Tastes

Nose: Malt, leather, sherry, golden syrup, vanilla, caramel, dark dried fruits, roasted nuts, orange peel, over-brewed black tea, blackstrap molasses, liquorice. An intense (maybe over-intense?) nose with a definite sulphur note. The dry-glass aroma is earthy leather. There is something funky and rum-like about this, and also a suggestion of brandy. As the level in the bottle drops the nose veers towards a less heavy and syrup-dominated profile. Palate: Sweet, malty arrival with hints of oak very prevalent and the sulphur stain is again noticed, but less so than on the nose. When first opened it was all syrup, toffee and fortified wine but as it has oxidised the development has become dry. Dark fruits, red berries, tinned peaches, Christmas pudding (almost burnt), dark chocolate, treacle, kirschwasser and a tiny hint of char. The texture is dense and heavy. Finish: Medium/long. Malty, grapey cereal with a tang of spice and a hint of char and faint rubber in the aftertaste. This is a *big* whisky but it lacks nuance and there is a flaw in either the distillate or the casks. It was highly anticipated locally but I had not expected such a bludgeon of a whisky. It resembles a rather industrial version of Glenrothes, which is not a compliment. The nose was initially winey and leathery with huge rum and brandy aromas present. These notes have diminished with time (and lowering of the level) and the whisky has become less "busy", but it has undeniable sulphur notes that are not enjoyable. The palate has changed less. Morris of Rutherglen is a highly respected Australian winery that specializes in fortified wines. They have been making prize winning liqueur muscat, tokay, sherry (ahem, apera) and so on since the mid 1800s so these guys know their heavy wines and needless to say they have immediate access to an almost inexhaustible supply of top-quality fortified wine casks. The winery also has a quirky spirits still that dates back to the 1940s. It was originally used to make the spirit for fortifying their wines until it was mothballed about 30 years ago. It’s a weird combination of a pot-still and a big column in the one unit, but it's not actually a column still. Recently it was recommissioned to make barley-spirit and this whisky is one of the initial releases. The same still is used for both wash and spirit distillation. This is being released in big batches, in a 700ml bottle (HOORAY!) and at a very reasonable price. I’m very happy to see a big player winery with street cred get into the whisky business in this country – it can only be good for everyone. However at the moment this is not a particularly good whisky, in fact it’s a bit of a monster and all over the place. Like many other Australian whiskies it is not subtle and tends to pummel you with intense, funky aromas and flavours. At least it's not as overblown as some other recent releases have been (*cough* Archie Rose *cough*). “Average” : 78/100 (2.75 stars)

Manly Spirits Inaugural Release Virtual Tasting, October 6th 2021, Sample #5 Nose: Ginger, strong and intense. Apple juice, apple cider. The dried glass aroma is ginger. Palate: Spicy/sweet arrival with ginger clearly dominant. Fruity and malty flavours show up in the development. A little heat, but that’s not surprising, and the texture is full and rounded. Finish: Medium. Ginger ... ginger ... ginger ... The last expression of the tasting was an experimental casking that has been matured for just over 2 years so far (the minimum requirement in Australia) in a 300 litre ex-red wine cask. This had already been used by Starward distillery in Melbourne for maturing their malt whisky, and then by Four Pines brewery for their barrel-aged ginger beer. Being a refill cask with a diverse history it’s not surprising that this contributed complexity to the Manly Spirits new-make without too much oak presence, and the result is a tasty and rounded dram ... but it's not really whisky as we know it. This was labelled as a work-in-progress malt but I’m not certain whether it is to be released as part of the “Coastal Stone” series. I enjoyed it but it’s always difficult to judge an unusual whisky against more traditional styles. Is it really just a whisky-flavoured alcoholic ginger beer? I have to admit to being pleasantly surprised by this but I wouldn't buy a bottle, and I'm not convinced it can even be rated on the same scale as other whiskies. However I have to admit it was genuinely enjoyable to try. I'm giving it 3 stars, but the score is a reflection of its potential for fun and its value as a point of conversation rather than any quality as whisky. “Above Average” : 80/100 (3 stars)

Manly Spirits Inaugural Release Virtual Tasting, October 6th 2021, Sample #4 Nose: Oaky with light red wine notes (berries, cherries, stewed plums). The dry-glass aroma is earthy with a slightly “sweaty” quality (but in a good way). Palate: Dry arrival, oak and red fruits but with an overall astringent character. Dried strawberries, stewed rhubarb, sour cherries in syrup with a little citrus juice, ginger and a hint of roasted almonds. Tannins emerge mid palate and build into the finish. Finish: Medium. Mildly astringent fruity oak. The second work-in-progress whisky tasted on the night. It has been matured (so far) for 4 years in 1st fill Australian pinot-noir casks coopered from French oak. I’d guess they were fresh and not re-toasted. I don’t know when this is slated for release but I’d think it will only improve with another year or two. If it had a touch more softness this could be the best whisky in their range. It has more fullness and presence on the nose than the other whiskies in their portfolio with red-wine notes clearly discerned as red fruits, however it is still a light and delicate dram on the palate and certainly not a “wine bomb”. I did note that this was not improved by the addition of water. It’s 50% abv is less obvious than that of the bourbon cask expression and I much preferred it neat. Apart from its dryness, which seemed just a bit prominent, I thought it was the most interesting whisky of the night and was only tipped for the number one spot by the bourbon cask whisky, however with time I think this could take pole position. I'm giving them the same rating here as either might seem better depending on individual palates. If this continues to improve I’d maybe buy a bottle when it is released, and I'd anticipate it will also be $200. “Above Average” : 81/100 (3 stars)

