Wez
Thomson Manuka Smoke "Progress Report"
Single Malt — New Zealand
Reviewed
May 26, 2019 (edited November 18, 2020)
I'm not sure why you would bottle and then sell an unfinished product. Especially when it is so far away from coming together. I get that it may well one day become a decent whiskey... but right now it's not much fun to drink and that's really the only sensible way to score it. Smoky like a campfire (ie annoying and hurts your eyes)... no peat, just wood that is a long way from becoming integrated. I can't help think that this is sold purely as a tourist novelty... maybe I'll have a slumber party and make manuka honey hot toddys to finish off the bottle.
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@Wez I think this expression is honest about what it is (and what not), among all the other 'Almost there', 'While we wait' or 'On the way' whiskies. The logic that older whisky is automatically better is a myth, and many young expressions are darn good stuff (especially peated). Having tasted many young malts, I think this bottle is no unfinished product with the sole purpose of generating cash flow. It gives an impression of what Thomson does, and I think they got something they can be proud of. Slàinte!