Tastes
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Nose: A rubbery sherry note and some generic barley malt sugars. Pedestrian grain whisky and a little average malt, aged in mediocre multi-refill casks. Palate: The arrival starts off promisingly with hints of sweet cereal and mild fruitiness. However these expectations are dashed as the spirit almost immediately fractures into a confusion of hard, spirity, bitter flavours with an overtone of burnt wood and a thin texture. Finish: Thankfully short. A hot/bitter/sour tannic aftertaste. Inadequate for neat sipping and suitable only for drinking with a mixer over ice - and even with cola the hard bitter tannins still show through. This bottling replaced the old Family Reserve but apart from the livery it is exactly the same. Poor value and best avoided - there are several superior blended whiskies available at less cost. "Poor" : 62/100 (1 star)38.0 AUD per Bottle
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Wolfburn Small Batch Release No. 375
Single Malt — Highlands , Scotland
Reviewed June 1, 2019 (edited March 10, 2020)Wolfburn tasting evening at The Oak Barrel, Sydney, May 30th 2019: Whisky #4 Nose: Fruity and floral, but darker in character and more mellow than the rest of the Wolfburn core range. The pear is now peach, the apricot nectar is dried apricot, the pineapple has been simmered in honey. The presence of sherry is more noticeable with some definite raisin notes and nutty hints. There's an inscrutable mellow maturity that is surprising given the age of the spirit, and a background aroma of vanilla. Palate: A sweet combination of sultanas, honey and cream that billows onto the palate upon arrival. Rich, rounded, silky and supple with a good texture - oily and full with caramel, maple syrup and toffee tones balanced by ginger and allspice. Almonds and cashews, a mild oak note with some cappuccino and dark chocolate in the background. Finish: Medium/long. Excellent. The palate seamlessly dissipates into a lingering honeyed dark fruit and cereal aftertaste, with a slightly savory overtone. This is a very good whisky for its age. Hand on heart - if you poured me a dram of this and asked me to guess the age I'd say it was 8-10 years old, but astonishingly it is just four and a half years old. 75% of the content was matured in half-sized (100 litre) first-fill bourbon casks, and 25% was matured in second-fill oloroso hogsheads. What Wolfburn has accomplished here is remarkable. They have distilled a balanced, fruity, elegant new-make that requires only modest maturation (although in very good casks, I'm sure) to produce whisky with character and charm in less than 5 years. It outclasses many drams of twice that age or more - compare this to recent 12 year old Fine Oak Macallan and the difference is frankly embarrassing (for the Macallan). They have pulled off this small batch trick three times in a row now. The No.128 and No.270 expressions were both great drams, but with this No.375 they have excelled themselves. If you have not tasted something by this young distillery (for heavens sake - their first spirit run was only 6 years ago!) then you are missing a great experience. Wolfburn is the far north coast Kilchoman, and they are on track to become the far north coast Springbank. This expression was overwhelmingly voted the best of the tasting session, and it sold out in minutes on the night. If you can find a bottle - buy it. “Very Good" : 87/100 (4.25 stars)175.0 AUD per Bottle -
Wolfburn Morven Single Malt
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed May 31, 2019 (edited March 1, 2021)Wolfburn tasting at The Oak Barrel, Sydney, May 30th 2019: Whisky #3 Nose: A very mild, almost shy peat-reek that dances around a fruity-floral distillate. Pineapple, tangerine, peach and apricot nectar, but in a subtle and dilute form. The initial nosing is floral, almost candied, with fruit and a touch of vanilla, but over time as the whisky rests and opens in the glass smoke becomes more apparent. It's a simple nose but the balance between the two key components is good. Palate: A sweeter and richer arrival than the stablemate Northland and Aurora expressions. The peat smoke is stronger on the palate than it is on the nose and the tasting notes are reversed - the smoke arrives first and then in the development the fruity and sweet notes emerge. There is a little hint of brine and the spicy kick in the development that is characteristic of young Wolfburn is here much less spiky and bright - more sweet chili sauce and ginger in syrup than black and