Archie Rose Single Cask Series [Tasted #670 - #672]

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

Time for Whisky's Last Minute Christmas Whisky Gift Guide 2020

It's been a while, 5 years in fact, since we last did a "Last Minute Christmas Gift Guide". This year I've received so many questions about which whiskies people should buy as gifts for their family/friends/colleagues/other, I figured it was time for the next instalment.

Rather than base it on price range, I've stuck with the same formula as 2015's guide - 5 categories, 5 whiskies, but for 2020, with three new categories.

If you've left it to the last minute to grab the whisky lover(s) in your life a gift, hopefully this is of some help. 

Note: For this guide I've tried to keep the spirits to those that are relatively widely available - ideally in both HK and Australia, so for that reason you won't find esoteric single casks, indies, or other whiskies that you or I might typically enjoy outside OB ranges. This is a "last minute" gift guide, after all!


1) "The recipient is a whisky lover. I'm not, but I want to get them something that shows I did some research."

The whisky: GlenDronach 18 year old

Why: 5 years ago, we chose GlenDronach 15 for this category - a great dram. Since then, it's been discontinued and re-released, and whilst it's still a great dram, it's actually 15 years old now (as opposed to 5 years ago, when it was likely significantly older), and made up of both Oloroso and PX-matured whisky. Whilst that's no bad thing, the Oloroso-matured 18yo is, in my opinion, the sweet spot now, and in today's market is one of the few whiskies I'd still call incredible value. 

Prices are rising, but for now, it's one of the best "bang for your buck" whiskies out there.

Where and how much? $1,050HKD from Dram Good Stuff or £97.94 from Master of Malt. Seemingly out of stock across Australia, unfortunately.

Want to know more?: You can read all our previous thoughts and tasting notes on GlenDronach's whiskies here.

2) "I have no idea what they like. I want something safe and reliable."

The whisky: Balvenie 12yo DoubleWood

Why: 5 years later, The Balvenie (a Speyside favourite from William Grant & Sons) continues to be a fantastic entry-level dram, and still to this day, I've never met anyone who hasn't like it. The Balvenie produce elegant, handcrafted, enjoyable whiskies that at the same time are accessible and won't break the bank. 

Where and how much? $89.90AUD from Cambridge Cellars, $550HKD from Dram Good Stuff or £39.95 from Master of Malt

Want to know more?: We've covered plenty of Balvenie stories and tasting notes in the past, but you can read our notes on the 12yo DoubleWood specifically here.

From instagram.com/timeforwhisky

3) "I want to buy a whisky that shows I'm ahead of the curve."

The whisky: Archie Rose Rye Malt Whisky

Why: Australian whisky continues to rise in prominence (increasingly, globally so) and it's hard to not be excited by what Archie Rose are doing in Sydney. We first visited Archie Rose and spent a day making some whisky back in 2015, and whilst they didn't actually have any whisky released back then, they do now - two "core" releases in fact, Rye Malt and Single Malt.

Both are good (and very well-priced at $119AUD), but the Rye Malt we find especially interesting, as Rye whiskies typically aren't made using malted rye. It's also incredibly delicious and complex considering it's young age.

Where and how much? $119AUD. Whilst Archie Rose are sold out of both at the moment, options exist via The Whisky List. Sadly not yet available in HK.

Want to know more?: Read both Hendy and my tasting notes on the Rye Malt here.

4) "I want to get them something slightly left-field, but it still has to be a great whisky."

The whisky: Highland Park Cask Strength

Why: Buying your recipient a regular 12yo Highland Park would show you know good whisky, but played it safe (like the afore-mentioned Balvenie, "HP12" is a widely-loved dram). The Cask Strength shows you took a risk - although not much of one, as it's a delicious whisky, and very refined considering its 63.3% ABV.

Where and how much? $680HKD from King's Wine Cellar or £54.75 from Master of Malt (sold out at the moment)

Want to know more?: See here for our tasting notes.

5) "Money is no object and I want to show the recipient I really like/love/appreciate them by spending a whole stack of money on them."

The whisky: Diageo's "Prima & Ultima" full set

Why: If money is no object, why limit yourself to just one bottle? Diageo's "Prima & Ultima" set contains 8 bottles, ranging in age from 25 to 48 years old, including this 40yo whisky from the closed Port Ellen distillery. I was fortunate enough to taste the whole set recently and there are some great bottles in there...especially the Cragganmore, Caol Ila and Port Ellen.

