to oak). To me it tastes the same as I remember the 12 tasting – speyside fruit with vanilla and oak.

Glenlivet is a Speyside distillery and the 12 has been a popular flagship product for the brand for many years.

The nose is oakey, lightly spiced baked pears (the spices are vanilla, cloves, nutmeg and a little powdered ginger). I get some dried banana too and it’s a bit floral. There is only the barest hint of the supposed smoke – if I didn’t know it was in there I think I’d have missed it.

Being only 40% abv the mouthfeel is thin but not as much as expected. The flavor profile on the palate matches the nose closely although the oak is more muted and the sweetness is tinged with honey. The flavors are strong enough, making it across the palate and they are reasonably well defined with some fruitiness, creaminess and a clean oak note. The ginger is still there too. There’s more heat than expected for the 40% abv and it gets into the chest, although it’s fairly mild. There’s no sharpness though and no unpleasant flavors.

It finishes short with a little sweetness and slightly fruity oak. There’s really not much more to say.

What does it remind me of:

Glenfiddich 12 – another ‘mainstream’, high volume production Speyside single malt with a 40% abv that has prominent vanilla and oak notes.

What do I think?

It’s good and I think it’s a good value, easily available single malt that will appeal to a wide range of drinkers. While it lacks anything particularly intriguing or exciting for the seasoned whisky lover it does deliver a benchmark single malt experience without any major flaws. I think this is aimed at whisky drinkers stepping up from cheaper single malts or popular blends and it’s perfect for those drinkers. It’ll also appeal to those wanting a quality, but more affordable age statement single malt, especially one with a recognisable brand name. But it’s also good for those who want an easy drinking single malt that doesn’t put up a fight. The low abv lends this softness and while it compares unfavorably (for many of us) against a higher abv whisky with more flavor it’ll satisfy drinkers who want to stay as far away from cask strength as possible. For such a low abv (the absolute minimum really) it still has a good level of flavor and feels complete. It’s fine neat but starts to fall apart with ice, losing flavor quickly and it soon becomes too watery to be enjoyable. It makes a tasty highball but barely has the presence to carry this off.

Personally I think the Glenfiddich 12 has more going on and more flavor – making it a bit better for a newer whisky drinker to explore the flavor profile, but the Glenlivet 12 Double Oak is still a fine, mild Speyside that competes solidly with other whiskies in its price bracket (and several beyond it).

West of Sydney lie the Blue Mountains, so named because of the blueish hue they taken on when viewed from afar. Up close the region is typified by bright orange, light grey and pale yellow cliffs that plunge vertically down from the plateau that forms the range of the Blue Mountains, and by the verdant greens of the wooded valleys and gullies formed by eons of erosion.

The Blue Mountains are one of our favorite outdoor playgrounds with an abundance of rockclimbing areas, hiking routes and deep canyons. This weekend we’re choosing the latter, a lesser known drawcard of this wilderness region.

The canyons of the Blue Mountains are formed from tens of thousands of years of erosion as rainwater gouges deep grooves into the relatively soft sandstone of the Blue Mountains. Some canyons are massive, kilometres long and hundreds of meters wide but today we’re seeking one of the narrower ‘slot’ canyons, where the walls narrow so much that you need to physically squeeze through them and the daylight is a thin strip way above you.

I’m joined by K, a seasoned canyoner and adventurer and we’ve decided upon Tiger Snake Canyon. The name comes from when the first party through had trouble with a venomous Tiger Snake during their journey. Canyon season is normally during the summer months, when the warm temperatures make the icy canyon water and dark recesses less frigid. But since it’s the middle of winter we’ve selected Tiger Snake canyon as it’s one of only a few technical ‘dry’ canyons, with narrow wades and no swims through flooded sections. At least, it normally is.

A few days of rainfall in the preceding days have swelled the pools and invigorated the waterfalls so that as soon as we drop into the canyon from the first abseil we’re drenched. Fortunately it’s a sunny, clement winter’s day, although that doesn’t prevent us from moving fast and efficiently through the wetter sections, rigging abseils and pulling soaked ropes with muscle warming enthusiasm. We work our way downwards and onwards through clear pools, tricking stream beds and over moss covered boulders.

