Tastes

Nose (neat): Resinous wood, tobacco, raisins, figs, cloves, nutmeg. There is a very strong alcohol “nip” on the neat nose that intrudes on the nosing experience and prevents access to the more subtle aromas. Unfortunately one of these is the peat smoke which is very fragrant but subtle. The more this rests in the glass and the initial alcohol vapours dissipate the more smoke you notice and the less the wood notes intrude. Nose (reduced): The oak cask and smoke aromas blend to perfection once a dash of water is added. The rest of the nose is also softened a touch, gains golden syrup aromas and the final result is not unlike Glenfarclas 105. Huh, who knew? Palate (neat): The arrival is hot and huge with the 61% alcohol ransacking the palate. The heat does, however, fade fairly quickly into a development of semi-sweet dark fruits, spices and Christmas cake flavours (cherries, figs, dates, currants, treacle, dark sugars, walnuts, almonds, nutmeg, cinnamon). The texture is oily (this has mammoth legs when swirled) but on the mouth it is a little thin. Curious. Palate (reduced): As with the nose, a dash of water works miracles on the palate by melding everything together, reducing the alcohol hit and revealing more sweetness. It was not until I added water that I actually tasted smoke. Finish: Medium/Short. Treacle, dark fruit and a little smoke fading to a spicy aftertaste. Water lengthens the finish and leaves a trace of smoke as the final taste. This is the third of my three recently acquired tasting samples of high-strength Limeburners whiskies and once again there is that presence of resinous wood, but in this expression it is less intrusive as it melds with the peat smoke. Like with their Port Cask expression this whisky did not really wake up and perform until it was reduced, and I guess I reduced it to about 45% before it was dialed in to my taste. At that stage it is very good and the best Limeburners expression I have tasted. Looking back over old tasting notes (not recorded on Distiller) my previous favourite Limeburners was also a Peated Director’s Cut expression so there is clearly a pattern. What I’m taking away from these three recent tastings is that Limeburners is a rather average and simple whisky that shows a lot of youth, except when it is bottled at high strength and peated. In that context smoke combines with the house profile of youthful woodyness and reduction works wonders by releasing sugars and complexity. I’d note, however, that even this expression is still a rather simple dram and as tasty as it is, complexity is not a hallmark of Limeburners whisky. This is also expensive for what it is and I would never contemplate buying a bottle, but I’m pleased to have had a chance to try a sample, get to grips with the distillery style, and figure out exactly what it was that attracted me to the Director’s Cut expression I had several years ago at a show tasting. When tasted neat I was going to give this whisky 84/100 but after adding a dash of water that rating is going up to 85. “Very Good” : 85/100 (4 stars)

Nose (neat): Fortified wine, pipe tobacco, balsa wood, raisins, figs, cloves, nutmeg. There is a strong ethanol hit and an earthy quality but young resinous wood aromas tend to push everything else aside. Nose (reduced): Lots of berry notes, the wine aroma sweetened, the dark fruits deepened and the resinous wood all but disappeared. Much better. Palate (neat): Big, sweet and hot tannic arrival with raisins, dates and almost burnt molasses. Lots of chewing tobacco in the development along with dark fruitcake, but it has a sour edge like it has been overcooked and nearly burnt. Palate (reduced): More gently sweet with the hot alcohol tamed and the burnt fruitcake going away. The reduced palate is luscious and considerably more satisfying. It does not gain complexity, but it does achieve balance and poise. Finish: Medium. Toffee and sour apples fading to acidic cola. When water is added the palate lengthens and becomes sweeter and more gentle. This is the second of my recently acquired tasting samples of high-strength Limeburners whiskies. As with every Limeburners expression I have yet tasted there is a forceful presence of young, resinous wood, like a combination of balsa and pine. This is out of control in some expressions but in others, like this one, it’s not too intrusive. I don’t know whether it is the particular casks they use, or the climate, or the distillate itself that produces this woody quality but I’m just not a fan. However I was very pleased that adding a dash of water significantly changed this dram. On the nose everything instantly integrated and deepened with a lot of cherry and blackberry notes coming out. Most satisfyingly the intrusive woody quality I dislike retreated almost completely. The palate was likewise much improved with the fruitcake, molasses and tobacco melding and softening. Allowing the reduced dram to rest in the glass for a while improves it even more. When tasted neat I was going to give this whisky 79/100 but after adding a good dash of water that rating is going up to 83. This is the second best Limeburners whisky I've tasted to date, but IMHO reducing it is compulsory. “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)

