Jack Daniel’s 10yo Batch 4 [Tasted #696]

It’s not often we get to celebrate a historic milestone in American whiskey—let alone one tied to a name as recognisable as Jack Daniel’s. But last night at Newtown’s Pleasure Club (a vibey little venue tucked under the Odd Culture Group banner - though the name did piqued my interest), that’s exactly what we did—celebrating the launch of Jack Daniel’s 10yo, the first age-stated release from the distillery in over 100 years.

Hosted by the ever-charismatic Andy Tsai, Jack Daniel’s Brand Ambassador for Australia, the night blended history, humour, flavour, and some unexpectedly brilliant food pairings—plus a cocktail or two that we wouldn’t mind sipping again.

Chris Fletcher, Jack Daniel’s Master Distiller and grandson of former Master Distiller Frank Bobo, shared a video message to share a bit of background on the release. Chris described this 10yo as a deliberate throwback—crafted using the same mashbill as Old No. 7 (80% corn, 12% malted barley, 8% rye), fermented with the same yeast, and matured for a full decade in toasted and charred new American oak barrels.

Tennessee isn’t exactly known for ageing whiskey for extended periods—not because they can’t, but because the hot summers and huge temperature swings make it hard to strike a balance. Too much time in a warm part of the warehouse and you end up with a wood bomb. Too cool, and the whiskey barely interacts with the oak. So Chris and team carefully moved the barrels around over the 10 years—top to bottom, fast to slow maturation.

Chris likened it to cooking: “At the top, it’s flambe. Down below, it’s a simmer.” That balance is exactly what makes this whiskey so intriguing.

According to Andy, Australia punches well above its weight in the Jack Daniel’s world. We’ve got what’s affectionately referred to as the “Bourbon Belt” where Jack flows freely and loyalty runs deep. Fun fact, Australia is also the #1 global consumer of Jack Daniel’s & Cola RTDs by volume. Safe to say, us Aussie love our Jack.

And that’s exactly why the 10yo made its way here. 

“It’s about bringing a bit of luxury to Australia,” Andy told us. “But not just a few bottles—we want it to be accessible. And yes, we’re expecting a few more. On the night, it's been hinted that the 12, 14yo might make their way here soon. 

To compare and contrast the 10yo, we did a side-by-side tasting with Jack's Old No. 7 along with the newly released Jack Daniel’s 10yo (Batch 4), bottled at 48.5% ABV. Paired with a caramelised apple parfait, the dram opened up beautifully. Rich, viscous, and layered—it delivered everything you’d hope for in a Tennessee whiskey that’s been given time to grow up.

Jack Daniel’s 10yo Batch 4 (48.5% ABV, 10 Years Old, Tennessee, USA, A$150)

This is Jack Daniel’s dialled up and matured with precision—retaining Jack Daniel's DNA but extending it and bringing it into new territory with added weight and richness. A nicely structured Tennessee whiskey.

Nose: Aromatic and layered with dry citrus peel, ripe banana, and crisp green apple upfront. Behind that sits a base of dark chocolate orange, sultana, and toasted oak.

Palate: Mouth-coating and viscous, with a sweet-savoury duality. Notes of salted caramel and orange chocolate on the palate, followed by spiced apple strudel, roasted nuts, and a hint of brine. There’s a warming peppery lift mid-palate, while aniseed and soft charred oak bring depth and balance.

Finish: Lingering with gentle peppermint, soft oak tannins, and a sweet baking spice warmth that stretches on.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100 (Hendy)

This one felt special.

It wasn’t just about releasing an age-stated expression. It was about heritage, craftsmanship, and a reminder that even one of the most iconic whiskey brands in the world can continue to evolve in meaningful, flavourful ways.

We’ve always known Jack Daniel’s could bring the bold, but Jack Daniel’s 10yo proves they can do it with grace and restraint too. Here’s hoping the 12yo, 14yo, and perhaps, even that elusive 21yo, make it to our shores soon.

Until then—cheers to Uncle Jack, cheers to Chris Fletcher, and cheers to the fans who’ve kept this whiskey close to their hearts (and their bars) for over 150 years. 

Thanks to Brown Forman and We Are Different for having us at the launch of Jack Daniel's 10yo.

Cheers

Hendy

Woodford Reserve Tasting with Elizabeth McCall, Woodford Reserve Sonoma Triple Finish [Tasted #679]

Last week, we had the pleasure of joining Elizabeth McCall, Woodford Reserve’s Master Distiller, for an evening of whisky insights, flavour exploration, and plenty of banter ahead of Old Fashioned Week.

Elizabeth kicked off the evening with her unexpected path to whisky. With a background in psychology and counselling, she entered Brown-Forman’s sensory department almost by chance. Her story unfolded as one of curiosity and a deepening passion for whisky, taking her from quality control to training teams worldwide in sensory analysis, eventually landing her the prestigious role of Master Distiller. One of the standout moments was Elizabeth describing her journey from psych studies to the whisky lab—a blend of fate, sensory expertise, and a love for exploring the depths of flavour.

Elizabeth McCall’s journey into the world of whisky is as unique and unexpected as it is inspiring. Growing up, she never imagined she would one day become a master distiller. Instead, Elizabeth pursued her passion for psychology, earning a degree in counselling psychology and initially envisioning a career as a therapist. 

