Tastes

Nose: Oak planks, wood shavings, a hay-barn, faint fruit notes (berries, cherries), nutmeg, cardamom, cloves. There is a savoury, earthy quality to the nose that is unusual and distinctive, but intense wood aromas from the cask dominate the proceedings. This is initially unbalanced but it does gain a little equilibrium over time in the glass. Palate: Full, mouth-coating but also brittle on the arrival. A hint of initial astringency with tannic and marc notes. This gives way to a more toffee-like quality and dark, almost burnt, fruitcake. Baking spices emerge next, similar to those noticed on the nose (nutmeg, cinnamon) together with tobacco and dark cherry. Although it has a rich presentation, there is a thin and dry quality to the palate and just like the nose, oak is noticed behind every flavour. Finish: Medium. Fruitcake and port notes. I found very little in this whisky to match the official Distiller tasting notes, however I'm not surprised as Limeburners is known for being uneven . This particular batch is less sweet and controlled by the tawny [Australian port] than I've tasted before, but the cask was allowed to run wild. Every Limeburners batch is a single cask expression (diluted) and after years of being all over the place I can't help but wonder why they don't introduce at least a modicum of consistency by blending casks. This is a malt I find more "interesting" then enjoyable. It does evolve in the glass and has depth, but it can also seem ham-fisted and confused. I had hoped that this sample would be the best of the three in the pack I bought recently, but sadly it is just not that good. This cask was either allowed to mature for far too long, or it was far too active for the short maturation whisky must of necessity receive in a hot, dry and widely varying climate. A drop of water soothes the nose a little, but is a disaster on the palate, bringing out harsh bitter tannins. This is much better neat. Tasted from a distillery-bottled 100ml sample. "Average" : 78/100 (2.75)

Nose: Peat smoke of the maritime persuasion. Kelp, sweet citrus, vanilla, treacle. Pleasantly restrained. Palate: Sweet-tinged peat and toffee on the arrival. The development introduces an unmistakable grain-whisky character. The texture is pleasant, almost creamy, and there is no burn at all. Very easy, buttery and warming on the palate, with notes of mocha coffee and barbecue sauce. Finish: Medium. Soft malty smoke flavours that fade into the aftertaste. Very pleasant, and perfectly acceptable as long as you keep in mind this is an attractively priced blended scotch. Don't approach it expecting a "storm-force 10" Islay single malt or robust mainland peated single malt. It does not have the depth and strength of profile you get in a such whiskies, but that is not at all a flaw. This scotch must be judged in context against its peers and it sits somewhere between a mass-market mildly smoky blend like Johnnie Walker Double Black and a smoky blended malt like The Six Isles or Compass Box Peat Monster. Its grain component gives it sweetness and good texture, and at the low proof it is very easy to drink neat. It also has enough presence to stand up to mixing and it would work well in a coke 'n smoke or as a cocktail ingredient. I tried half of my sample with a couple of drops of water and it took it well. The presentation was quickly muted however so if adding water don't drown it - it's not fragile, just mild and it can be swamped. As a gently smoky dram over ice or with water I'm sure many people would find this highly enjoyable. I certainly did. If you like the tastes you've had of Islay whisky but still find most of them to be a bit too intense for your palate than this might be just what you are seeking. Tasted from a 30ml sample. "Above Average" : 82/100 (3.25 stars)

Nose: Light malty cereal, buttered toast, orchard fruits, oil of cloves and grapefruit peel in equal measure. There is a slight alcohol prickle, but it's not unpleasant. A dash of water mellows the nose, but ethanol is still quite noticeable. Palate: Bright arrival with crisp barley sugar notes. The development dramatically expands this with billowing, dusty barley - it's almost like diving head-first into a grain hopper. There is a sudden rush of hot chili and ginger spice together with a lot of tannin, and this is intensified by the relatively high abv. The texture is neutral. The addition of water greatly tames and softens the palate, modulating the bright spicy notes and giving the dram a more rounded character, with sweeter lemon notes coming through. Finish: Medium/Short. Spicy cereal through into the dry aftertaste, with some mildly bitter notes. An interesting blend with a very fresh, bold delivery and a clean presentation. It has its own charm but you never lose the impression that although it is a good quality whisky it is also rather young. It lacks the depth of a single malt and the grain whisky contribution is rather bracing. However, that said, it does have a well defined profile and there is certainly character here. I thought it was better suited to mixing rather than neat sipping. Over ice and with a splash of soda water it is most pleasant and refreshing, and I imagine it would work very well indeed in cocktails where its forward character would make a strong and agreeable statement. Whether or not this is worth a try would depend entirely on how much it costs in your area. At the standard retail price of AUS$70 it's just a bit expensive in my opinion, but if you found it for around $50 and were in the mood for something bright and crisp it would be a good buy. "Above Average" : 80/100 (3 stars)

