Tastes
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Amber Lane No. 1 Sherry Lane
Single Malt — Yarramalong Valley, New South Wales, Australia
Reviewed June 24, 2022 (edited August 23, 2022)Amber Lane tasting at The Oak Barrel, Sydney, 8 June 2022. Whisky #4 Nose: Sherry, chocolate covered raisins, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, orange concentrate. This is a big, commanding nose. Palate: Raisins, chocolate and honey. The development brings stone fruits, pears stewed in sherry, crème caramel, baking spices and a little hot ginger. The later palate has meaty leather and tobacco notes. With water the palate is subdued but not damaged. Finish: Medium. The core sherried chocolate-raisin character persists, with a touch of spice lingering into the aftertaste. Amber Lane is a young distillery located in the Yarramalong Valley of New South Wales, mid way between Sydney and Newcastle. The distillery was founded by Rod Berry and Phil Townsend in 2017 and has had its first festival and event tastings this year. No. 1 Sherry Lane was a single cask release (cask no. 023), from an ex-McWilliams apera cask of 300 litre capacity (about 80 US gallons, so technically it would have been a puncheon). The cask produced 369 bottles at 61.6% abv and the whisky is uncoloured and non-chillfiltered. This limited expression is only available from the distillery door, by online order from their website, or at event tastings. It’s a very good, hefty whisky with an individual style. The distillery character is evident throughout and the soft, fruity nature of the Scottish-inspired distillate is complimented very well by rich sherry maturation. There is a ginger note on the palate that appears in all their whisky. I bought a bottle on the night and at $229 ($190 at the event) it is not a cheap whisky, but in comparison to independent cask-strength bottlings and special CS releases (like the annual one from Diageo) it is comparable in quality, fairly priced and competitive. “Very Good” : 85/100 (4 stars)229.0 AUD per Bottle -
Amber Lane Destiny
Single Malt — Yarramalong Valley, New South Wales, Australia
Reviewed June 24, 2022 (edited August 23, 2022)Amber Lane tasting at The Oak Barrel, Sydney, 8 June 2022. Whisky #3 Nose: Sherry, plums, over-ripe figs, vanilla, honey, cognac, red berry coulis. A rich and heavy nose. A dash of water lightens it a little, but does not change the balance. Palate: A big arrival with glazed fig tart drenched in brandy butter. The development sees further big flavours arrive (black cherry jam, chocolate sauce, preserved stem ginger in syrup). The ginger note gains heat and spice with time and the texture is mouth-coating. A good dash of water tones down the intensity of palate. Finish: Medium. Spicy, chocolate covered preserved fruits. Amber Lane is a young distillery located in the Yarramalong Valley of New South Wales, mid way between Sydney and Newcastle. The distillery was founded by Rod Berry and Phil Townsend in 2017 and has had its first festival and event tastings this year. Destiny is the distillery’s first “official” release (Amberosia and Liquid Amber being preliminary expressions). It is a full-bodied whisky that is similar in construction to Liquid Amber, being composed from a combination of ex-Heaven Hill bourbon casks, Australian ex-apera (ie local sherry) casks and ex-Spanish PX solera casks from Fernando de Castilla. However the PX and apera components make up a greater proportion (38%) of this expression and the alcohol content is slightly higher at 50.6% abv. This combination does give it an intense profile that borders on being too spicy hot, but the saving grace is that this whisky not only takes water well, it actively loves dilution. Adding a teaspoon to the dram made it bloom immediately with released aromas you could detect from arm’s length. Like all Amber Lane whiskies it was matured for 4 years, which is twice as long as most Australian whisky. I enjoyed this whisky and it was the favourite of the night for many people at the tasting. It and Liquid Amber are equivalent stablemates in my opinion, each showing a different but equal facet of the Amber Lane house style. “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)179.0 AUD per Bottle -
Amber Lane Liquid Amber
Single Malt — Yarramalong Valley, New South Wales, Australia