Her introduction to the whisky world started while attending her younger brother’s graduation party, she happened to strike up a conversation with a guest who worked at Brown-Forman, Woodford Reserve’s parent company. When Elizabeth shared her interest in sensory sciences and her struggles finding the right career path, he suggested she apply to their sensory department, where her psychology background would be a valuable asset. Elizabeth was intrigued—she didn’t know much about whisky or sensory evaluation at the time, but the opportunity was too exciting to pass up.

Starting in Brown-Forman’s quality control department, Elizabeth found herself drawn to the nuances of whisky production and sensory evaluation. She was immersed in the hands-on, often mysterious world of whisky-making, working alongside industry experts who taught her about distilling, blending, and the complex layers of flavour that make each whisky unique. A pivotal moment came when she learned that whisky is clear when it first comes off the still—a revelation that sparked her curiosity and deepened her respect for the entire maturation process. She dove into every aspect of her role, from learning to interpret tasting data to helping shape new methods for sensory training across Brown-Forman’s global teams.

In 2014, Elizabeth’s career took a major step forward when she attended a class with Chris Morris, then Woodford Reserve’s Master Distiller. Chris invited her to train as a Master Taster, a role that would allow her to further her sensory skills. Her training alongside Morris offered her the chance to develop her own sensory style, and she soon became the expert palate behind Woodford Reserve.

In 2015, she officially took on the role of Master Taster, working across both Woodford Reserve and Old Forester. Then, in 2016, Woodford Reserve claimed her focus entirely, and Elizabeth moved to the Woodford Reserve Distillery full-time, working as a sensory scientist and overseeing quality control at the historic site. By 2018, she had advanced to Assistant Master Distiller, and in 2023, she achieved the role of Master Distiller.

The tasting session took us through Woodford Reserve’s five sources of flavour: fruit and floral, spice, grain, sweet aromatics, and wood. The tasting paired three Woodford Reserve expressions, with selected foods. Elizabeth led us through each pour with insights into how flavour is crafted, and, more importantly, how it can transform through pairing.

We started with the flagship Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select bourbon, an iconic expression built around Woodford’s signature “five sources of flavour”—fruit and floral, spice, grain, sweet aromatics, and wood. To bring out the whisky’s versatile profile, Elizabeth introduced a trio of food pairings: parmesan cheese, dried cranberries, and fresh orange slices.

Next up was the Woodford Reserve Rye; a pre-prohibition style rye that’s as approachable as it is complex. Elizabeth guided us through the tasting, with soft hints of baking spices, honeyed sweetness, and dill on the nose. She described the palate as smooth and slightly sweet, with warming cinnamon and nutmeg spices that are softened by notes of light honey and malted barley. This rye is fitting for those who are new to rye or are wanting to check out the category. Elizabeth highlighted how the finish, with its lingering spice and nutty character, reveals the subtle depth and complexity of Woodford’s rye without overpowering the palate. 

The third and final expression we tasted was the Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, A personal favourite of Elizabeth’s, Double Oaked takes Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select through a second aging phase in a heavily toasted, lightly charred barrel. This added step builds upon the bourbon’s natural complexity, bringing notes of butterscotch, vanilla, marzipan, and dark caramel. To bring out these indulgent flavours, Elizabeth paired the Double Oaked with dark chocolate.

But just as we thought we had completed the tasting, came the highlight for the night, the Woodford Reserver Sonoma Triple Finish

Woodford Reserve Sonoma Triple Finish (45.2% ABV, Versailles, Kentucky, USA, A$269.99)

The Sonoma Triple Finish, a limited Master’s Collection release with a triple-barrel maturation process in Korbel brandy, Sonoma-Cutrer Pinot Noir, and Woodford barrels. With its rich, fruity character and slightly red hue, this whisky was the highlight of the night for me.

Nose: A rich, layered aroma opens with brandy-soaked cherries, sweet cherry liqueur, and the warmth of Christmas cake. Notes of juicy raisins and a subtle hint of baking spices emerge, hinting at the complex interplay between brandy, Pinot Noir, and bourbon barrels.

Palate: Silky and creamy on the tongue, leading with soft vanilla and a medley of warming spices. Clove and nutmeg add depth, mingling with sweet caramel and a burst of tart raspberries. The barrel influence brings a gentle, toasted oak character, balancing sweetness with spice.

Finish: The finish is long and warm, lingering with a satisfying, spiced complexity that hints at cloves and subtle red fruit notes, leaving a memorable, layered impression.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 93/100 (Hendy)

As a fitting end to the evening, and to celebrate Old Fashioned Week, we were served a Dessert Old Fashioned made with maple syrup instead of traditional sugar syrup. It’s a fantastic choice for those looking to experience the Old Fashioned in a new way, with a hint of dessert-like richness.

It was a truly remarkable night with Elizabeth McCall, hearing her stories about balancing life as a master distiller and her reflections on the art of sensory tasting. It’s clear that her journey is just beginning, and with her leadership, Woodford Reserve’s spirit of innovation is in great hands.

Thanks to We Are Different PR and Woodford Reserve for having us on the night

Cheers

Hendy

High West Whiskey Tasting with Brendan Coyle [Tasted #653]

Late last month, we joined Brendan Coyle, Master Distiller of High West Whiskey who had visited Australia for the first time to talk through everything High West.

Brendan's passion for the whiskey game was evident as he talked about his journey at High West which began in 2006. 

High West Distillery, located in Park City, Utah, United States, is the first legally licensed distillery in Utah since the end of the American Prohibition. It was founded in 2006 by David Perkins, a former pharmaceutical biochemist, and his wife, Jane. The distillery operates in an old livery stable dubbed “The National Garage” and in the adjacent historic Ellsworth J Beggs house, which was built in 1907.