The canyons of the Blue Mountains are fairly similar to the famous canyons of Utah in the USA, except that instead of bare orange stone the Blue Mountains canyons are coated in mosses and lichens and the gullies are thriving with plant life. While these make for very pretty scenery (and handy abseil points) it also makes for a lot of clambering over logs, slipping on moss and tripping on tree roots.

After several hours, multiple abseils, many pools, countless squeals of joy and one incident of a waterfall going directly down the back of my shirt we reach a point where the canyon opens up into a serene, shaded gully, just before our exit point.

Time for some whisky!

Johnnie Walker is one of the most recognisable names in whisky and the Black Label is one of their most popular offerings. A blend of many (around 40) malt and grain whiskies aged for a minimum 12 years it’s one of JW’s few actual age statement whiskies in their large stable of offerings.

I’m neutral trending towards critical when it comes to the Johnnie Walker Black Label. I’m not particularly a fan but I drink it from time to time in bars. It doesn’t excite me, but I don’t hate it and I’ll generally prefer something else neat, although it’s a reliable go to in a highball at a bar with an average whisky offering.

But right now I’m not in a cosy bar, I’m in a chilly canyon, soaking wet, cold, exhausted, bleeding in a few places, and I’ve just had an enjoyable few hours of adventure.

With this in mind, I pop the cap on my miniature JW Black and pour a dram into the crystal glass I’ve carried through several kilometres of canyon country.

Note: There will be two sets of tasting notes for the JW Black: One from when I drank it in the canyon, and another tasting back home.

Canyon tasting notes:

WHISKY! Honey sweetness. Warming. Delicious. Soft, smooth, invigorating. Rich fruit and soft spice mix. Elegant waft of finishing smoke.

At home tasting notes:

Nose: Christmas fruit, toffee/treacle, vanilla, mild nutmeg. Fresh, lively orange. Leather, tobacco and smoke in the background. Complex and well rounded but subtle.

Palate. Hot up front – spice with no flavor, maybe some hot white pepper. A soapy tang. Nuts. A little cereal. Some caramel, but it’s gone before you know it.

Finish: Lightly smoked caramel. Very short, and very mild. No burn at all.

What does it remind me of?

In the canyon it reminded me of good friends, past adventures and every other whisky I have ever enjoyed.

Back home it reminds me of something nice you had on the rocks and let the ice melt on. It’s insipid and watery. I’m wanting more and the more is more abv, more flavor, more character.

In terms of style and flavor I’d say the closest match I can think of is the Dimple 12, although the Black is weaker than the Dimple 12.

What do I think?

This review, more than any other so far epitomises how the where and when of drinking whisky can influence your experience so much.

For a whisky I don’t rate highly to be SO delicious and SO enjoyable is less to do with the whisky and more to do with how I was feeling and where I was. At that point in time I wouldn’t have traded that dram for any other, since I was entirely loving what I was having. It was silky smooth, divinely warming and all the sharp edges were unnoticeable. I stood in a prehistoric paradise and imbibed a spirit crafted with hundreds of years of knowledge on the other side of the world and I was content.

I’m glad I packed that whisky! Picked it instead of an alternative because this miniature is made of cheap plastic (less breakable – the alternative was in glass).

But back home, like most JW whiskies, it’s really a case of feeling like JW could do so much better for an international brand with so much presence, resources, accesses to experience and volume of production. I do also accept though, that what JW about is consistency, approachability and profitability and these are often incompatible with the complex, higher abv crafted whiskies that whisky lovers tend to prefer.

Although JW pitch this is a ‘premium’ whisky it is very much entry level in every way. It’s easy enough to drink but doesn’t stand up to comparison to better value offerings in the same price range.