Where and how much? $223,970 HKD for the full set of 8 bottles, available direct from MHDHK.

Want to know more?: See here for our tasting notes on the 40yo 1979 Port Ellen from the series - arguably the most sought after bottle of the eight.

6) "I want to get them a spirit...but they've got more whisky than they know what to do with. What's a good 'malternative'?"

The spirit: Black Tot Rum.

Why: Good rum is having something of a moment, with several whisky lovers starting to embrace the spirit, and real efforts being made to introduce more legitimacy and structure to the labelling and categorisation of rum. Black Tot is a well-priced blended rum with delicious notes which works equally well neat or in a cocktail.

Where and how much? $660HKD from Timeless & Tasty.

Want to know more?: See our thoughts here.

7) "I'm really not comfortable to buy a bottle of whisky out of fear they'll already have it, or won't enjoy it. What else can I get?"

The gift: Membership to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

Why: Stronger than ever after 37 years, "the society" bottle single cask whisky and spirits from a range of distilleries, often showing a unique (and typically delicious) side to a distillery most won't have seen. More than that though, they host fantastic tastings and events, and have built a real (and very welcoming) community amongst whisky lovers and newbies alike.

Where and how much? $800HKD for HK Membership, $120AUD for Australian membership.

Want to know more? We've covered plenty of SMWS events over the years - here.

8) "I just want to get them something FUN!"

The gift: Glenmorangie's "A Tale of Cake"

Why: It's a whisky called "A Tale of Cake"! It's got a fun label, and it's actually very, very tasty.

Where and how much? $1050HKD from Dram Good Stuff, $169.99AUD from Nick's.

Want to know more? Check out my recent tasting notes here.

Cheers and Merry Christmas,

Martin.

Tasted #458: Archie Rose Rye Malt Whisky tasting notes

7 odd years ago when we started this little blog, the Australian whisky scene was a very different place. Most people equated "Australian Whisky" with "Tasmanian" (and to be fair, Tasmania did dominate the scene), Starward was called "Victoria Valley Distillery" (and hadn't yet released a whisky), and Sydney was going on 160 years without a whisky distillery.

Then in 2014, Archie Rose came along with their close proximity to Sydney city, stunning bar, unparalleled transparency and a fresh attitude to spirits, and (along with Starward, who released their first whisky in 2013) the scene began to change.

Now to be fair to the plethora of other Australian whisky producers, we're not for a moment suggesting that Archie Rose and Starward single (double?) handedly grew the scene. There are some incredible smaller producers who began distilling or releasing whisky in the same period (as just one example, I'm particularly fond of Fleurieu Distillery who released their first whisky a few years ago) and they've all absolutely been a key part of making the industry what it is today (as have bars like Whisky and Alement and Bad Frankie who do a stellar job educating drinkers on Aussie spirits). It has to be acknowledged though that both Starward and Archie Rose, with their unique releases, focus on quality, marketing, transparency and significant social media footprints, have definitely helped thrust Aussie spirits further into the global limelight than they were previously.

As many distilleries do, Archie Rose started out with white spirits - Gin, Vodka and White Rye, and over the past 5 years they've added a Tailored Spirits program (where you can get your own tailored spirit for under $90AUD!), aged beer spirit, a bevy of fascinating and collectible gins, rhums, and even a "buttered toast spirit".

Earlier this month though, finally, whisky arrived, in the form of the very tasty Chocolate Rye Malt, limited to 1148 bottles, available at a very reasonable $149AUD and all sold in under 3 hours. 

That's not what this post is about though. This post is about what comes next - tomorrow, in fact. Tomorrow (1st August 2019) Archie Rose release their first "core range" whisky - Archie Rose Rye Malt Whisky. Limited to 2,071 individually-numbered bottles (for Batch 1), the whisky represents a watershed moment for the distillery - the culmination of 5 years of incredibly hard work. To quote the distillery:

"To create this truly unique whisky, we selectively sourced rare malted rye and the finest malted barley from progressive malt houses, paired them with virgin American oak casks air-dried for 36 months and let it all mature in the maritime air of coastal Sydney."