Brendan noted that American whiskey had been somewhat stuck in its old ways, with many distilleries churning out similar products. He felt that the traditional whiskey landscape in America was slow to change, with many producers following similar methods and High West saw a chance to shake things up, by focusing on innovation and dreaming about what whiskey flavours could be, not just what they were like back in the day. This is primarily why High West is more known for blending whiskey rather than distilling it. 

This unique approach to whiskey production sees High West producing its spirits only in small batches and they are known to source whiskeys from other distilleries to produce the base components of their whiskeys, focusing on blending different grain bills and ages to create a different whiskey profiles. Brendan noted that he has taken inspiration from global spirits like Scotch and Cognac, which are known for their artful blending of young and old spirits. The result is a diverse range of flavours and styles that make up their lineup. Their American Prairies Bourbon is a blend of straight bourbon aged between 2 and 13 years.

On the night, Brendan introduced us to a few High West highlights, including the Double Rye, Double Rye Tawny, American Prairie Bourbon and High West Campfire. The latter is an interesting blend of bourbon, rye, and peated malts from an undisclosed distillery in Scotland - though not the kind of peated malt you think of and certainly not from Islay. The High West Campfire presents a mix of sweet candied, honey notes from the bourbon, a kick of cookie spices and spicy rye, and a subtle smoke. The Campfire does make for a good base for cocktail making.

High West Double Rye Tawny Port Barrel (56.1% ABV, Park City, Utah, A$TBC)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Part of High West's Barrel Select Program, the High West Double Rye Tawny is a blend of 2-year-old MGP 95/5 rye whiskey and a 7-year-old High West rye whiskey with a mash bill of 80% rye and 20% malted barley.

Nose: The nose opens with notes of marzipan, raisins, baked (rye) spices, gingerbread like, vanilla, cherry. There's some burnt caramel, honey and light citrus notes.

Palate: The palate is gentle with rye spices, cinnamon, gingerbread. Some sweetness develops with vanilla notes and fluffy vanilla chiffon cake, there's white pepper and developing dryness

Finish: Moderately long finish, with peppery spices and dry finish

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 93/100 (Hendy)

Cheers

Hendy

Thanks to Maven PR and High West Whiskey for having us at the High West Dinner with Brendan Coyle

Westward Dominio IV Pinot Noir, Tempranillo [Tasted #611 - #612]

Shape tasting? What is shape tasting? It's the term coined by Dominio IV's founder, Patric Reuter, to describe the pictorial representation of the aromas and flavours that unfold in time with his wines. 

Dominio IV wines, based in Mosier, Oregon is known for its syrah, tempranillo and pinot noir. Dominio IV winery is also where the method of "shape testing" was developed by Patrick Reuter. Visual presentation of tasting notes of the flavours and aromas can be seen on the labels of the Dominio IV Imagination Wine Series.

Inspired by both, the wines of Dominio IV and the visual representation of the profile of those wines - Miles Munroe, the Lead Distiller of Westward Distillery developed the Cascadia Creative Series. Dominio IV's innovative shape-tasting method was essential to the development of this new release with Patrick also painting the sensory experience from the whiskey to which his drawings are now featured on the Cascadia Creative Series boxes.

So what forms part of Westward's Cascadia Creative Series? The series will include Westward Whiskey Dominio IV Single Barrel Tempranillo Whiskey as well as a re-release of the Westward Whiskey Dominio IV Single Barrel Pinot Noir Whiskey. Both whiskies will have an ABV of 62.5% and the series has been developed exclusively for the Whisky Club.

We joined Miles Munroe for the launch of the Cascadia Creative Series here in Sydney where Miles talked through the long partnership that he's had with Dominio IV winery that culminated in the development of these expressions.

The last time Miles was down under was back in March 2019 and I got to sit down with him and spent some time getting to know him and his back story prior to joining Westward and what inspired him at Westward. Fast forward to 2022 and Miles has undoubtedly taken Westward to the next level, inspired by all the elements that make Westward what it is.

The Westward Whiskey Dominio IV Tempranillo Single Barrel at cask strength is made from scratch with Westward's original single malt. The distillation begins with a brew of an American Ale, using locally sourced two-row barley, ale yeast and a slow, low-temperature fermentation process. The whiskey is then distilled twice in custom low-reflux post stills before being matured in lightly charred American Oak barrels and finally, transferred at cask strength into an emptied Dominio IV Tempranillo French Oak Wine Casks. The whiskey is finished for an additional year before being bottled.

Head Distiller Miles Munroe noted, “The Dominio IV Tempranillo vineyard on the east of the Cascade Range produces incredibly robust grapes that match the fruit-forward flavours of Westward Whiskey. Because of this, we knew that finishing our Westward Whiskey at cask strength in their Tempranillo barrels would be the ideal flavour pairing and make for an extraordinary first expression to launch the Cascadia Creative Series in Australia."

So what's the Cascadia Creative Series like?

Westward Dominio IV Pinot Noir (62.5% ABV, NAS, Portland, Oregon, United States, A$195) 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The re-release of the Westward Whiskey Dominio IV Pinot Noir Single Barrel at cask strength comes after an incredible response to the initial release in Australia, which previously sold out through The Whisky Club in January 2021. Another exclusive release at cask-strength, this re-release expression sees the maturation of Westward's original single malt for 19 months in French Oak Pinot Noir Barrels from Dominio IV Wines.

Nose: Fruity, loads of strawberries, orange peels with some coconut shaving, mixed with raisins, some vanillin beans, green apples and a small remnant of nutmeg.