The abv of 40% is doing the minimum necessary and the flavor suffers for it, but to the novice it make the whisky more approachable and reduces the burn. For the canyoner it does something similar since a cask strength would have set me aflame and I still had a tough, precipitous climb out via a gulley, a rockclimb over a pinnacle and several kilometers of tough uphill hiking though difficult to navigate territory – so 80 proof was fine in this case.

What’s going to be interesting is every other JW Black I have in the future – even though it’s not a whisky I consider to be very good, every time I drink it it’s going to remind me of a fantastic day’s adventure.

The Whiskey: Powers Gold Label (42.3% abv)

Country Of Origin: Ireland (County Cork)

The Location: Secret

Today’s adventure is to explore a series of old huts built into a rocky cove. Our trail starts high above the water and we steeply descend on the rocky path, starting on a well defined tourist trail then eventually trading this for a rougher, slipperier track for the final stage of the approach.

Although this location is reasonably well known, I’m choosing to keep the location a secret (a little online searching should provide you with details if you want to explore these yourself). The cabins are a wonderful part of the local history and have been subject to vandalism in the past, so I think they should be visited only by those who can respect them.

Today I’m joined by J, an international traveler stuck in Australia due to the pandemic. J and I share an enthusiasm for exploration and she’s happily joined me for a scramble down to these cabins.

Built variously between the 1920s and 1960s the cabins have seen occupation as fishing huts, as dwellings for those fallen onto hard times during the depression and by those with nowhere else to go. With magnificent views and a short commute to go fishing the cabins have been a highly desirable oasis for many over the years. In the 1980s forced evictions occurred and the cabins now lie vacant, managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service as a slice of harborside history.

The cabins are scattered around the top of a small cliffline and are either precariously perched on rock ledges above the cove, or tucked into the trees further up the hill. No two are of a similar style, each built using various materials with some built directly into, or against, the natural stone. Although ramshackle in appearance the cabins appear sturdy and watertight. A converging trail leads down to a rocky beach providing access to the water and I remember (years ago) that small rowboats were once stacked along the cliff above the beach.

The cabins are securely shut to prevent the curious from causing further damage.

Relics of the past are visible outside the cabins or through the cabin windows and the cabins are presumably in the same state as when the last tenants left, giving an idea of the basic, but cosy lifestyle the residents of this small coastal hamlet would have enjoyed.

A natural watercourse trickles past (almost through) the cabins and would have provided reliable water to the inhabitants. In places the banks of the stream have been reinforced with blocks of sandstone creating solids channels for the water to run through and collect. Wooden planks provide makeshift bridges for us to balance across as we move from cabin to cabin. The pathway is either on flat bedrock or along hand paved pathways, coated in moss, twisting around trees and boulders to link access to each of the cabins.

After finding all the cabins (we think!) we retraced our steps back to a position with a view of the cove, and a wall to lean against, to enjoy the view and a whiskey.

Produced at the Midleton Distillery Powers Gold Label is a blend of triple distilled pot still and grain whiskeys and is non-chill filtered. Now owned by Pernod Ricard (who also own Bushmills) Powers is one of the highest selling Irish whiskies in Ireland.

Powers Gold Label is beautifully floral, like many Irish whiskies, with honey and a little bit of spice. There’s vanilla and cereal notes and a little grain funkiness. the oak is fresh and in the background. It’s light and bright.

On the palate it’s honeyed with more vanilla and some lovely shortbread dusted lightly with cloves, nutmeg and icing sugar. A really light dusting though. There’s a little fruity apple turnover (with accompanying pastry and creaminess). A teency bit of sour cardboard is the only complaint I have about this. Although it’s a light to medium bodied whiskey it has great mouthfeel, body and flavor. The heat is delicious and warming with no sharp edges.

It finishes well, balanced and with good length and a sweet, vanilla cereal note carrying through. Right at the end it seems to get oily and makes me think of vanilla oil.

What does it remind me of?