Nose (neat): Oranges, apricots, fresh timber, light malt (lager?). It’s a good but simple array of aromas. Nose(reduced): The nose is not improved with water, unless you add a lot. A small dash kills the fruity aromas leaving only alcohol and pencil shavings. Adding more balances it out but the nose becomes flat. Palate (neat): Big and alcoholic but somewhat thin on the arrival with oranges and light wood being the main characteristics. There is a sharp bitterness in the development as of spoiled fruit or over-dried raisins but there is some balance from brioche-like cereal notes. The texture is full but somehow it lacks weight. Palate (reduced): A little water tames the hefty arrival and develops a lot of sweetness but does not develop any more complexity – in fact if anything it simplifies the palate further into an orange and sweet chilli combination. Finish: Medium/Short. Sour fruit fading to resinous wood. Reduction lengthens the finish (which is expected) but adds little else. Spirity and woody at first, with time to relax in the glass the nose gains more character but it never rises to great heights. Adding water mellows everything out a lot but by the time the intense alcohol nip has gone you have reduced it to less than 40%abv and there is little left. The same is true of the palate – by the time it has gained balance it is almost devoid of character. I keep persevering with Limeburners and recently bought a set of three cask-strength (well, actually “high-strength”) samples of expressions I have not previously tried. This is the first and I’m not much impressed as it is a rather simple whisky. It’s perfectly quaffable and has no off-notes, but there are considerably better and more interesting whiskies being made in Australia for much less cost. At the asking price of AUD$259 I just can’t recommend this. Tasted from a 30ml sample “Average” : 79/100 (2.75 stars)

Nose: Oily cereal, peaches, vanilla, fresh wood, crushed dandelions, mustard, a trace of fortified wine. There is no peat smoke at all. Great nose 86/100 Palate: Spicy (ginger), very oily cereal and malt flavours. Grassy and herbaceous notes in the development (hay, tumeric, mustard greens, cress) together with a some bitter, astringent citrus pith and salinity. The texture is full and weighty. 83/100 Finish: Medium. Grassy cereal notes with chilli and ginger spice. There is a briny quality to the aftertaste. 83/100 This whisky is dynamically cask-driven, the mantilla fino finish contributing a great deal to its character. There is a grassy dryness and austerity on the palate that shouts “fino”, and after nosing the whisky several times this also comes through on the aromas. The nose has a pleasant woody note but it’s not as light and raw as pencil shavings nor as mature as old oak casks. It has sweetness and depth contributed by the fino but also a light, crisp character. It’s like a timberyard stacked with trimmed logs ready for the mill. In previous tastings of Oban Distillers Edition I’ve always found a subtle thread of smoke but that is completely absent here, and I can’t say I’m disappointed. It’s great to smell the bouquet without any occluding smoke. There is, however, a slight disconnect between the nose and palate as the nose is sweeter and deeper and it set you up to expect a particular palate profile that is then not delivered. What it does give is good, but unexpectedly spicy and dry. Still, it is a good whisky and one that would be particularly enjoyable as an aperitif. Tasted from a 30ml sample. “Good” : 84/100 (3.75 stars)