Palate: The palate is reminiscent of a Christmas panettone cake, with raisins and some candied orange. This sweetness is then followed by lots of spices, particularly cinnamon, nutmeg and some light chilli. 

Finish: The finish is long and elegant and transitions from the spice bomb to remnants of tannin, and nougat.

Rating: 92/100 (Hendy) 

Westward Dominio IV Tempranillo (62.5% ABV, NAS, Portland, Oregon, United States, A$195) 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Westward Whiskey Dominio IV Tempranillo Single Barrel at cask strength sees the original Westward single malt being finished for 12 months in an emptied French Oak Dominio IV Tempranillo cask.

Nose:  The nose has layers of sticky date and sticky pudding. I can sense some crème de la crème and caramel. The sweetness is then followed with some earthy spices, clove, cinnamon, and perhaps a cinnamon donut. The nose is very dessert-like.

Palate: Those layers of sweetness ripple through the palate with notes of sticky date, burnt caramel, crème brûlée and maple-covered pancake. The spices that follow cut through the sweetness, with loads of clove and notes of cedar oak, 

Finish: The finish is dry, earthy and with some remnants of tobacco.

Rating: 92/100 (Hendy) 

I am quite impressed with both the expressions that make up the Cascadia Creative Series. Personally, I've been a fan of Westward's core single malt and seeing the culmination of the core single malt with the casks of various wine varietals has elevated the profile of their core single malt.

Thanks to Westward Whiskies and Agent 99 for having us as part of the Whisky Club preview event.

Cheers
Hendy

Tasted #601: Bushmills 2012 Burgundy Cask

One less commonly known thing is that whiskey distilling started in Ireland. Another fact is that the Bushmills Whiskey Distillery was granted a license to distill in 1608, making it one of the oldest distilleries in the world and certainly in Bushmills, Ireland. Though the town's first distillery didn't appear until 1784, there had been an improvement over the next century.

Triple pot distillation though did not start until the 1930s, following the appointment of Scotsman Jimmy Morrison as a manager to improve the make. Jimmy's triple type of pot still [distillation] was not in use anywhere else. He had come to Bushmills from Mortlach, which may raise the question of similarities? Between the 1930s and the 1970s, the distillery only produced peated whiskey. Fast forward to today, Bushmills makes light, grassy, triple-distilled malt and its original blends. 

So what do you get when you combine the triple distilled malt from one of the oldest distilleries with an approach that sees the use of historically significant casks to finish the malt? How about a rather pleasant and delicious triple-distilled whiskey. This was such when we tasted the Bushmills Burgundy Cask; a release that forms part of a special series created exclusively for The Whisky Club.

Bushmills have produced a three-part exclusive series for the Whisky Club, with the first series, released in 2020 being a 2006 vintage Marsala Cask aka Italian Sherry. The second series followed a 2011 vintage Banyuls Cask, a French Port matured Bushmills.

The Bushmills Burgundy Cask is the third and final release in the Bushmills Causeway Collection 2012. What's unique is that the Burgundy casks have been sourced from Domaine des Hospices, a winery dating back to the 1400s. The Burgundy Cask will also be the first release with Bushmill's new Master Blender Alex Thomas. She has described the release as "one of the best whiskeys that Bushmills have produced to date"

Distilled in 2012, the spirit was first laid down in Bushmills’ trademark Oloroso Sherry and Bourbon casks before being further matured for three-and-a-half-year in Burgundy red wine casks. Bottled this year, this non-chill filtered and non-coloured release has been bottled at cask strength; 51.8% ABV.

The Bushmills 2012 Burgundy Cask - The Causeway Collection (51.8% ABV, 10yo, Antrim, Ireland, A$135 (via The Whisky Club) 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nose: The nose is fresh, sweet, and vanilla-laden. There are dried fruits mixed with strawberry jam and some custard apples. 

Palate: The palate builds on the sweetness from the nose with red velvet cake followed by a vanilla and strawberry jam sponge cake. The palate is rich and slowly evolves into notes of spiced toffee apple cake and sticky date pudding

Finish: The finish is long and smooth with spices and tannin remaining for a while longer

Rating: 93/100 (Hendy)

Thanks to Eilis Grainger of Mango Communications and The Whisky Club for providing us with a sample of this Bushmills Burgundy Cask release.

Cheers,
Hendy.

Jack Daniel's Bonded [Tasted #583]

The Bottled in Bond Act was introduced in 1897 in the United States to guarantee that a bottle of whiskey the consumer was buying was really whiskey. So what does this involve? In order for a whiskey to be regarded as a "bonded whiskey", distillation must be completed by a single distiller during a single season, matured in a government bonded warehouse for at least four years and bottled at 100 proof.

While we have never doubted Jack Daniel's whiskies are true whiskies, Jack Daniel's latest release - Jack Daniel's Bonded is a release that has been produced in the true letter of the law. Not only has it been "Bottled-in-Bond" at 100 proof, per the bill but it has also been packaged similarly to the original design of the 1895 Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey bottle.

Jack Daniel's Bonded is also built on the same recipe of its flagship Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey. Based on a mash bill of 80% corn, 12% malted barley, and 8% rye and undergo a seven-day fermentation. The mash is distilled in copper column stills and filtered through 10-foot-long columns of charcoal, made out of Tennessee sugar maple wood.

Chris Fletcher, Jack Daniel’s Master Distiller commented:

“The Jack Daniel Distillery has been making American whiskey to the highest standards for generations, before and after the Bottled in Bond Act, dating back to the days of Mr. Jack himself. Jack Daniel’s Bonded is a nod to our heritage with a touch of innovation and craftsmanship."