Redbreast 12, although the nose on the Redbreast is sensational, but I think the Powers is more balanced whereas the Redbreast is so good on first sniff that it leaves me disappointed with the palate and finish (which are both very good, it must be said). The Powers is also around half the price of the Redbreast 12, and although it’s not as good I think it’s much better value. There are similarities with Bushmills 10 as well, although I think the Powers is better (more floral on the nose, more intensity of flavor on the palate) and between the two I think the Powers is the obvious choice.

What do I think?

Lovely. This is what Irish whisky is about – tasty, approachable and characterful with sufficient complexity of flavors to explore. It’s distinctly different to most single malts, with a lighter body and less oak influence different flavor profile (from both the grain and distilling) and is an excellent example not only of Irish Whiskey but also of grain whiskies in general.

Although I tend to prefer higher abvs (I think around 46% is right for most whiskies) the 43.2% seems perfect balancing flavor with heat (and getting both right).

I adore good grain whiskies (especially Scottish, Irish and Japanese) and this is one of the best entry level grain whiskies to get your hands on.

The Whiskey: Jim Beam Double Oak (abv 43%)

Country of Origin: USA (Kentucky)

The Location: Quarantine Station, Manly, Australia.

We needed a get away. Somewhere close by, with plenty of space to roam, somewhere to explore. Given the situation it’s not surprising that the old Quarantine Station came to mind.

Established in the mid 1800s and active for over a hundred years the Quarantine Station sits on a west facing slope of North Head, in Sydney, Australia. Perched above Quarantine Beach the grounds of the Quarantine Station are surrounded by a Police Training Academy, a recently closed hospital, a disused artillery Barracks and a sprawling national park.

Popular with walkers, divers, fishermen and those keen on Australia’s colonial history the area has a somewhat darker past as a fully functioning Quarantine point during episodes of the Spanish Flu, Bubonic Plague, Smallpox and other communicable diseases.

Grisly reminders of the time include several cemeteries, memorials and inscriptions to the deceased carved into the sandstone. Many of the original buildings have been conserved including a steam room where patients were required to inhale a zinc sulphide solution for four minutes a day and the station’s mortuary. A museum provides more details of the various treatments, outbreaks, death tolls and heartbreaks and showcases the medical instruments that were used.

Although these reminders of the previous functions of the ‘Q’ Station are everywhere the site also embraces the surrounding natural beauty and has been transformed into a multi purpose site offering education, business facilities, accommodation, food and recreation. Anyone staying at the ‘Q’ Station now does so by choice with several of the old building having been converted into comfortable rooms. The old boilerhouse has been converted into a restaurant while a museum and cafe occupy the old wharf buildings. It’s also possible to book a ghost tour of this reputedly haunted site where guides will take you to the most ‘haunted’ parts of the site and tell you the spooky tales of how many previous inhabitants came to an untimely end. If you’re up for it you can lie in a haunted bed where a previous inmate dies and who is said to torment anyone she finds lying in her place……

We’ve decided to spend a few hours exploring the Station and the surrounding area. Many of the buildings are open to inspect and the grounds are open to wander with a network of trails and roads crisscrossing the site. We poke our noses into old buildings, avoiding those that serve as accommodation (to give the guests privacy), follow the old furnicular railway path to the wharf buildings and peep into the shower block and fumigation rooms. Scattered across the site are inscriptions in the bedrock and boulders from ships crews and patients. While many were rudimentary quite few are ornate, displaying considerable skill.

Although the site is compact the sloping grounds and numerous buildings make it an effort to get to every corner and quite good exercise.

Eventually we find ourselves at one of the more isolated parts of the grounds and come across an outdoor lounge tucked in against a building, protecting it from the breeze. With a view of Sydney Harbor and the city in the distance it’s time for a whiskey.

To keep me warm I’ve packed a miniature bottle of the Jim Beam Double Oak.

