In the world of whisky, few distilleries have carved out such a prominent place as quickly as Archie Rose Distillery in Sydney. Founded in 2014 by Will Edwards, Archie Rose has been known for innovating through all their different releases and for having quite unique proposition including their Tailored Spirits/Whisky Program and wood smoked whiskies. Guided by Master Distiller Dave Withers (one of the most knowledgable whisky folk we know and whom spent some time at the legendary Oak Barrel), Archie Rose has made leaps and bounds over the past decade to make a mark in the Australian whisky scene.
When Archie Rose first opened in 2014, the Australian whisky scene was quite different. Most people equated Australian whisky with Tasmanian whisky, and Sydney had been without a whisky distillery for a long time. In this landscape, Archie Rose emerged with its close proximity to Sydney city, a stunning bar (which we had reviewed back in 2015), unparalleled transparency, and a fresh attitude towards spirits. Along with Starward, which released its first whisky in 2013, Archie Rose began changing the scene.
A visit to Archie Rose in 2015 by Marto revealed the impressive setup and meticulous attention to detail in their production process. The original distillery, located in Rosebery, Sydney, was split into two sections: the production and cask storage on one side, and the stunning bar on the other. The distillery featured a hand-spun hopper for a 600kg mash, mash tun and stills by Peter Bailly, and Italian-made fermenters with temperature control. The distillation process includes a 3,600L steam-heated wash still, a 1,700L spirit still, and a 300L gin still for infusing botanicals. While Archie Rose has moved its distillery to Banksmeadow in 2020, much of the above equipment remain at their original site for display to the public.
Archie Rose’s innovative streak is quite evident over the years. They started with white spirits—gin, vodka, and white rye—and quickly expanded their offerings. The distillery’s approach to local sourcing is one of the things that sets them apart; they source all their malts locally and also use native ingredients such as red gum and stringybark for smoking their rye grain (as opposed to importing peated grain or peated barley).
They introduced the Tailored Spirits program, allowing customers to create their personalised gin, vodka, or whisky. The Tailored program, first, launched in 2015, has been pioneering in making personalised spirits accessible and affordable. In 2018, they continued their innovative pursuits by launching the Six Malt New Make, a new make blend derived from six different malt mash bills. This release provided insights into the base spirit of Archie Rose’s single malt whisky, showcasing their dedication to quality and depth from the start. More recent releases include Heritage Red Gum Cask Single Malt from earlier this year and Double Malt Whisky in 2023, released as part of Archie Rose's Fundamental Spirits Range.
Commencing this year, Archie Rose has also begun exporting their products to Asia, including markets like Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore. The expansion is part of their strategy to present a full portfolio of products and establish a strong international presence.
The upcoming Single Cask Series, to be released on 11 June, includes three distinct releases:
- The Heritage Rye Malt Single Cask, aged in a single apera cask, serving as a homage to Australia’s heritage of fortified wines and showcasing Riverina-sourced heritage rye malt. This was my pick of the three.
- The Single Malt Single Cask, an example of what makes Archie Rose’s signature whisky special. This single cask offers layer upon layer of malt-driven flavours, an excellent fruit profile, and a beautifully balanced apera cask influence. At four and a half years old and full cask strength, it delivers quite a powerful and incredibly complex whisky.
- The Smoked Rye Malt Single Cask, made from NSW heritage rye grain, custom smoked over sustainably harvested Australian native stringybark, offering a truly unique and entirely Australian flavour profile. This cask-strength whisky balances sweetness, smoke, and rye spice with flavours reminiscent of campfire, grilled peaches, and prosciutto.
We sat down with Will and Dave as part of the launch of the Single Cask Batch 1 Release where they noted that one of the significant challenges in whisky production for them is in sourcing high-quality casks. Over the years, Archie Rose partnered closely with wineries though they have now also developed their own method of developing bespoke sherry casks. The process, managed in their Banksmeadow facility, ensures that each cask contributes uniquely to the whisky’s flavour profile. Both the Single Malt and Heritage Rye Malt single cask releases were bottled from ex apera casks.
Will and Dave also shared their thoughts and experience, particularly their frustration in dealing with rye early on in the Archie Rose journey. Rye, known for its glutinous nature, presents a different kind of challenge. Will spoke to the use of a new mash filters at their Banksmeadow facility which they didn't have at their original Rosebery distillery. Will shared his experience in dealing with rye early on, something akin to trying to sieve the liquid out of a porridge; that's basically what working with rye is like. With the new mash filters at the Banksmeadow facility, working with rye has become much more manageable.
"It's an amazing thing to come across a cask and say, 'This. This one right here. That's the essence of what we're trying to achieve." quoted Will Edwards
Single Cask Whisky Batch No. 1: Heritage Rye Malt (68.2% ABV, NAS, Sydney, Australia, A$299)
The Heritage Rye Malt Single Cask has been aged in a single apera cask, serving as a homage to Australia’s heritage of fortified wines and showcasing Riverina-sourced heritage rye malt. This was my favourite of the three single cask releases.
Nose: The aroma opens up nicely with the sweetness of honey and apricots, accompanied by the richness of cherries and plums. There is some rye spice and other spices adding a layer of depth and intrigue.
Palate: On the palate, it's very velvety, rich and mouth-filling layers of concentrated fruits, more apricots and cherries. These fruity notes are complemented by a hint of toasted oak, which adds a delicate woodiness.
Finish: The finish is long and luxurious, with the rich flavours of apricot and cherry persisting. There's a lingering fruit and spice.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 93/100 (Hendy)
Single Cask Whisky Batch No. 1: Single Malt (66.9% ABV, NAS, Sydney, Australia, A$349)
The Single Malt Single Cask is an incredible example of what makes Archie Rose’s signature whisky so special. This single cask offers layer upon layer of malt-driven flavours, an excellent fruit profile, and a beautifully balanced apera cask influence. At four and a half years old and full cask strength, it delivers quite a powerful and incredibly complex whisky.
Nose: The aroma opens with the rich sweetness of nougat, sticky raisins and Christmas pudding, creating a luscious mix of fruit (there's the apera influence). Some milk chocolate and orange citrus.
Palate: On the palate, roasted almonds and some chocolate, the milk chocolate, mixed with sticky date pudding. There is more on the rich fruit and spices.
Finish: The finish is long and dry, with the fruit and spices gradually giving way to a drying finish.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 91/100 (Hendy)
Single Cask Whisky Batch No. 1: Smoked Rye Malt (65.1% ABV, NAS, Sydney, Australia, A$269)
The Smoked Rye Malt Single Cask, made from NSW heritage rye grain, custom smoked over sustainably harvested Australian native stringy bark, offering a truly unique and entirely Australian flavour profile.
Nose: The aroma is meaty and there is subtle hint of maple bacon and stone fruits. Subtle hints of ginger and honey add a delicate floral touch.
Palate: On the palate, there is a mix of peaches, and apricots. These notes are seamlessly joined by the nutty warmth of roasted almonds and the zesty notes. There are layers of caramel slice with a hint of peppermint (or eucalyptus) adding a refreshing lift.
Finish: The finish is long, as the flavours of fruit, nuts, and spice intertwine with smoky campfire notes. Te finish leaves a lasting impression of balanced sweetness and savoury umami depth.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 91/100 (Hendy)
Thanks Will & Dave from Archie Rose for hosting us and taking us through the new single cask series.
Cheers,
Hendy
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