Bonded will be the first permanent expression in Jack Daniel's new Bonded Series. The Bonded Series will honour the whiskey-making excellence of the iconic Jack Daniel and will be a permanent extension in the Jack Daniel’s Family of Brands.

Jack Daniel's Bonded (50% ABV, NAS, Tennessee, USA, A$87.99) 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Big, bold and good quality Tennessee Whiskey at 100 proof with layered notes of sweet honey, raisins, dried fruit, rich oak, and spices giving way to a pleasantly smooth lingering spiced finish.

Nose: Fresh, floral, rich, vanilla, lemon, lime, and honey with an overlay of sandalwood and oak

Palate: Big, bold, with lots of grains and spices from nutmeg to cardamom followed by a cinnamon bun covered with honey and some raisins.

Finish: Long and smooth, spices remain for a long while.

Rating: 92/100 

Cheers
Hendy

Thanks to Adrian from Different and Jack Daniel for providing us with a sample to review.

Teeling "Blackpitts" Peated Irish Whiskey [Tasted #528]

My enjoyment of Teeling Whiskey is well documented on this blog, having first tried their whiskey way back in 2013 (a year after brothers Jack & Stephen Teeling started operations), and many times since - including some incredible single casks from the early 1990s, with their trademark Irish tropical fruitiness.

The thing is, those whiskies weren't actually distilled at the Teeling Distillery in Dublin (which only opened in 2015, a year before the brand's Hong Kong launch), but rather at the Cooley Distillery, which was started by Stephen & Jack's father John, but sold to Beam in 2011. 

Things changed in 2018, when Teeling's Dublin Distillery released their first Dublin-distilled whiskey (Pot Still, which I shamefully still haven't tried), and last year the distillery released their second Dublin-distilled whiskey, in the form of this peated "Blackpitts".

Aged in a mixture of Sauternes (1/3) and ex-Bourbon (2/3) casks, the triple-distilled whiskey takes its name from the area located behind the distillery, previously home to some of the largest barley malting houses in Ireland.

It ticks a lot of the same boxes that Teeling's first "Small Batch" did all those years ago (46%, NCF, well-priced, matured in an interesting mix of casks etc..) but let's see how it tastes shall we? 

Teeling "Blackpitts" (46% ABV, NAS, Dublin, Ireland, $729HKD, $94.99AUD)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Colour: Light orange straw.

Nose: A lighter, funkier style of peat than your typical Islay peated whisky. Tangy BBQ sauce, white pepper and a slight hint of oak.

Palate: Apple chips, honey toast, peach and subtle pineapple. A delightful funk, with some subtle caramel undertones.

Finish: Fairly short, with some spiced oak and milk chocolate.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 87/100. I enjoyed this - it's an unusual style of peat (no doubt the triple distillation is part of the reason), but with some delicious complementary notes. A great addition to the range.

A big thanks to Teeling Whiskey Co & Summergate Hong Kong for this bottle, which is available for $729HKD from Summergate's Website in Hong Kong.

Cheers,

Martin.

Teeling 24yo heads up a trio of new releases for Australia [Tasted #465 - 467]

Teeling is a distillery that's been featured pretty heavily on the blog in the past, and with good reason. They bottle (and distill) a range of unique, varied and fantastic whisky, and seem to have a knack for clever cask finishing, which was clearly on show with three whiskies that recently showed up at TimeforWhisky.com HQ...

The first probably needs no introduction - Teeling Whiskey 24 Year Old, judged "World’s Best Single Malt 2019" at the World Whiskies Awards (one of the few competitions whose judging process I respect). The whisky spent 21 years in ex-Bourbon barrels, before undergoing 3 years of finishing in ex-Sauternes casks. This is actually the second time we've tasted the 24yo on the blog, with an earlier batch being tasted back in 2016.

Personally, my interest is always piqued when I see a respectable distillery finishing in something (relatively) obscure like a Sauterne cask, as the results can be hit or miss, but I figure with a whisky like this it's much more like to be the former.

The second hits a little closer to home for Aussies. The Teeling 17-year-old Single Malt Whiskey – Jim Barry Shiraz Cask Collaboration sees Teeling finished (for an unspecified period of time) in barrels which previously held red wine - specifically Jim Barry’s 2016 release of “The Armagh” Shiraz, a "Super Premium" Aussie Shiraz retailing for over $300AUD (the whisky itself comes in at only $200AUD/bottle).

Rounding out the trio is another collaboration and another interesting finish - Teeling Whiskey Imperial Stout Cask Finish, a NAS collaboration with the Galway Bay Brewery based on the west coast of Ireland. Described by Teeling founding brother Jack Teeling as a collaboration coming "full circle", the casks used to mature the brewery's "200 Fathoms Imperial Stout" were originally Teeling Small Batch casks. After maturing the beer once, they were then used to mature Teeling's much-loved Small Batch (see here for our review way back in 2013) once again.

Samples of each were kindly sent our way recently, and despite a leakage incident during shipping (impacting the 24yo sample no less!) there was just enough for Hendy and I to each review and give our thoughts. So without further ado...

Teeling Whiskey 24 Year Old (46% ABV, 24yo, Ireland, $600AUD)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Colour: Rich bright Orange Gold

Nose: Martin: Passionfruit with a dusting of icing sugar, followed by richer notes of maple syrup & blackberry and rounded out with some lemon citrus notes.
Hendy: A strong whiff of pineapple, tropical juice, breakfast cereal or perhaps barley. There is some honey and creamy vanilla mixed on the nose. The nose is light, especially compared with the extremely fruity 17yo.