To be a bourbon a predominantly corn mash bill (in this case the bill is 77% corn, 13% rye, and 10% malted barley) must be distilled then aged for a minimum of three years in freshly charred new American oak. That means any bourbon is matured for a minimum of three years old and the Jim beam White label (JB’s budget and most widely sold offering) is aged for around three years. So the name ‘Double Oak’ suggests this spends double the time on oak, but this aint no 6 year+ Bourbon. I’ll accept it’s spent more time in a barrel than the Jim Beam White label, but 6 years (or more)? I do not accept that. For me ‘double’ means ‘twice the amount of’ and in this case we’re talking about maturation. The ‘Twice Barrelled’ on the label is accurate enough although the label doesn’t elaborate on this it’s apparently barrelled in new American oak (again) for an unspecified period of time.

So it’s with a deceptive label that we begin with this Bourbon.

The nose is inviting with rich toffee molasses and lollies (red frogs). Even outdoors in a small tumbler I could smell this from arm’s length. There’s vanilla, more like imitation vanilla with a synthetic edge. There’s a little oak hiding in the back.

But the flavors don’t carry through onto the palate, there isn’t anywhere near the intensity the nose would suggest. There’s lots of flavorless alcohol intensity in the front of the mouth. This doesn’t have the vanilla and caramel I’m looking for in a bourbon, in fact there’s barely any complexity, it’s not balanced and the alcohol isn’t well integrated. On the swallow it tastes cheap and makes me think of whisky flavored mouthwash. There isn’t really a finish on this aside of a mildly antiseptic finish with the hum of the alcohol being the thing you’re left with. The numbing dominance of the alcohol is surprising and disappointing given the relatively low abv (although this tastes more like 40% avb rather than the slightly higher 43% that it’s bottled at) and the hype about extra maturation.

A few drops of water kills the nose and opens the flavors on the palate a little, but only really brings the oak out (not such a great thing) and makes for a very diluted drink.

What does it remind me of?

Wild Turkey Longbranch with the flavor removed. The red lolly flavors on the nose are like Starward Twofold, but the Starward’s ripe, bursting aromas come from their use of red wine casks so I have no idea where it’s coming from on the JB Double Oak.

What do I think?

Not impressed.

This was probably brought out to compete against Woodford Reserve’s popular Double Oaked (or else the WR Doubled Oaked inspired by and an improvement on the JB Double Oak), but the JD Double Oak is a weak offering for serious Bourbon drinkers. I guess it’s aimed at people who don’t want to venture away from one of the best known names but want to try something new. Or maybe it’s supposed to appear ‘smooth’ and infer that this is because of extra maturation, rather than simply being weak and lacking in flavor.

For the price I’d happily have a Buffalo Trace or even a Maker’s Mark. The Longbranch would also edge this out easily. In fact there’s probably a bunch more Bourbons available on the Au market around the same price point that you’d readily take over the JB Double Oak.

The Whisky… It’s not whisky

Country of Origin… Made in Japan

The Location: A forgotten drug den

Sitting on what must be one of the most desirable ‘unoccupied’ pieces of land in Sydney lies the former Mosman Rowing Club. The building, or what remains of it, sprawls across a level grassy area jutting out into the upper end of Middle Harbor in Sydney, surrounded by lush National Park on one side and placid waterways on the other. These separate the site from suburbia and give it a secluded, forgotten atmosphere.

Accessed by steep steps cut into the side of a cliff, or via a meandering bushwalk, this is a place mostly hidden from view, although boats that cruise past will get a glimpse of the structure and it is possible to make it out from nearby Roseville bridge – if you look in exactly the right direction.

The area has a long history of public use for recreation: As far back as 1898 a picnic ground was established, and later a dance hall was erected on the site (in 1906 then replaced in 1922 and 1928). The sandstone piers upon which the current structure rests likely date back to this period.

In the 1950s the land was sold to the Mosman Rowing Club who relocated here temporarily before selling the land in 2006. It was during this period that the current structure was built.

The site has a history of failed applications for development, additions and improvements to access – at times leading to stand offs between land owners, the local council and the National Parks (the later two are responsible for land surrounding the site).