AR were kind enough to send Hendy and I a generous sample ahead of its release, and in summary we were both blown away by its elegance and complexity. If this is what we can come to expect from Archie Rose whisky, well, the future is looking very tasty indeed.

Archie Rose Rye Malt Whisky Batch 1 (46% ABV, NAS*, Sydney, Australia, $119AUD)

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Martin's tasting notes:

Colour: Deep intense fiery orange. 

Nose: Far more complex than you expect a rye to be. Perfumed. Vanilla spice. There's definitey sweetness, but also hints of anise, barbecued pineapple, then citrus. Butter menthols. Honey. This is not your average rye.

Palate: The spice is there but there’s also a confectionary sweetnesss and a citric acid element. Rich & robust but never close to harsh, there's also a toffee sweetness and gooey, warming caramel.

Finish: Long and warming, slightly vegetal, absolutely no harsh tannins or overt spice, though there's some cinnamon spice at the end.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale):  92/100. Just incredible elegance and complexity from a first release, rye-based spirit.

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Hendy's tasting notes:

Colour: Maple Syrup.

Nose: The nose is striking with sweet sticky bush honey, a little bit of oak, Speculaas and then some more glazed cherries, vanilla and ladened with loads of citrus (orange peel).

Palate: The palate eases you into a gentle spice, a sticky citrus sponge cake welcomes you followed by some pop rocks popping candy that represents the subtle spices and then some more oranges.

Finish: The finish is long with some cinnamon, some cherries and lingering peppery spice.

*No Age Statement, but if you check the whisky's spirit data you can find all the specs you could possibly want, including the barreling and disgorgement dates on each of the whisky's 40 casks!

We congratulate Dave, Will, and all the guys and girls at Archie Rose for what is nothing short of a fantastic product - and an exciting development for the Australian whisky scene. We can't wait to see what the future brings, especially the first malted barley release in 2020!

Archie Rose Rye Malt Whisky goes on sale on Thursday 1st August 2019. Limited bottles will be available online, at the distillery, or via launch day events. Expect them to sell out very, very quickly.

Cheers,
Martin.

Enjoying a sample of 5 month old Archie Rose Single Malt from the TImeforWhisky.com cask, with Master Distiller (and good friend of TimeforWhisky) Dave Withers.

Archie Rose Six Malt New Make (Tasted #392)

Archie Rose, our local favourite distillery here in Sydney has always been known for its innovative ways with recent releases including the Archie Rose X KAIJU! Beer Aged Spirit, Agricole Rhums (using fresh cane juice from Condog, NSW) and the beautiful Archie Rose x Horisumi Gin Set. Notwithstanding these releases, they also offer customers the ability to craft and tailor their own gin, vodka and whisky - the latter includes help with maturation at the distillery.

Continuing with their innovative pursuit in the spirit scene, later this week, Archie Rose will launch another limited release - this time in the form of a new make blend, derived from six different malt mash bills (six malt wash).

Simply named Six Malt New Make, this new make spirit release will provide some insights into how the base spirit of Archie Rose's (soon to be released) Single Malt Whisky starts its life - unaged, unfiltered and raw. Having tasted the new make, the spirit embodies the quality and depth that you will definitely see in the final, aged Archie Rose whisky. Though what is interesting is all the elements that you get when the different malts are mixed together.

The use of six malt mash bills is different from the typical single malt whiskies which more commonly feature only around one or two malt mash bills. As commonly known, different malt results in different whisky profile and with the six malts combined, the resultant spirit is one that embodies the unique flavour profile of all the different malts. The six malts that were used for this release include:

• Local pale malt; derived from La Trobe barley from a single estate in NSW
• Local amber malt; comes from a single field in Barellan, NSW and provides a chalky, shortbread, biscuit notes
• Local caramel malt; produced by stewing the barley to the point where the sugar can be caramelised 
• Local aromatic roasted malt; provides chocolate, cookie dough notes
• Local white chocolate malt; made from a single field in NSW, roasted in small batches and provides espresso, dark chocolate notes
• Local peated malt; the origin of the peat kept a secret though this particular peated malt has been made exclusively for the Six Malt New Make

So how does it smell and taste? Absolutely fascinating and assertive. Nose is fruity and layered with dried banana, stewed apple, cinnamon porridge. On the palate, dry weet bix, raspberries, oats, granola and muesli bar. It's different, delicate and balanced and very much enjoyable on its own or mixed with cocktails such as the New Make Old Fashioned that is served at the Bar.