Palate: Martin: Rich, creamy and mouth-filling beyond what its 46% ABV might suggest.  Passionfruit tart hits you first, then guava, then vanilla essence. There are hints of other tropical fruits (as are so often evident on good Irish drams of this age) - pineapple and kiwifruit. Just a delicious, rich fruity dessert.
Hendy: The palate is velvety and smooth, almost grandeur with layered fruits. The pineapple and tropical juice comes on the palate only very subtly followed by light berries jam. Pop rocks popping candy without the pop (is that possible). The palate is very very creamy, quite viscous and laden with vanilla and subtle hints of those tropical fruits. There's a tiny bit of citrus note that follows & comes through quite late, though the palate remains light and delicate.

Finish: Martin: Long, fruity and slightly smoked. Passionfruit lemon tart, with an almost-burn baked crust, and then some residual oak that hangs on until the end.
Hendy: Very gentle, very long, the fading of the notes is nice and slow and only soft fruity notes linger on.

Rating (on our very non-scientific scale):  93/100 (Hendy) & 92/100 (Martin).

--

Teeling Whiskey 17 Year Old Jim Barry Shiraz Cask Collaboration (46% ABV, 17yo, Ireland, $199.99AUD)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Colour: Orange gold.

Nose: Martin: Fruity! Oranges and passionfruit, then red berries. Slight hints of banana integrate well too. Fruit salad in a glass.
Hendy: The nose is very fruity. There is creamy mango with some bananas and topped with Ribena juice. There's that homemade danish pastry that have been topped with loads of berries. This nose is amazingly delicious.

Palate: Martin: The red berries are the first thing to hit you. Then there are some oats - creamy breakfast oats. Really creamy. In fact, you know those Uncle Toby's Strawberry Yoghurt muesli bars that Aussie kids often had in their lunch boxes as children? Exactly those. Then there's some white chocolate orange slices to round things out.
Hendy: I'm a big fan of tasting what you nose and this expression does not disappoint. The berries come through prominently with some vanilla and creamy mango ice cream. This is a real fun palate and followed by a slight oak bitterness that's there but does not detract from the fruit notes. After a while, the palate gets a little chalky before some spices hit the back of the palate.

Finish: Martin: Long, ever so slightly dry with notes of strawberry chocolate to the end.
Hendy: Dry and long, the sweet notes remain with slight tingly spices, almost like Pop Rocks popping candy (berry flavours). Overall, very enjoyable and very delicious.

Rating (on our very non-scientific scale):  93/100 (Hendy) & 91/100 (Martin).

--

Teeling Whiskey Small Batch Stout Cask Irish Whiskey (46% ABV, NAS, Ireland, $79.99AUD)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Colour: Light yellow gold.

Nose: Martin: In a word (or two): yellow fruits. Pear and peach at first, then some banana.
Hendy: Fruity and sweet, there's fresh honey dew and light citrus notes with quite prominent bright and hop nose.

Palate: Martin: Unusual. There's a hoppy, slightly astringent bitterness, then sweetness, then some lemon coming through, but more like lemon-scented cleaning products (that sounds bad, it's not in reality) and white grapes.
Hendy: Creamy and milky, there's a hint of roast coffee beans mixed with some milk chocolate followed by a subtle bitterness, perhaps more of that hops though the hops does not overtake the palate. The creamy stout profile comes through after a while and the bitterness stays on the palate for a while longer.

Finish: Martin: Short to medium in length, with that hoppy, subtle bitterness remaining to the end.
Hendy: The stout remains and becomes prevalent but it's a nice after taste, almost like the after taste you get after that first sip of a fresh cold lager. This is delicious stuff and is very different to the usual fruity Teeling notes.

Rating (on our very non-scientific scale):  91/100 (Hendy) & 85/100 (Martin). Clearly Hendy liked this one more than me!


Cheers,
Martin..

Wild Turkey Master's Keep 1894 Launch with Eddie Russell (Tasted #372)

Wild Turkey Master Distiller Eddie Russell visited Australia earlier this month to unveil Master’s Keep 1894 – the latest release in its limited edition Master’s Keep series. The visit by Eddie was quite special and coincided with the Masters of Conviction Tour; a series of masterclasses across Sydney and Melbourne to celebrate Wild Turkey and the launch of the 1894. The tour presented Wild Turkey expressions including the Rye, Rare Breed, Kentucky Spirit, the Master’s Keep Decades (a personal favourite) and the 1894.

What we love about Eddie, as the current Wild Turkey's Master Distiller, is how he worked from the ground up, closely partnering with his dad, Jimmy Russell. It's amazing to see Eddie follow in his dad's footsteps to become Wild Turkey's Master Distiller having started as a Relief Operator and subsequently spending many years as Wild Turkey's Associate Master Distiller alongside Jimmy. Eddie and Jimmy certainly make an awesome father and son Bourbon duo.

As Nicole Stanners, Wild Turkey's Bourbon Marketing Director described: "Eddie is of unmatched pedigree in the bourbon industry, with skills that only come from a true expert and knowledge others aspire to learn."

At the launch, Eddie proudly spoke of his Bourbon life and the journey from his first taste of Wild Turkey, having drunk it straight from the barrel, to his time spent with Bookers and Jimmy and through the years of learning, crafting and continuing the Wild Turkey story. Many elements of his bourbon life story have come to influence and shape the details behind each of the Master's Keep releases; the 17yo, the Decades (above) and now, the 1894.