Nose: Sweet cereal (corn, oily barley), vanilla, toffee, oak. It's a simple, straightforward nose but it's very pleasant. Palate: Sweet vanilla and cereal. It’s a very young palate but not unpleasantly so. It tastes sprightly rather than brash and is very easy to drink. Vanilla, caramel, butterscotch pudding, maple syrup. The texture is silky and soft. Finish: Medium/Short. Sweet cereal fading to corn syrup. This affordable whisky is made from a mashbill of corn, wheat and barley and is aged in #3 char virgin American oak barrels. It has a sweet profile overall and although it has a simple character it is delightful, and dangerously easy, to drink. This is a perfect summer afternoon sippin’ whiskey that is surprisingly reminiscent of Irish pot-still whiskey. Upshot is one of several brands made by the Whipper Snapper distillery in East Perth, Western Australia. I’ve tasted four of their products so far and along with the Whipper Snapper Rye Whisky this has been my favourite. I did not like their Wheat Whiskey or Single Malt so much and, for me anyway, I’d love to see them putting all their energy into their corn and rye whiskies because this is clearly their strength. I enjoyed this a lot and I can see myself using it as an everyday sipper or as a mixer. On their site they have a recipe for a cocktail using this but it sounds disgusting so I’m not going there! Instead I cut it with dry ginger and it was fine. I wouldn’t bother to order this especially, but I’d buy it if I saw it in our local liquor shop. This joins the ranks of several very welcome sub-$100 local Australian whiskies that have appeared in our market over the last two years, and it's one of the best yet. “Above Average” : 81/100 (3 stars)

Nose: Oily cereal (classic pot still), vanilla, white grape juice, gooseberries, red apples. Floral aromas appear as it sits and opens in the glass (jonquils, hyacinth, honeysuckle). There is an initial touch of acetone in the nose which grates just a bit but it dissipates quickly. Adding water tones down the nose (maybe a bad thing?) makes the barley aromas dusty and warm, which is very agreeable, and it also rids the nose of any spirity intrusions. Palate: Sweet cereal with considerable weight, barley sugar, fresh brioche, buttery malt, apples, sweet white wine. The development sees both vanilla and grapefruit coming forward, which is unusual, but it works. The texture is luxurious and very oily. Reducing the whisky just a little with a couple for drops of water mellows and "blends" the palate very well. Finish: Medium. Sweet and mildly spicy but fading to dry in the aftertaste with a zingy almost bitter citrus nip. Water adds length to the finish with some added warm spice. I’m not sure which batch I’m tasting as my sample did not give me that information, but I think it is most likely the 2021 release. Like the Château Léoville Barton Green Spot that I reviewed here a few years ago this is a wine-finished riff on Green Spot that is pleasant and very easy to enjoy, but it’s questionable as to whether the price increase over regular Green Spot makes it a value purchase. I doubt you would find this now but when it was available it cost about 50% more than regular Green Spot. Still, it’s a well-handled white wine finishing and certainly a delicious whisky, although I did get a sensation of its youth several times. Initially I was going to give it the same rating I gave the Château Léoville Barton expression but after adding a few drops of water it responded so well that I'm adding a point to the score. Tasted from a 30ml sample. “Good” : 84/100 (3.75 stars)

Nose: Malt extract, milk arrowroot biscuits (digestive biscuits), toffee, coffee, raisins, sultanas, caramel, old oak and some gentle spices. It’s a big, complex nose that balances the distillate and cask influences. Water unites the nose very well and develops the spice notes, particularly a hint of menthol and anise. Palate: Very pleasant arrival that combines sweet wine and dry spice notes. Malt, baking spices, chewing tobacco, walnuts and most especially fortified wine in the development but although it is at heart a sweet whisky it never strays too far towards over-sweetness. Dark fruits, cherries, preserved peel, barley sugar. The texture is full and has good weight but it’s not oily, nor creamy. Water takes this palate a notch higher without spoiling anything. Finish: Medium/Long. Malt, gentle spices and fortified wine. Water lengthens the finish and the aftertaste is very pleasant. Smith’s Angaston is one of the rarest Australian single malts. It comes from the prestigious Yalumba winery at Angaston in the Barossa Valley of South Australia where whisky was produced from the 1950s-70s. In the early 1980s the stills went silent but they were fired up again for a few runs in the late 1990s. After that it looked likely that the distillery operation would be shut down completely. Thankfully the contemporary whisky craze was just getting started when the whiskies from those late 90s runs were released. They were highly praised and the distillery gained a new lease of life with further runs taking place in 2011, and then every 3-4 years since. Why Yalumba does not ramp up production is unknown. Like the Smith’s Angaston 2011 Vintage 8 Year Old I previously reviewed, the malt for this whisky was made from heavy roast Flagship barley (a modern hybrid developed in South Australia) and made into wash at the Cooper’s Brewery in Adelaide. The distillate was matured for 8 years in a “selection of (unspecified) casks” before being finished for 2 years in an ex-Muscat barrique. 1516 bottles were produced (mostly 375ml half-bottles). Like the 8 year old this is a big fortified-wine whisky but it has more balance and complexity. It is still a sweet whisky and the casks do speak very loudly, but it is more restrained, elegant and more reminiscent of a heavily sherried Speysider. It is basically a luscious dessert whisky. I can highly recommend adding water and at 47.2% it can handle a small dash easily. Without water I would rate this at 84/100 but water contributes two more percentage points. The most similar Scottish single malts I can think of to Smith’s Angaston house character are the Benrinnes, Blair Athol and Dailuaine whiskies in Diageo’s Flora & Fauna range, and this 10 year old is particularly reminiscent of Dailuaine. Hmm, actually this is even more like a young Glenfarclas from back in the 1990s. Tasted from a 30ml sample. “Very Good” : 86/100 (4 stars)