Bottled at 50% ABV and with 3,000 bottles being released this week, on July 19, the Six Malt New Make might disappear rather quickly. It is available for purchase from the Archie Rose Shop.

Also being released on the same day is “Spirit Data,” a new feature on the Archie Rose's website www.archierose.com.au, which provides a deeper look into the whisky production on a batch by batch basis, detailed tasting and production notes from the distillery floor and bond store. This is akin to what Compass Box has been advocating for, transparency over facts on various aspects that make up the final spirit.

Thanks to Will, Dave and team as well as Melinda Durston of Melting Pot Communications for having us at the tasting of this new Six Malt New Make.

TimeforWhisky gets hands-on experience at the Archie Rose Distilling Co, ahead of the new "Tailored Spirits" program

Today is a pioneering day for the Australian spirits world - the first time (as far as we're aware) that an Australian Distillery has made personalised Gin, Vodka and (of course) Whisky so accessible, affordable and easy. To celebrate, and to find out just what this was all about, I recently rolled up my sleeves and tried my hand at a few of the stages of whisky production at Sydney's Archie Rose Distilling Co.

The program I'm talking about is Archie Rose's tailored spirits program, which launches today (Archie Rose, of course, being the Sydney-based distillery we also visited back in April). The full press-release has been included at the bottom of this article, but the key details are these:

• On the Archie Rose website, you'll be able to select Gin, Vodka or Whisky, and "tailor" the elements to suit your needs. We've seen a sneak preview of the interface, and it is slick.
• For example, with the tailored gin, you'll be able to select up to 5 botanicals (and the intensity of each) for a unique, personalised gin. Blood lime, orange, mint, fresh apples? You name it.
• For the whisky, you'll be able to choose your cask type, base grain (rye or malt), level of peat or wood smoke and ABV (46%, 60% or custom).
• Those choosing the whisky option will be able to spend up to 2 and a half days getting hands-on experience actually making their whisky - mashing in, pitching yeast, distillation etc... (a $500AUD option).

That all sounds great, but the part we find incredible is the pricing:

• Tailored Vodka: $84AUD
• Tailored Gin: $89AUD
• Tailored Whisky: From $4,000AUD for a 20L Cask

A bottle of your own, tailored gin/vodka for under $90AUD? We can see bars and consumers alike lapping this up, and no doubt more than a few groups of friends will get together to take up the whisky cask offer too...

To understand a little more about how the program will work, I recently spent a morning at Archie Rose, getting some hands-on experience with the mashing and spirit cuts.

First some background - it was my birthday recently, and Steph bought me a small 2L charred American Oak cask (from Barrel Barn), to help me tick off #9 on my #101drams charitable challenge. A cask is all well and good, but it's nothing without some new make spirit, and so I weighed up the options - lay my hands on some Scottish new make single malt, buy a few bottles of Buffalo Trace White Dog, buy a few bottles of Archie Rose White Rye etc... when I figured I'd drop the folks at Archie Rose an e-mail and see if they'd be willing to sell me 4L of proper new make.

Not only were they, they also helped me figure out what type of spirit would suit my situation best. As the cask was to be matured in Hong Kong, with its hot and humid climate (humidity often meaning the angels take more alcohol and less water), it was suggested I go for a slightly higher ABV (but keeping it under 70% as I had to transport the new make back on the plane with me), so we settled on 67% ABV. As I wanted to mature two batches of spirit (one in HK's winter, one in HK's summer) I decided to go for 2L of "speyside spec" single malt new make, and 2L of "heavily peated" single malt new make.

With the spirit agreed upon, I was asked if I'd like to spend a morning at the distillery, to get some hands-on experience actually making some new make spirit?

Errm, not really something you say no to is it!?