The Master's Keep 17yo is a nice, soft and balanced barrel proof whisky. The long maturation profile of the 17yo meant the whiskey angels have had their fair share, estimated by Eddie to be around 37 gallons (140 litres) of liquid dissipation per barrel (amazing)! This is a share that had been taken from what started as 53 gallons (per standard bourbon barrel volume) to a mere 16 gallons at the time of bottling. Jokingly he referred to the angel as being the ultimate Master Distiller having taken a fair proportion of the bourbon. The long maturation was only possible through the barrel storage method by which the barrels were stored. The barrels were stored in a brick warehouse which stymied temperature variations and ensured cool and steady maturation condition; a stark contrast to maturing barrels in metal clad warehouses.

The Decades was different to the 17yo in that it had been named after the inclusion of what Eddie considered to be the golden maturation age of Bourbon, 10yo. It includes some older barrels, up to 20yo and a large portion of 13-15yo barrels. The Decades was curated by Eddie as tribute to the smooth, balanced and lingering taste profile that he prefers and is starkly different to the bigger, bolder bourbons that are commonly favoured by the wider bourbon community. Personally, the Decades is also a favourite of mine.

As to the newly launched 1894 - it takes its name from the oldest rickhouse (warehouse) at the Wild Turkey Estate which was built in 1894. The warehouse was where Eddie first fell in love with Wild Turkey. It was 36 years ago, on June 5th, 1981, when Eddie started working at the distillery, earning a mere 6.58 cents an hour. Every day, he would clock on, clock off and witness the distillery crews ducking into the warehouse not knowing what they were up to. This was until one day when Eddie decided to join them and found out that they were, in fact, going around and sampling from the different barrels. After which he joined and sampled his first taste of Wild Turkey - the day he fell in love with it all.

Commenting on the release, Eddie said: “From the very first taste at Rickhouse A, I knew I wanted to dedicate my life to Bourbon. Master’s Keep 1894 captures that moment, the start of my journey to master distiller and the beginning of years of tradition.”

The 1894 has been released in Australia before it hits the American market following a wise decision after a request was received from Marketing that Australia wanted their own bottles (in fact 10,000 bottles for allocation to Australia).

Wild Turkey Master's Keep 1894 (45% ABV, NAS, Kentucky, USA, A$197.90)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The 1894 release is a unique small batch release and can be enjoyed as an everyday bourbon or mixed up as the base to an Old Fashioned, Whisky Sours or Manhattan.

Colour: Copper with amber tinge

Nose: The nose plays strongly to spiced cinnamon apple notes, dried currants, liquorice, honey, vanilla, toffee and a slight herbaceous; wild grass undertone.

Palate: More of the herbaceous note followed on the palate and joined by some glorious toffee apple, vanilla, butterscotch notes. There's also a level of spice that lingers.

Finish: Medium, lingering spice that slowly fizzles out with a level of sweetness

Rating (on Hendy's very non-scientific scale): 91/100.


Cheers,
Hendy

A huge thanks to ElevenPR and Wild Turkey for having us as part of the launch of the 1894 with Eddie Russell.

Hong Kong Whisky Festival 2017 review

After the success of 2016's inaugural Hong Kong Whisky Festival, InterContinental Grand Stanford held their festival again this year, delivering an even bigger and better festival with even more masterclasses.

Held again over one day, the event brought together big brands and indies alike, and made the most of the (expansive) hotel space, taking over two floors, several function rooms and even a suite!

Arriving an hour or so after opening, I took a walk around to see what was what. The first thing that struck me was, even that early, it was already busy. The second thing that struck me was just how many, varied stands there were. Bars, shops, independent bottlers, major distilleries, major distributors, local distributors, were all well-represented, as were "world whiskies" from all over the globe. In fact, the festival brochure had an excellent article on "New World" whisky (although I might be a little biased, given I wrote it...)

The festival shop saw a big improvement on the prior year, with a lot more space and even more bottles available (including some long gone Indies like this Eiling Lim 27yo Irish).

As is always the case with these festivals, you end up chatting to and sharing a dram with all the wonderful people working there, and before you know it, 3 hours have passed. I'd barely gotten around to half the booths when my first masterclass came up - an Asta Morris class with founder Bert Bruyneel.

Sidenote: As evidence of the quality and quantity of masterclasses on offer throughout the day, I had to decide between this and an Adelphi masterclass, both on at the same time. The good people of Malt Maniacs & Friends suggested I go for the Asta Morris class, and I'm glad I did.

Held in conjunction with Whiskies and More (Asta Morris' HK distributor) and The Fine Spirits Society, the class saw us tasting 6 spirits blind. We knew what the spirits were (amongst them were an 14yo Ardmore, an aged gin, a 13yo Bowmore, a 5yo Chichibu, a 27yo Bunnahabhain and a 32yo 1979 Benriach - a cask which was saved by Bert from blending into Chivas), but not the order, which made for much fun and debate.

I'd heard a bit about this Bert "character" and it was all true. His class was exactly what I look for in a masterclass - great whiskies (tick), educational (tick), full of stories (tick), but most of all, FUN (tick tick). The hour flew by and by the end of it, we all felt like we'd had a heap of fun, enjoying a few casual drams, making new friends and listening to some hilarious stories. 

I guess what I'm saying is, if you get a chance to attend one of Bert's classes, take it!