Eventually the building fell into disuse until it was reoccupied for purposes of making methamphetamines (more commonly known as the drug ‘Ice’).

The year after the building was raided by police (2015) a minor fire broke out on April 1^st  2016. Around a week later a more substantial fire consumed the building, causing significant damage.

What remains is a decaying mass of twisted metal and burnt timber, coated in shattered glass and detritus.

It’s a melancholic location that seems to be aware of how decrepit and out of place it is in such pretty surroundings. It’s as if it shrinks back into the landscape, covering itself as much as possible in weeds as a shroud, pulling down its own rafters and roof to be less noticeable.

The floor is mostly intact although there are gaping holes where floorboards have burnt or fallen away. Some walls remain but most are missing and the roof is only suggested by skeletal twisted metal that droops sadly.

I spend a happy hour or so wandering around, poking my nose into each room, taking care not to touch anything due to the amount of broken glass and the risk of residue from the drug manufacturing (although time and plenty of rain has probably made the latter risk not worth worrying about).

Another couple appear, also to explore the ruins and we trade greetings and have a chat. I tell them what I misremember about the history of the building and we agree that it’s a cool place for a look, but a shame that a functional building doesn’t occupy this slice of luxury waterfrontage.

It’s probably about time I let you know what I’m drinking…..

For those of you hoping for a grand reveal of a rare whisky, or maybe the contents of my infinity bottle you’re in for a disappointment. In recognition that July is a month where many choose to go alcohol free (‘Dry July’) I’ve chosen a non alcoholic option with links to whisky. Barley Tea.

Barley tea is made from roasted barley immersed in water to create an infusion. Served hot or cold (I prefer mine cold), usually with a healthy addition of sugar or honey. It makes for a refreshing caffeine free beverage.

We first discovered barley tea during a sweltering summer in Japan, when after multiple cups of cold drip coffee and cold green tea we were over caffeinated but still wanted something to soothe the summer heat. A little café in Takayama, deep in the hills of japan had a pitcher of sweet barley tea that hit the spot and we’ve been fans ever since.

The barley tea I’m drinking was obtained from my local Japanese corner store in Sydney and comes in individual bags making it easy to drop a bag into a sealed bottle, add some sugar, add some water and in about half an hour you have cold barley tea. Remove the bag when it’s as strong as you want it.

For full value today I’m omitting the sugar and have made a relatively strong batch.

The nose is….. virtually non existent, although you do get faint roast cereal notes. But if you’re nosing this beverage you’re taking things way too seriously. Chill out.

On the palate there are hints of the flavours we find in whisky – some caramel, dry grass, cereal, tea like tannins and a natural sweetness, although the tannic astringency overrides pretty much everything other than a roasted, sweet cereal note.

The finish isn’t worth speaking of except to say that you’re left with a pleasant tannic sweetness and a mildly bitter cereal aftertaste (although I won’t guarantee that everyone will find this pleasant).

What does it remind me of?

Green tea I suppose, especially chilled green tea with a similar astringency and mouthfeel. Or overly strong peppermint tea that’s been chilled. If you’ve ever had a barley sugar lolly then you have an idea of what to expect with this, although this is much more bitter. Sort of like if you had a bowl of cornflakes or malt flakes that had been toasted in the oven to the point of burning. Something like that

What do I think?

Barley tea is much better suited to a hot summer’s afternoon than a chilly winter’s day but it was a pleasant way to hydrate after scurrying around the running of the rowing club. It’s low calorie (until you dump sugar in) and seems to take the edge off a hot day better than a soft drink, plain water or a cordial. Even without the sugar it’s a nice alternative to plain water, especially if you’re drinking over chlorinated water or bore water with a mineral or chemical aftertaste. It feels like maybe there’s something in the barley that’s doing my good but I don’t know about that. This is definitely not a non-alcoholic substitute for whisky.