Arriving at Archie Rose early one morning, I met Head Distiller Joe Dinsmoor (formerly of Lark Distillery) and Assistant Distiller Shane Casey who had just started the mashing in of a new batch of single malt. Having been on more distillery tours than I can remember, I knew how this process worked, but seeing it up close, and actually getting involved, just made it that much more real. Unlike most Scottish distilleries, Archie Rose mashing is done manually by hand (at least until a new mash tun arrives in 2016), 4 days a week, with 600kg of barley. Luckily for my arms, they were mashing the malted barley that day, and not the "cement-like" rye...

The regular single malt includes 100kg (1/6) of peated malt, described by Joe as the "pepper on the steak". Having tried their single malt new make, I can assure you they've made the right choice - it's smooth, flavoursome and should age incredibly well. The "heavily peated" new make includes 300kg (half) of peat-smoked malted barley.

Speaking of malted barley, part of my morning included loading the hopper with fresh malt, ready for the next session of mashing. Slightly tiring work loading up those 25kg bags, but it did give me an opportunity to try each type. The peated barley had an incredible woodsmoke, BBQ note which I'd happily munch on as a snack.

With that done, it was over to the stills to see the low wines coming off the wash still (described as having a "rollercoaster of flavour", although obviously a little rough) and the foreshots coming off the spirit still. There's no automation or computerisation when it comes to making the spirit cuts at Archie Rose - Joe and team make the decision based on nosing and tasting the spirit multiple times as it comes off the still (Joe did explain that the results are fairly consistent, and so they generally know at what time/volume the foreshots start to end and the heart run begins). I had a little nose at a few stages (nearing the end of the foreshots), and it was fascinating to see how quickly it could change, and how new flavours/notes were introduced as it progressed.

For anyone visiting, don't expect a spirit safe like you'll find (mandated by law) in the UK. "Cutting the spirit" here involves wheeling in a new receptacle and moving the hose into it!

With the cuts done, there was time to sample the two new make spirits I was taking home:

• Archie Rose Single Malt New Make Spirit (67% ABV): A smooth, banana/bubblegum nose leading to a rich, thick oily palate of asparagus and strawberry bubblegum, with a long, smooth finish with hints of lamb fat. Complex and delicious.
• Archie Rose "Heavily Peated" Single Malt New Make Spirit (67% ABV): A campfire BBQ nose with hints of pork, more pork on the palate (with some confectionary sweetness) and a long, sweet and sherberty finish. Also delicious.

Can't wait to see how they go in our little 2L cask, which is currently being seasoned with a mix of sherry and port (more on that in the coming months).

One thing I found interesting, which I'd never had a sense of from previous distillery tours, was how a distiller actually spends their day. While there wasn't really any "down time", there were brief (and we mean brief) periods of waiting for certain stages, but there was also a tendency for things to happen all at once too. For example, at undoubtedly the most time critical point - the spirit cutting, there were multiple delivery men arriving, phone calls, and even a truck delivering a load of 200L ex-sherry casks (which smelled amazing, by the way). The life of a distiller can be a frantic one at times, but Joe and Shane kept their cool like pros.

With the heart run well underway, and my new make all bottled up, it was time for me to get out of the way and let the blokes get back to work. As I sat down to a delicious chicken sando at Black Star Pastry just next door (please come to Hong Kong!), I reflected back on what I'd seen, and how while we whisky enthusiasts might think it's all fun and games making whisky, it's actually bloody hard, skilful work. A big cheers to the men and women around the world who make the whisky we know and love, day-in, day-out.

TimeforWhisky would like to say a huge thanks to Will, Dave, Joe and the team at Archie Rose for having us along and for producing us a fantastic new make spirit which is sure to work a treat in our little mini cask.

Cheers,
Martin.

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Full press release:

"Archie Rose Distilling Co. is enabling you to create your own tailored spirits, giving you a truly unique experience in designing your own personal gin, vodka or whisky, right down to your name on the label.

The award-winning distillery and bar prides itself on its opening up the distilling experience to the public and invites you to try your hand at spirits design via the Archie Rose website, where a custom application has been developed to guide you through the process.

“This is something we’ve been working on for some time,” says founder and owner, Will Edwards. “Every day we are lucky enough to able to play with pure botanical distillates, unique malts and rare casks to create our spirits’ flavour profiles, and thought why should we be the ones having all the fun designing spirits? It was a natural progression to go down this route and give people the opportunity to get really involved in the distilling process, which we are so passionate about.” 