white pepper. Raisin and sweet malt make an appearance and the texture is well balanced - just slightly on the creamy side of neutral. Finish: Medium/long. The spicy and smoke characteristics die away slowly and the finish is pleasant overall, but there is a bitter quality in the aftertaste. An enjoyable whisky produced using very lightly peated malt (<10ppm) and matured in a combination of 1st-fill and refill bourbon barrels and refill American oak quarter casks. I could easily have believed that there was a sherry cask making a small contribution, but no - it's 100% bourbon. However the sweetness is perfectly matched by a dry briny note that prevents it from becoming cloying. It is absolutely not a peat monster, and the peat-reek is unlike any Islay. It's gentle and fragrant - more like Speyside smoke - and it acts as an ingredient rather than the primary facet on the nose. This was a popular whisky at the tasting and I enjoyed it enough to buy a bottle. "Above Average" : 84/100 (3.75 stars)100.0 AUD per Bottle -
Wolfburn Masterclass at The Oak Barrel, Sydney, May 30th 2019: Whisky #2 Nose: A similar nose to the Northland expression - fruity and floral but substituting a sherry and dark fruit note for the musky brine. Well integrated, rounded and creamy with touches of marmalade, malt and brine. The sherry stays well controlled and acts more like a spice for the fruity distillate rather than striding to centre stage. Palate: A smoother, silkier and sweeter arrival than the Northland. The Wolfburn spicy burst is again present but here it is buffered by sherry. The texture is a little more rounded and overall this is less vibrantly bright than the all-quarter cask Northland. There is a little brine towards the conclusion. Finish: Medium. Spicy sweet with a sweet fruity and umami touch, and tailing off into an ever so faintly salt/sweet cereal finish. The maturation here is in a combination of 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrels and 1st-fill oloroso hogsheads. (Note - this is different to the cask regime stated in the description on this site, but it's correct. There is no quarter-cask component in contemporary Aurora). The whiskies are matured separately and then married in a ratio of 80% bourbon to 20% sherry. The more flavourful and active cask maturation gives this whisky a larger and fruiter presence, and to me it was different but equal in quality to the Northland expression. Northland allows the excellent Wolfburn new-make to be seen in all its naked glory, whereas here the sherry presence and the richness of the 1st-fill casks clothes the new make in sophisticated raiment. "Good" : 84/100 (3.75 stars)100.0 AUD per Bottle
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Wolfburn Northland
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed May 30, 2019 (edited November 16, 2022)Wolfburn tasting evening at The Oak Barrel, Sydney, May 30th 2019: Whisky #1 Nose: Fruity and floral, with a very subtle musky note. A full nose focused on a few primary aromas but showing excellent integration and body and a certain amount of grip. There is a very light peaty hint that becomes more apparent as the whisky rests and opens, and a faint mist of brine. Palate: A spicy sweet arrival that suddenly explodes in a flash of peppery-spice heat in the development. This lasts a few seconds, and then rolls away as quickly as it appeared. There are a few sour-spice notes but these are balanced by a light honeyish nougat sweetness. The texture is very clean and crisp and over time a cereal presence becomes apparent. Finish: Medium. The palate falls away leaving a pleasantly mild sweet spice note. This is not a particularly complex whisky but that is not meant as a criticism. It has a crisp clarity of profile, a brisk, exuberant presentation and it is certainly not a lightweight. It has good structure - the nose has weight and presence that exceeds your expectations of a 3-year old whisky, and the palate has a satisfyingly youthful character. It has some similarity to Kilchoman 100% Islay. Northland has gone through some changes and is now quite different to early batches. Most importantly, maturation now takes place entirely in refill American oak quarter casks sourced from Laphroaig. You can just barely perceive the character of smoky whisky in the background, and once you know the cause you can almost believe you sense a whiff of Laphroaig. However what the casks actually contribute (besides accelerated maturation) is texture and body – the Laphroaig character is just a gauzy background curtain. Adding water makes little difference and I’d recommend taking this very pleasant whisky neat. “Good” : 84/100 (3.75 stars)100.0 AUD per Bottle -