Reviewed June 24, 2022 (edited August 23, 2022)Amber Lane tasting at The Oak Barrel, Sydney, 8 June 2022. Whisky #2 Nose: Earthy sherry, plum jam, fig preserve, vanilla essence, caramel sauce. The aromas are rich but there is not a lot of development. Adding water has little impact. Palate: The arrival is full-bodied and sweet but mild, with milk chocolate coated honeycomb the initial flavor. It’s a very easy and welcoming entry that develops into a sweet, rich palate. Toffee, maple syrup, golden syrup, orange zest and stone fruits are apparent and balanced by a little spice. The texture is silky and little changed by the addition of water. Finish: Medium. Sweet and fruity with a touch of cinnamon spices, both sweet and hot. Amber Lane is a young distillery located in the Yarramalong Valley of New South Wales, mid way between Sydney and Newcastle. The distillery was founded by Rod Berry and Phil Townsend in 2017 and has had its first festival and event tastings this year. Liquid Amber is a full-bodied whisky that more closely resembles a gentle, PX-finished Scottish single malt than a typical intense Australian sherry-bomb. The casking was a combination of ex-Heaven Hill bourbon casks, Australian ex-apera (ie local sherry) casks, and ex-Spanish PX solera casks (hogsheads? puncheons?) from Fernando de Castilla. It was matured for 4 years, which is twice as long as most Australian whisky. Like the first whisky we tasted on the evening (Amberosia) I noted a brevity of progression due to youth in both nose and palate but in the case of Liquid Amber this is offset a little by the more complex casking. I enjoyed this whisky enough to buy a bottle on the night. It is natural colour, un-chillfiltered, 48% abv and unusually it is sold in a 700ml size rather than the lamentable 500ml bottles we mostly see. The usual price is $169 but at the event price of $145 I thought it was reasonable value for money. “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)169.0 AUD per Bottle -
Amber Lane Amberosia
Single Malt — Yarramalong Valley, New South Wales, Australia
Reviewed June 24, 2022 (edited August 23, 2022)Amber Lane tasting at The Oak Barrel, Sydney, 8 June 2022. Whisky #1 Nose: Soft, slightly dusty cereal. Very fragrant with honeycomb and vanilla blossom notes. With the addition of water, caramel and a heavier vanilla extract aroma are noticeable. Palate: The arrival is sweet, brightly fruity and grain focused (apple turnover, lemon cheesecake) with some hot spicy ginger in support. The development is short with not a great deal more appearing although with repeated tastes you notice toffee and caramel eclairs. The texture is good but not outstanding. Finish: Medium. Spicy sweet, a tinge of hot ginger. Amber Lane is a young distillery located in the Yarramalong Valley of New South Wales, mid way between Sydney and Newcastle. The distillery was founded by Rod Berry and Phil Townsend in 2017 and has had its first festival and event tastings this year (2022). Amberosia (that’s not a spelling error, the name is a play on words) was their first expression and is fully matured in ex-Heaven Hill bourbon casks. The distillery is not set up for mashing at the moment so the wash is made to their specifications by a local brewery using a mixture of toasted and un-toasted malts. This is a good first product and the only criticisms I would make are that it has an overall simplicity of profile and lacks both body and progression. The nose and palate start very well but then don’t really go anywhere. It was matured for 4 years, which is twice as long as most Australian whisky, and while it definitely shows the benefit of longer casking it also presents as a very young whisky. Still, it’s a great start for the distillery and was a wisely chosen first whisky for the evening’s tasting. The following three whiskies were better but the distillery character that is most clearly shown here was still detectable in their more sherried whiskies. “Above Average” : 80/100 (3 stars)140.0 AUD per Bottle -
Lagavulin 12 Year (2021 Special Release)
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed June 23, 2022 (edited February 27, 2023)“Diageo Special Releases 2021” tasting at The Oak Barrel, Sydney, 22 June 2022. Whisky #7 Nose: Maritime peat reek on a gathering breeze, asphalt, tar, carnauba wax, creosote, iodine, vanilla, lapsang souchong tea (hooray!), grilled lobster with a squeeze of lemon. The addition of water increases the citrus aromas and makes the nose larger. Palate: Exceptional arrival. Sweet smoky lemons drizzled with creosote and honey-pepper pork ribs on the barbecue. Briney malt, shellfish, oysters, asphalt, saltwater toffee and a faint medicinal note in the development. Leathery and with oak hints in the later