The Whisky: 2000 Berry Bros & Rudd Dailuaine 11 Year Old Single Malt, Single Cask, Scotch Whisky (55.1% abv)

Country of Origin: Scotland (Speyside)

The Location: Bamvinos Pizzeria – Erina Heights, Central Coast, NSW

A few months ago, before the world changed and we went into lockdown, we were north of Sydney, seeing friends and family. We’d arranged to catch up with T for a pizza and a chat – and a whisky. T is a friend through my partner and is one of those people you feel fortunate to know. Even tempered, instantly relaxing to be around and an inspiringly talented photographer – we’d caught T at a wedding the day before (he was the official photographer) and since we all had a gap in our schedules agreed to meet for a feed and a drink.

We knew the pizzas were great at Bamvinos so the location was set. If you’ve read previous reviews you’ll know Bamvinos from the review of the Berry Brothers Blue Hanger 11th Release Blended Malt Scotch Whisky. I had unfinished business with several whiskies behind their bar and today, with T’s help, was the day to do some business.

First things first though, we had to introduce T to the joys of Bamvinos pizzas. We went for the same line up as last time – a slow cooked lamb shoulder and thyme pizza and a ‘trio of truffle’ – truffled salami, truffled pecorino and mushroom with truffle oil. This time I managed to get a hasty photo before these were demolished.

While we stuffed ourselves we caught up with what we’d each been doing in the recent past and speculated on the potential looming crisis ahead (at the time of writing, was no longer a potential crisis, but had become harshly apparent).

Soon the pizzas were gone and the talk turned to whisky. What had we had recently? What was exciting? What was excellent? At this point I suggested the conversation would be better over a dram, so T and I sauntered to the bar and pulled up a couple of stools.

I’d already spotted the Berry’s Dailuaine on my previous visit and while there were a few other whiskies behind the bar that I’m excited to try I absolutely had to go for the Speyside single malt. After guiding the staff to the bottle we wanted (‘no, a little more to the left… the blue and white one…’) we had two neat drams in front of us, and an empty bottle.

The nose is soft with light caramel and light smoke being initially apparent. There’s also fruit and spice – cinnamon spiced pear with cardamon. Also some banana. The spice is low though, while there’s a touch of cinnamon and some vanilla there’s no nutmeg, pepper or cloves. Dry wood notes come through.

On the palate it’s light, a little white pepper then super smooth, hard to believe the abv is above 55%. Again light caramel with vanilla and oak are the predominant flavors. I feel like with more time and a second (or third) glass there’s more to find, but I was limited to a single dram. I couldn’t pick up smoke on the palate but because it’s there in the nose I’m certain it’s on the palate too, but it’s noteable that I didn’t pick it up. Slight oilyness to the texture.

The finish is dry oak. Moderately long, longer than expected for a fairly light and subtle whisky.

What it reminds me of:

Classic Speyside whiskies – because that’s exactly what this is, although it’s much much lighter and less sweet and fruity than ‘popular’ Speysides like Aberlour or Singleton – more like a drier Glenfiddich 12. The characteristic Speyside pear/apple I’m used to is in there though. I’ll also say that the lighter style reminds me of pot still Irish whiskies – the mouthfeel is about the same (thought the flavors are different) and I expected some floral notes on this as soon as I started nosing it.

What do I think?

This is elegant and balanced. Light – it would make a great starting whisky in a line up. I also think it’d be great for having a few drams of – I really don’t think I unlocked the potential this has over just a few sips. The light, reserved but pleasant style make it a perfect ‘beginner’ whisky – there’s not a lot here to offend the palate, the predominant flavors are tasty and easy to find and there’s good complexity allowing further exploration beyond the first sip. It’s really easy and pleasant to drink. I’m not running out to buy a bottle – the style is much lighter than the cask strength whiskies I’m currently loving and in any case I haven’t seen it around anywhere (a quick search online suggests that similar offerings from Berry’s are available, although it’s hard to say how they compare). But if you like lighter styles, or if you’re an Irish whiskey drinker wanting to delve into scotch this would offer a beautiful introduction to Speyside whisky. This is something I’d really like to have another go of in the future though and was really enjoyable.