After Bert's class, it was straight over to another function room for a Hunter Laing masterclass, with Andrew Laing, to explore "Where the flavours come from" with a variety of whiskies of different ages, provenance and cask types. Included in the lineup was a 19yo Longmorn, 8yo Craigellachie (showing some great natural colour due to its aging in a quarter cask), a 6yo Caol Ila and an 8yo Talisker.

After the two classes, it was time for a bit more of a walk around, a few more drams, and a delicious cocktail from Eddie Nara, to prepare myself for...

...a barrel making demonstration, in which I was to construct a whisky barrel with none other than The Balvenie's Head Cooper Ian Macdonald - a man who has been in the business for almost 50 years! Luckily, I'd managed to grab a few tips by watching Mr Nara do the same a few hours earlier.

After managing to bungle my way through making the barrel, I have to say - hats off to people who do this day-in, day-out for a living. It's not easy (even less so after a few drams), but it was a fun and rewarding experience (thanks to Ian for the expert tutoring and assistance)!

By this point, the show was wrapping up, but there was still one masterclass left to attend - this time focusing on some fairly rare (and expensive) blends.

Those blends of course, being four Johnnie Walker "Private Collection" releases, from 2017, 2016, 2015 and 2014.

A 7pm timeslot after a long whisky festival is always going to see a few people worse for wear, but our host Stephen Notman (aka Mr Whisky China) pushed through, talking us through the history of blending and how the Private Collection series "rips up the philosophy of consistency in blending". He wasn't wrong - here were four very different (but all very enjoyable drams).

All were great, but the 2017's waxy apple nose and tropical and vanilla palate won me over as my favourite. A bit of Clynelish in there perhaps?

Between these festivals, the excellent Tiffany's New York Bar, and the many other whisky events/promotions throughout the year, InterContinental Grand Stanford have firmly established themselves as a Hong Kong whisky powerhouse over the past few years, and we have no doubt their upcoming World Whisky Day 2017 celebrations will only help cement that (unfortunately we won't be in HK to enjoy it...)

Cheers,
Martin.

TimeforWhisky.com attended HKWF17 as a guest of InterContinental Grand Stanford.

The Elysian Whisky Bar (Melbourne, Australia)

This article on The Elysian Whisky Bar isn't a bar review (though we have 21 of those and counting), for the simple fact that we haven't yet visited - the bar being in Melbourne, us being in Hong Kong and Sydney.

Having said that though, we don't need to visit to know this place is going to be fantastic. With Kelvin Low and Yao Wong at the helm (both ex-Whisky+Alement, another brilliant Melhourne whisky bar we reviewed here), a constantly-refreshed selection of incredible independent bottlings, great cocktails and the vibe/feel of a Japanese whisky bar, all in the heart of Fitzroy, it has all the makings of a gem of a bar (and the many reports we've heard since it's December opening have all confirmed - it's more than earned its stripes).

If that doesn't scream "awesome Japanese-style bar, we don't know what does!"

Kelvin and Yao have built up a "modest but eclectic" selection of whiskies, in a way that's only possible with indie bottlings. They've even got their own single cask Indie bottling coming out soon - a 19yo First Fill ex-Sherry Glenrothes, bottled for The Elysian along with 2 bars in Taiwan, a bar in China, and 2 bars in Japan (including the brilliant Mash Tun Tokyo, where owner Suzuki-San does not select bad casks!) Not bad for a 3 month old bar...

In their words, Kelvin and Yao

"want to bring the feel of the kind of cosy bar you would find in Japan and transport that feeling to Fitzroy…which we felt needed a whisky bar. Many of the great cocktail bars you visit in Japan would have a killer whisky selection and the whisky bars there would absolutely blow you away. We just wanted to bring a taste of that Japanese bar culture back here and maybe jog a bit of nostalgia in those that have been over there and experienced it.”

Having experienced Japan's brilliant whisky scene first hand on many occasions (including once with Kelvin and Yao, at Whisky Live Tokyo 2015), we know exactly what they mean.

Both Sydney and Melbourne continue to show an insatiable appetite for whisky tastings / masterclasses, and The Elysian have stepped up in that regard too, having already hosted a tasting with independent bottler Eiling Lim (whom we recently had the pleasure of meeting in Hong Kong), as well as a Kilkerran WIP tasting, and an upcoming Signatory Vintage tasting with The Whisky Company.

Whilst the focus is clearly on whisk(e)y, Kelvin and Yao haven't neglected the food (nor wine/beer/cocktail) side of things by any means:

"there are seasonal fruits and herbs focused cocktails, a tight wine list and a small constantly rotating beer list. The capacity of the bar is relatively small (about 35) but is specifically designed to enhance the personal interaction between patrons and the bartender. There is a small offering of snack items focusing on charcuterie and cheeses that will be on frequent rotation. We are also working with Chef Ryo Kitahara (of Assiette de Parti), a chef that Kelvin used to work with in his previous restaurant (Heirloom), for some bar snacks. Chef Ryo is providing us with some tasty Chicken Liver Parfaits, Home-made Pork Rillettes, and Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulders."

With The Elysian joining Boilermaker House, Whisky+Alement, the new Melbourne Whisky Room, Melbourne now has a range of fantastic whisky bars which all offer a slightly different take on whisky. Which one should you visit? That's easy - all of them.

The Elysian Whisky Bar is open Tuesday to Saturdays, 4:30pm to 1am, and is located at 113 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. See Facebook for more details and The Elysian website to subscribe to the newsletter. Phone: +61 3-9417 7441.

Cheers,
Martin.