Nose: Dusty resinous wood (oak and pine), orange oil, over-ripe tropical fruit, fresh cut straw. If you draw back from the glass and nose gently you get sweeter aromas with definite toasted marshmallow and baked banana. As it rests in the glass (and particularly after adding a dash of water) caramel, toffee, jasmine and lavender emerge to balance the opening resinous quality. Palate: Sweet, juicy arrival (with just a hint of bitterness) that resolves into tropical fruit. Wine gums, bright tingly oak spice notes (ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg) and dried fruits in the development (dates, plums). Toffee, banana and more brandy or armagnac-like dark fruit notes in the later palate. The texture is full but not oily, and it develops a creamy nature when slightly diluted. Finish: Medium/short. Fresh and preserved tropical fruits that fade into soft oak and leather. Mt. Uncle Distillery was built in 2001 by Mark Watkins at Walkamin in the Atherton Tablelands, about 50km southwest of Cairns. It is the only far-north distillery in Australia. The tablelands region has a noticeably milder and cooler climate than the adjacent Whitsunday coast which makes it just possible to produce aged whisky in what is technically a tropical region (the angels’ share averages 5%). The distillery also produces a range of award winning rum, gin and liqueurs. This whisky was from a spirit run made by Mark in 2011. The spirit was matured in hybrid casks constructed from ex-French oak red wine barrique staves and ex-bourbon barrel heads, and was bottled in 2018. I believe it may have been the only malted barley spirit run the distillery has done, but I’m not certain of that. This whisky is almost unobtainable now except from the distillery door, and I understand their stocks are running out, however I don’t know whether there is further aged stock in the process of maturing for future release. It’s a characterful but slightly off-balance whisky and although it is has a prominent resinous note it does not seem over-oaked or driven by an intense cask presence. The hybrid casks have given it an elegantly light, bright and youthful wood character and the combination of American and French oak make it unlike any other Australian whisky I have tasted. I picked up this bottle at a local bottleshop. It was the last one left and they had marked it down by 40% which made it a bargain. I enjoyed the whisky and I’d recommend it to those who wish to delve into the darker corners of Australian whisky, but at the usual retail price I’d probably not buy a second bottle myself. It’s a good whisky that falls just short of “very good”. “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)