Nose: Honey, red apple, red berries, vanilla, baked banana, caramel toffee, slightly beery sweet-malt aromas. Palate: The arrival is very soft initially with light orchard fruits and pleasant, mild, honeyed malt. In the development some more fruit notes can be discerned, but they are a little richer, more like stewed fruits with a sprinkle of brown sugar. The texture is pleasant but maybe just a fraction too thin. There is a background note of weak rooibos tea. Finish: Short. This whisky has very little finish. It fades quickly with a brief flourish of mild spice then all that remains in the aftertaste is a sweet malty flavour and the remnants of the tea note. My tasting notes may make this sound like a very ordinary dram ("pedestrian" as the dismissive official comment puts it) but it is in fact a delightful whisky. Just don't come to it with expectations of grandiose character because you will be disappointed. It has a shy, modest soul. The nose is full of gentle, sweet tones and reminds me a little of Tomintoul, but this is more "leathery". It's a comforting introduction that immediately puts you into a relaxed frame of mind, and the nose is the best part of the tasting experience. The palate is similarly easy but with a light savory note as well. Although it has a sherry finish this is not a banal sherry monster at all - the casks (almost certainly oloroso) have been used to supplement and extend the bourbon-cask contribution, rather than balance it with spice, grape and tannin. There is something about this whisky that brings to mind a glass of real red ale. The only fault is the shortness of length. The finish is very brief indeed and the palate itself somewhat abbreviated. This is not necessarily an awful thing - I certainly prefer no finish to a bad one - but you can't help wishing there was just a little more going on here. Still, this is very easy to quaff and it would make a fine session whisky. It is also ideal as a nightcap and would be an excellent dram to keep on hand as an introductory pour for novices that you can still enjoy yourself. Apart from the finish I have no issues with it and I think the official Distiller score is unfairly stingy. This is not an earth-shattering dram but it deserves a score in the low 80s. At the price (it is one of the least expensive single malts) it is very fair value and I would not hesitate to buy another bottle. I would, however, like to see them age it for a little longer, give it an age statement, and raise the abv to at least 43%. This is a distillery that has huge potential and it's a shame it is not being developed more thoughtfully by the owners. A great master distiller could work magic for them. "Above Average" : 82/100 (3.25)

Nose: Newly-cut hay, but there is richness and complexity. This is not a raw green nose, it's more like resting in a hay barn at the end of a long hot summer day. The grassy notes are deep, malty and restful, and overlaid with citrus and stone-fruit aromas (peach and apricot). Honey, leather, vanilla and buttery cereal all appear - I smell home-made crumpets and crème fraîche! Luscious and seductive with a foundation of crisp, fresh oak barrel. A fine and uplifting nose that continues to open as it rests in the glass. The addition of water releases floral and woody aromas but deadens the nose. Palate: An arresting combination of semi-sweet oak tannin, nutmeg, mild cinnamon, dark fruits, nuts and toasted cereal. Earthy, wholesome and satisfying - at first it seems like it may be a hard, almost astringent palate but then it suddenly morphs into semi-sweetness with dark fruit cake and brandy butter. The texture is good, but not outstanding, and there is some spicy oak towards the finish. Water seems to kill this palate, although it does release a little more sweetness. Finish: Medium/Short. Fruity and oaky to begin with, as it fades it moves towards sweet mint in the aftertaste together with some mild spice echoes. A satisfying malt - as satisfying as the basic American Oak matured Limeburners is unusual. This dramatically makes the point that this distillery's new-make begs for finishing (or even full maturation?) in hefty, richly flavoured fortified wine casks. Not to cover anything, but to contribute equivalent complexity and gravitas to balance the spirit. This expression is matured in 2nd fill bourbon casks for several years. The exact time is not revealed but I'd guess it is initially 4-6 years old. It then receives a finish (again unspecified - maybe 6-12 months?) in Australian apera [sherry] casks. Don't underestimate the maturation time as in the Western Australian climate this is equivalent to 10-12 years in Scotland. My only warning with this whisky is don't add water. I've seen it advised elsewhere as a way to bring out sweet notes, but personally I thought it ruined the whisky. For all its presence and heft, it is a little fragile. I enjoyed this a good deal - maybe enough to buy a bottle, but I'm waiting to try the third sample from my pack of three to see which I like best. That one is a port cask finish and I have high hopes. Tasted from a distillery-produced 100ml sample. "Above Average" : 82/100 (3.25 stars)

Nose: Dark, sweet, plummy fruits. Oak cask, marzipan, vanilla and malt extract aromas. There is some orchard fruit on the sidelines which becomes more noticeable over time. The berry notes control this nose but surprisingly it remains clean and fresh. As it opens the nose becomes broader but never loses its freshness. Palate: Sweet, full and very faintly tannic on the arrival. It blooms with red grape, blackberry, mulberry, black cherry and port wine in the development. Chocolate and cappucinno notes emerge later together with rose-water Turkish delight and tamarind muhalbiyah. The mouth-feel is very juicy and the texture is velvet and satin. Finish: Medium. Red fruit notes like port-wine jelly drift into the aftertaste accompanied by mild cinnamon and lingering milk chocolate. The port cask utterly dominates this whisky but fortunately it does so in a very pleasant and well engineered manner. Engineered - that's the keyword here, but for once it's not a term of disparagement. Whether or not you like this will depend entirely on whether you enjoy highly "designed", cask-driven, sweet-profile whisky. If you are a hard-core purist you'll probably think it is over-dressed and trivial, but it's hard to resist its sumptuous nature. It's just plain fun. It does not have a complex or multi-layered profile. Everything is up front, proudly flaunted and it is a very focused experience overall. However it would be almost cruel to call this simplistic or accuse it of being one-note. It would be like harshly punishing a cute and adoring puppy for being mischievous (you monster!). In many ways this is the ideal TRE whisky as it would be fine for your own enjoyment or as a present both for whisky enthusiasts and those who only occasionally indulge. The abv is at the minimum of 40% but it does not seem to matter as the character is so rich and flavourful, and lower alcohol makes it more widely approachable. Really, you'd have to be pretty heartless and snobbish to reject this. My only reservation is the price, which I feel is just a bit too expensive. Tasted from a 30 ml sampler. If it was 2/3 the price I'd buy a bottle without thinking twice. "Good" : 83/100 (3.5 stars)