Nose: Fragrant molasses, like a cross between maple syrup, butterscotch sauce and sweet malt. There's a restrained dry and elegant estery note - just enough hogo to add interest. Moist earth and mild cigar, oak, toffee, vanilla and over time some light fruity notes emerge. A good nose. Palate: Sweet and soft arrival with a little tropical fruit. The fruit notes emerge further in the development together with some leathery notes and some licorice and mint. The cask becomes apparent after a while but never intrudes - it just lends weight and texture. The palate stays sweet but not cloying - it's juicy sweet orange rather than simply sugary sweet, and there is a balancing dryness. A good palate and texture right through - light rather than heavy. Finish: Medium/long. The fruity and leathery character of the palate subsides slowly into a well balanced finale with a gently aromatic tobacco note the final aftertaste. A great rum, and although relatively expensive it's good value for the money. It's a sipping dram that I'd recommend to whisky drinkers who normally eschew rum as being too sweet. While it's not a dry funky Jamaican or agricole this rum exemplifies some of the best characteristics of "standard" rum when it's allowed to speak for itself without added sweetening. I could happily lie in a hammock at the beach and sip this neat all day until the sun, and consciousness, gently dipped into darkness. "Very Good" : 85/100 (4 stars)122.0 AUD per Bottle
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Appearance: Dark mahogany. Against a strong light it's the dark red-brown of cola soft drink. No particulate matter. Aroma: Rich sweet espresso with brandy notes underneath. A tinge of raisin and licorice. Flavour & Texture: Freshly brewed drip-filter coffee balanced by sweet and slightly leathery brandy. Very sweet but not like simple syrup - the sweetness is masked by the grape components and a faint orange note. The palate tails off into a fairly long finish and becomes richer and more chocolate in the aftertaste. The coffee and brandy are clearly defined but work very well in combination and the texture is rich and silken. In comparison to most coffee liqueurs, many of which are just coffee essence in neutral spirit plus a little corn syrup, this liqueur is a blend of coffee extract and cognac. This gives it a more complex and satisfying character. Both the coffee and cognac are of good quality and it has a pleasing balance. This is a complex, rounded and interesting coffee liqueur. It's very reasonably priced and I'll probably buy it again some time. “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)34.0 AUD per Bottle
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Old Pulteney Duncansby Head
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed May 18, 2019 (edited May 30, 2019)Nose: Brine (with a faint metallic tinge), over-ripe tropical fruits (mango, banana, papaya), earthy malt. There's a funky estery note on the nose almost like some rum, but the profile is clearly cereal. The nose continues to evolve over time, becoming more interesting as maritime notes build. Palate: Sweetly salty stewed fruit on the arrival - baked apples . As it develops more sweetness evolves - Seville oranges (the flesh and the peel), sultanas, Dundee cake sprinkled with oloroso sherry. The texture is light but not watery. Finish: Medium. Fruity and salty/sweet in the aftertaste with some spicy hints and a touch of nougat. There is a faint metallic note as on the nose, but it's not intrusive - just evidence of youth. An enjoyable NAS Old Pulteney expression that in comparison to their age statement bottlings comes across as notably "young". There are no particular off-notes, it just seems unexceptional. A dash of water does virtually nothing other than reveal a hint of vanilla and it neither bruises nor enhances the spirit. Take this one either neat or watered, as you prefer. It does gain some depth with a rest in the glass, but never quite manages to equal the standard 12 year old - let alone any of the older expressions. However you can't bring yourself to actively dislike this whisky and the finish is really pretty good. I don't regret buying this bottle duty free a few years back, but I won't be trying to replace it once it's finished. The official notes and rating here are bang on target. "Above Average" : 80/100 (3 stars)92.0 AUD per Bottle -
