Tasmanian Independent Bottlers "Fleurieu Distillery Release 3"

Australian Single Malt Whisky Tasting (Part 2), The Oak Barrel, Sydney 17 January 2020, Whisky #3 Nose: Sherry, raisins, mild spices, oak and a trace of floral notes in the background. The dry-glass aroma is all oak and sherry. Palate: A fruitcake arrival with mild baking spices. Slight tannin in the development (walnuts, black tea) but balanced by honey and fortified wine. A mild leathery note but on the whole it's a cask-driven sherry experience. Finish: Medium/short. Dark fruit and fortified wine in the aftertaste. Tasmanian Independent Bottlers acquires new-make spirit from a variety of Australian and New Zealand distilleries and matures it in its own warehouse in Hobart in 100 litre casks. The cask and new-make spirit are selected to compliment each other and a variety of wood styles and previous fills are used. This is the 3rd release of spirit acquired from Fleurieu Distillery in South Australia. Each release was aged in an ex-sherry cask sourced from the Hunter Valley wine region in New South Wales (this expression was from cask FL007). Although it is well crafted and there are no obvious faults in either the spirit or the cask I didn't think this was a very interesting whisky. Original bottlings by Fleurieu are typically big, fruity, sherried and have a signature salty caramel note whereas this dram was a little one-note sherried. In profile it is something like a cross between a young Glenfarclas and a young Aberlour, but without the character of either, and considering the price ($200 for a 500ml bottle) it's not great value for money. “Above Average” : 80/100 (3 stars)