palate. Water expands the palate into a vanilla sweetness and brings out a fruity presence. The texture is uniquely Lagavulin - creamy, oily yet dry. Finish: Medium/long. Medicinal smoke, pepper, citrus and salt. The finish is initially dry but the long aftertaste turns delightfully sweet. This is the best expression of Lagavulin I have tasted for at least a decade. In more than one respect it reminds me of Lagavulin 16 from 20 years ago. If it was given another 4 years (but in sherry casks) and proofed down I have no doubt it would be very similar indeed. Now please, Diageo, go and do exactly that. The integration is astonishingly harmonious and it repays careful and extended attention. This is a big, elegant whisky that hides its complexity and while the immediately obvious aromas and flavours will wow you, its hidden depths will captivate you and earn your respect. There is no alcohol heat whatsoever and for all its immense presence it is light of touch and meticulously balanced. This whisky is a perfect katana. It was voted the best whisky of the night by roughly half the participants at the tasting. Bottles were not available on the night but could be pre-ordered. I have 1 coming. Highest Recommendation. “Outstanding” : 90/100 (5 stars)249.0 AUD per Bottle -
Talisker 8 Year (2021 Special Release)
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed June 23, 2022 (edited February 27, 2023)“Diageo Special Releases 2021” tasting at The Oak Barrel, Sydney, 22 June 2022. Whisky #6 Nose: Bracing, uplifting smoke – large in quantity but light of touch. Flints, seashore pebbles, drying seaweed, the petrichor of sweet rain washing away seaspray, green apple skins, freshly shucked oysters, smoked white fish with fennel. The addition of a little water brings out kalamata olives in white vinegar, and a good dash of water unveils sauvignon blanc aromas. Palate: Initially sweet but austere and highlighting smoky salted lemon, the palate quickly develops with great finesse. The omnipresent smoke is soft but assured and has an unmistakable maritime quality. Lemon rounds sprinkled with sea salt grilling beside sea bass drizzled with unripe pineapple juice. Soft fresh cereal flavours peep through. There is a stony, mineral aspect that balances a blend of hazelnut milk chocolate, water chestnuts, pepper and a very restrained pinch of chili. The texture is crisp but also full and satisfying. Finish: Medium/long. Sweet grains and mild smoke with a return of light citrus in the aftertaste. This whisky is like a precise surgical tool, a master-crafted rapier, a shimmering flawless-cut topaz or a Rothko painting. In comparison, the vast bulk of whiskies are mere blunt instruments. It has an achingly beautiful light maritime nose and taste that is solidly smoky but sufficiently restrained to allow other aromas and flavours to shine through. Like a delicate chiaroscuro modulating the brightness of an antique portrait, it achieves incomparable integration and yet is only 8 years old. This is formidable whisky making. It can also swim like a dolphin and whilst enticing in neat form, with water it becomes almost too easy to quaff and there is at no time any sign of rubber or plastic regardless of the degree of dilution. It just gets easier to take and a fraction sweeter. Interestingly there is virtually no sign of the expected Talisker “chili catch" – in fact none at all really. There is a light hot spice note, but in comparison to any other Talisker under the age of 25 it is exceptionally mild. You might expect a clean, crisp whisky such as this to be highly distillate driven but I don’t think that’s the case here. It was matured in heavily peated refill casks which I believe acted as neutral containers with a filter, extracting all the harsh elements and heavier congeners and rendering the whisky sparkling clean and fresh after 8 years. Consequently it could be thought of as highly cask driven, but not in the usual additive manner. As you can tell, I thoroughly enjoyed this whisky and nearly bought a bottle, however I had already decided on different purchases. It was one of my equal three favourite whiskies of the night and at the price it is remarkably good value. A lot of the participants at the tasting voted for this as their favourite whisky of the night. Highly recommended. “Excellent” : 88/100 (4.5 stars)150.0 AUD per Bottle -
Oban 12 Year (2021 Special Release)