Designing your Tailored Vodka or gin begins at https://archierose.com.au/tailored-spirits/ where you have the option to select up to five of the distillery’s unique botanical distillates to add to your bottle of Original Vodka or Signature Dry Gin. The intensity for each botanical is then chosen to give your spirit its unique flavour profile. The final step is personalising the bottle, by adding your name or the person lucky enough to be receiving it as a gift, and the custom made label is created – your Tailored Spirit forever marked as your own and delivered to your door. 

For those wanting to up the ante, Tailored Whisky is an incredibly unique offering allowing you to personalise almost every aspect of your whisky including the option for you and four friends to assist in the actual making of your whisky on site.

To ensure your Tailored Whisky is precisely to your specifications, options include a choice of Single Malt Whisky or Rye Whisky; a custom made 20L, 50L or 100L cask of any wood type the Archie Rose cooper has available including New American Oak, French Oak, Ex-Bourbon, Ex-Port and Ex-Sherry and setting your desired level of smoke influence from a choice of peated or wood smoked malts, among others.

Your name is stencilled on to your cask prior to it being stored and displayed in the bar rack until mature with the Archie Rose Production Manager and Head Distiller managing the maturation process. You will receive a 200ml sample annually to create a library of your whisky’s maturation however your cask can be sampled at any time by appointment. 

Bottling the Tailored Whisky at your desired ABV on maturation includes batch details and your name on the label. Six bottles of the final product will be presented in a handmade wooden Archie Rose crate with full brewing and distillation notes, one bottle of filtered water used in the production of the whisky and two Glencairn glasses. The remaining bottles will be packed in Archie Rose cases with an option to keep your empty cask.

Tailored Vodka: $84
Tailored Gin: $89
Tailored Whisky: From $4,000 for a 20L Cask

Available from Monday 2 November at: https://archierose.com.au/tailored-spirits/"

Distilery Tour #5 and Bar Review #16: Archie Rose Distilling Company (Sydney, Australia) (Tasted #193-194)

If you fancy yourself a fan of whisky, especially "world whisky", you'll no doubt know that Australian whisky has been exploding in popularity of late (and with good reason - for the most part, it's bloody good stuff).

Despite the fact that many people automatically associate "Australian whisky" with "Tasmanian whisky", there are a number of quality whiskies (or soon-to-be whiskies) being produced in other states, including Victoria (New World Whisky Distillery, Bakery Hill), Western Australia (Great Southern Distilling Co) and now right in the heart of Sydney, New South Wales, with the recent opening of Archie Rose Distilling Co.

When I first heard about Archie Rose, I've got to admit I was more than a little excited. A new whisky distillery, right in my home city of Sydney, with Dave Withers (formerly of The Oak Barrel and one of the most knowledgable whisky folk I know) at the helm of production? How could we Sydney whisky fans not be excited?!

The excitement grew when I started seeing pictures and hearing more about the distillery, including the amazing bar, the tours, and the spirits being produced.

Fast forward to Easter time, when Steph and I were back in Sydney and the aforementioned Dave was kind enough to take time out of his busy schedule to give us an in-depth tour and tasting of the spirits being produced. It was my fourth distillery tour in 5 months, across 3 different countries (none of them Scotland, although that's happening next month)...and easily the one I was most looking forward to.

Archie Rose is located in Rosebery, in the same former industrial complex as Kitchen by Mike and Black Star Pastry. The impressive space is conveniently split into two by a walkway - on one side, the production and cask storage, on the other, the (hugely impressive) bar, designed by the same team behind The Grounds of Alexandria (where we attended the Tullamore D.E.W tasting last year).

We (wisely) started our tour on the production side, where Dave talked us through a number of interesting points about the distillery, including:

• The two different maltings currently used - malted barley and malted rye
• The equipment - including the hopper which takes a 600kg mash, is hand spun and is a "pain" when working the rye
• The mash tun and stills, created by Peter Bailly of Tasmania (who also produced Old Hobart Distillery's stills)
• The Italian-made fermenters, with water jacketing to control temperature
• The two main stills (the steam-heated wash still - the largest in Australia at 3,600L, and the spirit still at 1,700L),
• The smaller (300L) gin still - a modified Carter-head still through which 14 botanicals impart the gin's flavour, including Lemon myrtle, blood lime, juniper, angelia root, ginger and orange.
• The use of "Loch Rosebery" water - aka Sydney town water (although Sydney town water that's been twice carbon-filtered and passed through a UV filter, mind you.)