Retasted, 19 May 2019. Bottle recently opened, now about 3/4 full. Nose: A light cereal aroma with green apple notes, hints of English mustard, a little leathery honey and the merest hint of smoke (but I wouldn't characterize this as a "smoky" whisky at all). There's a vanilla presence but it's not a dense flowery vanilla - something more cereal, like the smell of freshly baked vanilla sponge cake. With water the nose becomes more fragrant. Palate: A sweet malty arrival that develops some pleasant ginger and Dijon mustard spice notes together with a very light maritime hint in the later palate. Dry sherry, walnut oil, and the same savory-vanilla presence as on the nose. Water brings out a little extra sweetness, and is recommended. Finish: Medium/long. Sweet cereal that turns to a dry briny/malty aftertaste that lingers more than you might at first suspect. A clean, well-balanced profile that does not disappoint. Oban 14 is one of those perfectly acceptable whiskies that you enjoy but for some reason always reach past on the shelf in order to grab something else. It is a slow malt to open so give it a good rest in the glass before tasting and I'd recommend a few drops of water. This opens everything, but particularly improves the finish. One thing I did notice from this retaste is the apple note, which is almost like cider vinegar on both the nose and palate. Not that it's a fault at all - it adds to the spicy part of the profile and gives the whisky a light and sprightly character. It also teams well with the unique mustardy-maritime note, which is reminiscent of salt marshes or estuarine low-tides. The last time I tasted this was at the distillery where it made an OK but hardly memorable impression, however it's possible that as the starter of a flight of whiskies it simply stood out as the least impressive dram. I'm increasing my previous rating slightly. "Good" : 83/100 (3.5 stars) -------------------------------------------------------------------- Original review, September 20, 2017 Scotland, September 2017. Whisky #8, distillery tasting. Nose: Citrus peel, malted milk, a slight peaty hint. Palate: Fruit, honey, a little salt and some spicy notes. Finish: Medium. Sweet initially but fading out dry with a hint of salt. Straightforward light bodied sweet whisky. It's nice but overpriced for what it is. Water spoils it - it's too delicate to take dilution. Best enjoyed neat. There's nothing bad about it but neither was there much of outstanding character. Of the 4 expressions I tasted at the distillery this was the least interesting, but it is undeniably well made and generally enjoyable. "Above Average" : 82/100 (3.25 stars)90.0 AUD per Bottle
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Rum tasting at The Oak Barrel, Sydney, May 9th 2019: Rum #6 Nose: Immense hogo - esters literally pouring out of the glass - you can almost visualize the aromas. Diesel oil, cardboard, burning tyres, plasticine, putty, acetone, machine oil, rotting fruit, rainforest humus, turpentine, cockroaches, sweaty funk, leather, old running shoes. I'm not kidding, and it's wonderful. Palate: Sweet and vegetal with an over-ripe citrus and banana note. As it develops honey, lemon juice, cider vinegar, gherkin juice, dolmades (!), chutney and briny olives emerge. These are balanced by a sweet, aromatic, spicy, musty, nutty hogo. Pastrami on rye with sweet fruit relish, avocado and a mushy mango. There's even a faint smoky note! I promise I'm not making this up. Finish: Loooooooooong. The extraordinary palate slowly diminishes in intensity - over a few hours. We tasted a powerful spiced rum after this but an hour later the aftertaste I had was still of this epic expression. This is the most Jamaican-like non-Jamaican rum I've ever tasted. It doesn't just have hogo, it's like an exercise in painting using nothing but esters. It's neither sweet nor dry - it jumps right past descriptors like that into a space where shades of mineral and vegetal are all that matter. The most remarkable thing is that it's *delicious*, as long as you like this sort of thing. Out of a roomful of people only 3 thought this the outstanding expression of the evening. It wasn't my favourite but I enjoyed it a great deal - enough to buy a bottle. If you like sweet, sugary rums then steer well clear of this - it would be like drinking neat Worcestershire sauce when you're expecting orange juice. However if you love your hogo and are up for a roller-coaster ride I can thoroughly recommend it. "Very Good" : 85/100 (4 stars)120.0 AUD per Bottle
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