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed June 23, 2022 (edited November 4, 2022)“Diageo Special Releases 2021” tasting at The Oak Barrel, Sydney, 22 June 2022. Whisky #5 Nose: Chalk (seashells), salt-encrusted beach rocks, kelp, turmeric, mustard, green apple skins, black olives, sweet orange extract and a strong ale-like maltiness. Softer, more floral and with greater integration after the addition of a dash of water and a rest in the glass for a few minutes. Palate: Sweet, full arrival with citrus fruits, salted caramel and a little vanilla. In the development the palate expands into new territory with balsamic vinegar, more brine, mustard, ginger powder and other curry spices all appearing. However, this is a measured progression and the palate never seems too busy. The texture is rich, full and provides a pleasant oily mouthfeel, but it’s not creamy - more like olive oil. Be cautious of adding too much water, however, as this makes the spicy characteristics retreat and the palate turn to a more simplistic sweet profile. Finish: Medium/long. Complex and mildly spicy/sweet. An interesting expression of Oban that has a lot going on but is not especially difficult or challenging, just a little unusual. There were a lot of intriguing aromas presented that blindsided me to start with and required time to identify. I love that! It also improved over the course of the evening. On first nosing it I thought it was messy and lacked integration, like an experimental savory/sweet curry that is not quite properly adjusted yet. However over time (and I’m sure it was partly me adjusting to its profile) I came to appreciate it more. A good whisky, on the whole. I thought it did not have the polish that some of the other expressions displayed, but then it was also way more interesting than the first two whiskies on the card. I don't think anyone voted for this as the best whisky of the night, but it did receive a lot of favourable comments. “Very Good” : 85/100 (4 stars)209.0 AUD per Bottle -
Mortlach 13 Year (2021 Special Release)
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed June 23, 2022 (edited September 18, 2022)“Diageo Special Releases 2021” tasting at The Oak Barrel, Sydney, 22 June 2022. Whisky #4 Nose: Peaches and cream, beeswax, almond meal, malted milk and red berry compote with vanilla yoghurt. With water the nose becomes less fruit oriented and focuses on grains with honey muffins and Anzac biscuits showing up. The nose is delightfully fragrant throughout and gains weight with water. Palate: An excellent entry with soft, rich toffee, butterscotch, vanilla, candied citrus fruit and crystallized ginger. In the development I found milk chocolate, honey, a faint hint of toasted coconut and some subtle, supple oak tannin. The texture is excellently oily and mouth-coating when neat and it gains an exquisite creaminess with water. Like the nose, the palate develops more weight with dilution and changes slightly with sweet citrus notes appearing, but the profile always remains intact and never drowns. Finish: Medium/long. Toffee, walnuts, dark chocolate. It turned just a fraction dry and earthy in the aftertaste, which was perfect. Mortlach is generally encountered in sherried form and it is a big distillate that can take sherry casking in its stride. It’s often described as having a meaty quality and is affectionately referred to as “The Beast of Dufftown “ by critics and enthusiasts alike. There is, however, another side to Mortlach that we do not often get to see. This is almost exclusively experienced through independent bottlings and is floral, sweet, malty and rich but without the earthy spice and brute force it normally extracts from sherry casks. This is such an expression and Diageo deserve praise for giving us this presentation. The alcohol is very well contained. At 55.9% you would expect an ethanol nip but there was none and I did not taste alcohol at any time. The cask selection and presentation was perfect to showcase this distillate in its most elegant form, featuring sweet fruity aromas and flavours supported by mild malt and subtle spice. It also takes water graciously and is eminently enjoyable at cask strength or diluted to a considerable degree. It appears to be almost incapable of drowning as spicy sweetness keeps emerging to fill the void as the proof is dropped. For me this was one of the highpoints of the tasting, and one of the most enjoyable whiskies I've tasted so far this year. It's a generous, bold and delicious dram that is highly enjoyable right off the bat but shows considerably more complexity as you explore its depths. I noted 4.25 stars on the tasting card, voted for it as my favourite dram of the night (as did several other people) and hastened to purchase a bottle at the end of the event. At $225 on the night it was an unmissable bargain. Highly recommended. “Very Good" : 87/100 (4.25 stars)259.0 AUD per Bottle -