The new make spirit comes off the stills at 70% ABV, and is described as robust due to the short, squat stills and narrow necks. Dave (who it has to be said, has a fantastic palate / nose) describes the foreshots as having notes of "permanent markets", the hearts as "honey" and the tails as "lamb fat". Very distinctive then!

Interestingly, the (white) rye currently being sold isn't exactly the same new make as goes into the barrels for aging - it's a spirit made specifically to be enjoyed unaged, by ensuring a lower temperature towards the end of fermentation. For the spirit that is aged though, Archie Rose vat 4-5 barrels' worth at a time, and use virgin oak for the rye (and a future bourbon release), and Buffalo Trace barrels (re-charred in Tasmania) for others.

Steph and I were fortunate enough to taste Archie Rose's Rye that had been aged for a whole 1 day. Whilst not a whisky, and only at 27% ABV, it was an interesting insight into what the future might hold...


Archie Rose 1 day old Rye (27% ABV, 1 day old, Sydney, Australia)
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Colour: More than you'd think for one day old (I guess the virgin oak helps). Pale straw.
Nose: Banoffee pie with thick rich caramel.
Palate: More Banoffee pie / banana notes. Sweet.
Finish: Short as you might expect, with some toffee and caramel notes at the end.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100. Not overly complex (c'mon, it's a new born and only 27% ABV), but incredibly smooth, absolutely no harshness whatsoever, and with the potential to turn into a robust, complex and fantastic whisky. If it's this good after 1 day, I can't wait to try it with a few years under its belt.

Dave went on to explain that, under current legislation in New South Wales, a distiller can't apply for a licence until the entire operation is pretty much ready to go. Building acquired and equipment purchased and installed. That's a pretty significant outlay for someone to make with no guarantee of a licence! Luckily, there were no such concerns with Archie Rose. For what it's worth, in our opinion a destination like this can only be a good thing for Sydney - not just to put NSW back on the "Aussie Whisky" map, but from a City of Sydney tourism perspective too.

Archie Rose run tours where they open the distillery to the public, allow visitors to see the production and even taste some of the product, during and after production. At $10AUD (tour) or $20 (tour + tasting), it's pretty good value. Details here.

With our tour over, it was onto the bar....

...and what a stunning bar it was. With a copper bar and booths that look like large wooden mashtuns, the spirits theme clearly runs right throughout the venue (and just in case you forgot where you where, there are barrels stacked 4 high and 12 wide right above said booths).

With a large education / function space upstairs, expert mixologists mixing cocktails from 12pm to 10pm 7 days/week, and an incredible spirits selection (don't fancy an Archie Rose white rye, gin or vodka? How does a Pappy van Winkle 23 grab you? Or a Smith's Angaston 14yo?), the bar is the sort of venue you could happily call your local (and from what we saw, it seems many already are).

Given we were inside a distillery though, it would have been rude not to try the line-up (Vodka, Gin and White Rye). All were smooth, very sippable and impeccably made, but this is a whisky blog after all, and so we'll focus on the White Rye here.

Archie Rose White Rye (40% ABV, unaged, Sydney, Australia)
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Colour: As naked (clear) as the day it was born.
Nose: White chocolate.
Palate: Rich, thick, chewy. Chocolate and hazelnuts, with some meatiness. Robust and complex for an unaged spirit.
Finish: Some slight vegetal notes (asparagus?!), more hazelnuts and a short to medium length.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100. There are new makes I can't stand, and others I could happily sip neat. This definitely falls into the latter category.

If you're a whisky fan living in Sydney (and even if you're not a whisky fan), we highly recommend dropping by Archie Rose at least for a drink, if not for a tour. Judging by the number of (non-whisky fanatic) friends I've seen having a great time here on Facebook, Archie Rose are onto an absolute winner here, and we can't wait to see what goodies they produce in the coming years.

All the best fellas.

Time for Whisky would like to thank Archie Rose (and especially Dave Withers) for taking the time to give us an in-depth tour and tasting. 

Cheers,
Martin.