Manly Spirits Inaugural Release Virtual Tasting, October 6th 2021, Sample #3 Nose: Malt extract, apple cider and oak notes with a hint of vanilla and a little hay-like grassiness. The dry-glass aroma is grassy malt. Palate: Sweet and slightly spicy (ginger), orchard fruit and citrus arrival, turning to a deeper malty character in the development. Apple Danish with lemon icing. The progression is fast and the texture is as good as the other Coastal Stone whiskies, but maybe a little lighter. Finish: Medium. The fruity notes turn slightly spicy/sour and a little tannin is noticeable right at the end. Matured in 200 litre 1st fill ex-Heaven Hill bourbon casks for 4 years, this was the first of three work-in-progress whiskies we tasted on the night. It is not available for sale yet but is due for release later in 2021, probably in time for Christmas. I enjoyed this more than the sherry-cask expression. I think maturation entirely in larger casks suits the Manly Spirits new-make and bourbon-wood seems more sympathetic to the distillery character. Like the previous whisky it also seemed a trifle young to my palate, but it was less apparent than the youth on the sherry cask whisky. Personally I’d give this maybe a year or two more in the casks before release, but what do I know? The apple note from the new-make spirit is enhanced here, particularly with a drop of water, which I thought improved the dram slightly. This one is at a slightly higher abv than the sherry-cask whisky and you could taste it – dropping it just a percent or two softened it quite a lot. This was my favourite of the whiskies we sampled at the tasting, but as much as I’d love to support Manly Spirits with a purchase I’m not inclined to spend $200 for a half-litre bottle of whisky I'm only rating at 3 stars. “Above Average” : 81/100 (3 stars)

Manly Spirits Inaugural Release Virtual Tasting, October 6th 2021, Sample #2 Nose: Pyrethrum daisies, cherries and a confectionery quality like faint strawberry sweets. Some sherry aromas but the green apple cider note from the new-make spirit pushes through. As it rests, a maple syrup note develops and a sawdust quality is noticed on the dry glass. Palate: Semi-sweet dark chocolate and fruit arrival. Very estery with orchard fruits in the development and a slight gingery quality towards the finish. The sherry presence is very restrained with no dark fruit or nutty flavours apparent. The texture is good. Finish: Medium/short. Loses presence quickly. This is the first official “Coastal Stone” whisky, which is the brand name that Manly Spirits has adopted for its whisky releases. This inaugural whisky was matured in a combination of shaved and re-toasted first fill ex-apera (ie Australian sherry) casks of 100 and 225 litre capacity. The smaller casks were matured for 4 years and the larger for 3 years. It is certainly whistle clean and shows some good qualities, but it also seemed too young. I thought it was better with a dash of water, which brought out the cask presence that was otherwise shy. The nose was improved in general by dilution, gaining heft, and the palate gained sweetness. While I prefer a spirit-driven whisky there is a difference between oak being controlled and simply absent. This seemed to me like the new-make with a veneer of oak influence rather than a whisky that has gained balance and complexity with age. I would love to taste this at 8-10 years of age when it had been given the time to reach its full potential, but such maturation would probably have to be in hogsheads only as that much time in 100 litre casks would produce far too much oak influence. However larger casks are both a logistical and financial issue, particularly for a young distillery. There is a shadow of greatness looming in Manly Spirits whiskies, but it is at present too incorporeal to fully discern. Interestingly, I was more impressed with some of their Work In Progress samples than this first official release. If this review seems a little harsh please also bear in mind that this whisky is AUD$200 for a 500ml bottle, which means for 750 ml it would cost the equivalent of US$220. Expense and volume of production are common issues for young Australian distilleries and while I never deduct from a rating because of price, the bottom line is that I can buy far better whiskies for that sort of money. “Average” : 78/100 (2.75 stars)

Manly Spirits Inaugural Release Virtual Tasting, October 6th 2021, Sample #1 Nose: Very cidery, malty, faintly floral and a little biscuity. Full and rich but also delicate with no negative aromas at all. Clean and alluring. The malt and floral notes are highlighted in the dry glass. Palate: Sweet, malty arrival. Hardly any development but that’s typical for new-make. The texture is excellent with a silky but robust mouthfeel and the presentation is very easy, gentle and clean. There is no heat and you would never guess this is over 60% abv. It is remarkably approachable and satisfying for new make spirit. Finish: Medium. Sweet/sour fruity and malt notes. It’s extremely unlikely that you will ever get to taste this as it is not normally bottled. A sample was provided along with four aged expressions for this virtual tasting of Manly Spirit’s first public whisky release. I’m reviewing it here because I will be reviewing the “Coastal Stone” brand release as well and as you will see later an understanding of the character of the new-make is critical to understanding the current state of play with their matured whisky. If you visit the distillery when a spirit run is in progress and you are lucky enough to meet David or Reg you may be able to nose a sample of warm spirit from the still, but don’t count on it. I was lucky enough to try it in this manner a few years ago not long after the distillery had first opened and I was very impressed. The fermentation time is long at around 120 hours and this drives the wort into secondary fermentation where the yeast has died off and lacto-bacillus activity takes over. The distillery uses both brewer’s and distiller’s yeast which typically results in a richer, more estery profile (the use of brewer’s yeast is common in Australian distilleries). They also do not save and re-distill the spirit foreshots, which is the common practice, preferring instead to discard them to achieve a sweeter, cleaner spirit. I’ve tasted new-make at many distilleries and this is one of the best I’ve sampled. It’s very clean, sweet and full-bodied but there is also a delicacy and lightness to it. This gentle, approachable but powerful character is very pleasant and the new make is a delight to nose and taste just by itself (and according to Reg Papps, the head distiller, it is a treat mixed with ginger ale). “Very Good” : 85/100 (4 stars)