Singleton of Glendullan 19 Year (2021 Special Release)
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed June 23, 2022 (edited August 23, 2022)“Diageo Special Releases 2021” tasting at The Oak Barrel, Sydney, 22 June 2022. Whisky #3 Nose: Stewed fruit, walnut bread, warm ginger biscuits, apple strudel, some sort of seed oil (rapeseed?, sunflower?), lemon and orange peel, marzipan, cognac (but see the comments below). With the addition of water there are maple syrup and sultana notes but the nose loses complexity fast. Palate: Beautifully sweet, measured and rich arrival with peach and apricot segments in syrup. In the development sweet hay, caramel, toffee, and vanilla. With water there is some sugar coated ginger, sweet stout or porter and curry spices, but like the nose water makes the palate “simple” very quickly. The texture is oily and chewy when neat but has a neutral mouthfeel with water. Finish: Medium. Nutty, sweet vanilla. There is a noticeable cognac presence in this whisky but it is difficult to pin down. You notice it on one nosing or taste but then it’s gone on the next. It’s also not exactly like the aroma or taste of cognac, but is strongly reminiscent. Initially, before I found out about the casking, I thought it was a white port or maybe moscatel finish. Heavy and winey, but not light and floral. When I found out it was cognac everything sort of slipped into place and made sense. A very good whisky when neat – approaching exquisite on the arrival – but absolutely not one for dilution. The alcohol is well contained and it all just “works” at cask strength. A few drops of water is all that is needed to start the collapse and a teaspoon to a dram makes it fragment with the entire profile turning dull and ordinary. This is a good whisky, but it can’t even dogpaddle, let alone swim. It was however the first whisky of the lineup I considered buying, and if nothing better had emerged later I probably would have picked up a bottle. However that did not happen 😉. A couple of people voted for this as their favourite whisky of the night, and I noticed today that the store is out of stock, so it is clearly popular. “Good” : 84/100 (3.75 stars)269.0 AUD per Bottle -
Royal Lochnagar 16 Year (2021 Special Release)
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed June 22, 2022 (edited August 23, 2022)“Diageo Special Releases 2021” tasting at The Oak Barrel, Sydney, 22 June 2022. Whisky #2 Nose: Stewed stone fruits (apricot, nectarine), vanilla, butterscotch, roasted nuts. It's distinctly a fruity/floral nose but a heavier, darker type than you usually encounter on whisky, and features jonquil, freesias and frangipani against a grassy background. Adding water unleashes a huge honeysuckle note that, with a short rest in the glass, first turns to caramel and then later to molasses. Palate: Sweet, full arrival. Very nutty and buttery with macadamias, hazelnuts and chestnuts all at full volume. The texture is creamy and there is a dry woody presence, but it is not astringent, and a pleasantly sour/salt note like vanilla and salted caramel yoghurt. Very approachable whisky when neat. There is a hint of peppery spice and adding water turns this up to full volume. Finish: Medium. Fruity, but with a savoury character like fruit chutney. The aftertaste is a lighter fruity sweetness and a little pepper. The nose and palate are quite distinct on this whisky, the nose being all about floral fruits while the palate concentrates on buttery, nutty flavours and there is very little crossover between aroma and taste, even once you have had several sips. The alcohol is excellently contained, and this whisky is very approachable when neat. In fact, it is surprisingly mild and you would never suspect it is 57.5% abv. I thought it was at its best this way as water diminishes the interesting profile and pulls out a much hotter, drier aspect of the palate, so I’d strongly recommend taking this neat. This is one of the most expensive whiskies in the 2021 special release lineup and although it’s a good whisky I didn’t think it was worth the money. I would maybe pay half that much, but no more. Like the 1st whisky on the card this received 0 votes for best whisky of the night. “Good” : 84/100 (3.75 stars)389.0 AUD per Bottle
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