Smith's Angaston 8 Year (Vintage 2011)

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)