Nose: Massive barley sugar, golden syrup, malt extract, dried dates, milk chocolate, toffee, molasses, vanilla pods, caramel, old oak, and a tidal wave of fortified wine (sherry, port, muscat). Water brings out leathery notes and a touch of clove and baking spice. Palate: The arrival is sweet, soft and starts like a gentle wave before building to a flood of wine-influenced barley spirit on an ocean of fortified wine. Dark fruits, cherries, preserved peel, almonds, golden syrup, barley sugar. It’s like a rich Christmas cake drenched in sherry and brandy, and the texture is heavy and luxurious. Although it starts off very sweet the palate veers towards dryness as it progresses. As with the nose, water changes the palate by highlighting its dry, spicy side while taming the sweetness. Finish: Medium/Long. Dried fruit and malt fading to wine and reduced sugar syrups (molasses, treacle, golden syrup) but there is enough tannin from the oak to keep things balanced. Water brings out a lemon oil flavour in the aftertaste. Smith’s Angaston is one of the rarest Australian single malts. It comes from the prestigious Yalumba winery at Angaston in the Barossa Valley of South Australia. Whisky was produced there from the 1950s-70s but in the early 1980s the stills went silent, however they were briefly fired up again for a few runs in the late 1990s. After that it looked likely that the distillery operation would be shut down completely. Thankfully the contemporary whisky boom was just getting started when the whiskies from those late 90s runs were released. They were well received and the distillery gained a new lease of life with further runs taking place in 2011, and then every 3-4 years since. Why Yalumba does not ramp up production is unknown. The malt for this was made from heavy roasted Flagship barley (a modern hybrid developed in South Australia) and made into wash at the Cooper’s Brewery in Adelaide. However the trick that Yalumba brings to their whisky is their access to exceptional casks. They have been producing outstanding fortified wines and brandy for over a century and, after initial aging in large refill casks, this whisky was matured in octaves that had previously contained 50-60 year old fortified wines. 837 bottles were produced. It is a very big, sweet whisky and for those not partial to fortified wine-cask matured whiskies it may seem almost grotesquely saturated with cask character. Personally I think it just narrowly avoids being a freak but it is a near escape. It is only the quality of the casks and the generous amount of soft tannins they contribute to balance their sweetness that makes this work. I can recommend adding water to this whisky, but be careful to add just a few drops because it is only at 43% and can bruise easily. Reduction takes the edge off the sweetness and develops some excellent gentle spice notes. Without water I would rate this at 82/100 but once reduced it deserves a couple more points. The most similar Scottish single malts I can think of are the Benrinnes, Blair Athol and Dailuaine whiskies in Diageo’s Flora & Fauna range, but this is sweeter and lacks the complexity of those whiskies due to its comparative youth. I would love to taste this whisky if it was transferred to a refill bourbon cask and left in a stable, cool warehouse for another 8 years. Tasted from a 30ml sample. “Good” : 84/100 (3.75 stars)