Ledaig 10 Whisky Review!

Ledaig is a bit of an underdog, compared to the heavyweights of peated whisky. But the standard 10yo expression is readily available, and very well priced. So let's take a closer look!

Ledaig (pronounced le-chayg) is produced by Tobermory distillery, which is located in the town of the same name, on the Isle of Mull, the northern neighbour of Islay and Jura. The distillery is one of the oldest in Scotland, dating back to 1798, and is the only commercial distillery on Mull.

Tobermory (then known as Ledaig distillery) was one of the victims of the great depression (and prohibition in the US), closing down in 1930, before being revived in 1971. Like many distilleries, it suffered again in the 1980's, to the point where it's warehouse was converted into apartments! But it kept the distillery doors open, until it was snapped up by Burn Stewart Distiller's, in 1993. Who also own Bunnahabhain and Deanston, and are behind the Black Bottle blended whisky.

Apparently, since the warehouse is no longer part of the distillery, Tobermory's whisky is matured at sister distillery Deanston, on the Scottish mainland. But on the positive side, they floor malt and mill their barley on-site, and since 2010, they have not chill filtered or added any colouring to any of their whiskies before bottling, and all are bottled at 46% and above.

Ledaig is the peated version of Tobermory. Or 'wonderfully peated', to quote the label. It isn't quite heavily peated by Islay standards, I would put it somewhere around Ardmore Traditional, or perhaps Caol Ila Moch. So there's still a decent level of peat influence here. The standard 10-year old Ledaig is matured in ex-bourbon casks, and bottled at 46.3%, non-chill filtered and natural colour. There's also an 18-year old (want!) and a whopping 42-year old bottling (call your bank manager!), both of which are finished in sherry casks, and are bottled at around the same strength. The 42 seems to be insanely expensive though, at around $9000 AUD!!! I might have to pass on that one.

Ledaig 10yo, 46.3%, Tobermory distillery. Isle of Mull, Scotland.

'Wonderfully peated', matured in ex-bourbon casks. Non-chill filtered, natural colour.

Colour: Gold

Nose: Very coastal - salty air, wet sand, brine, dried kelp. Smoked fish, medicinal peat and some iodine. Buttery salted caramel, sweet vanilla. Slightly reminiscent of Laphroaig 10, minus most of the smoke. 

Texture: Medium, but very nice. No heat at all.

Taste: Herbal and salty peat. A little dry, acrid smoke. Chilli pepper and brine, drying driftwood, smoked white fish. Mild wood spice, and sweet vanilla. 

Finish: Medium-long, but becoming soft. Herbal and saline. Toasted wood, salted butter. Dry smoke and roasted nuts. 

Score: 4 out of 5.

Notes: An engaging and intriguing malt, which is also quite complex. If it had been more expensive, it would've scored slightly lower. But it isn't, so it didn't. Perhaps a little more smoke, and a stronger/heavier finish would be nice, but no matter. It's priced around the same as Ardbeg 10, and they're very similar on paper: natural colour, non-chill filtered, 46%, 10 years old, and nicely peated. The Ardbeg still wins for me, but not by as big a margin as I may have expected! Which speaks volumes for the Ledaig, I think. So, if you're looking for a good value and good quality peat fix, that is also something a little different, look to Ledaig 10yo. 

Tobermory has just re-released a second batch of the 18yo Ledaig, which is Oloroso sherry finished. I'm adding that one to my wish-list! It's quite expensive unfortunately, at around $210 AUD, particularly for the relatively low strength at that price point (46%). But I suspect it's still going to be a winner. 

Cheers!

Glenglassaugh Torfa Whisky Review!

We're back to the regular whisky reviews for the time being, but we're also off to a new distillery!

Glenglassaugh was founded in 1875, near Portsoy in the Scottish Highlands, and was mothballed (production ceased, skeleton staff only) for over 20 years, in 1986. The distillery started up again, under new owners and after refurbishing, in 2008. The first whisky released under those new owners was the 'revival', in 2012, although there were also releases of 30 and 40 year old malt. Both of those were highly awarded.

Current owners Benriach Distillery Company (who also own Glendronach, and obviously Benriach) purchased the distillery, in 2013. Like it's sister distilleries, Glenglassaugh does not chill filter, or add any artificial colouring, and bottles at 46% and above, for most expressions. Great stuff! It may not be the prettiest distillery, and it may not have the cult status and cult following of it's sisters, but this is effectively a young distillery (younger than Kilchoman, for some perspective!), so the potential is there. 

The Glenglassaugh (pronounced glen-glass-ah) that takes my fancy, and this may not come as a surprise, is their peated expression, named Torfa, basically the Norse word for peat. Peated malts aren't particularly common in the highlands of course, so I was curious to try this one. It's not particularly heavily peated, with the phenol content on the malt coming in at around 20 ppm, but as we know, that little number doesn't always tell us the whole story. It doesn't carry an age statement, and it will be young, both due to the age of the distillery, and the desire for maximum peat influence. But once again, that doesn't tell us the whole story!

Glenglassaugh Torfa, NAS, 50%. Portsoy, Highlands, Scotland.

Non-chill filtered, no added colouring. Peated to 20ppm. 

Colour: Very pale gold. 

Nose: Sour white wine (sauvignon blanc?), spirit-y, very light earthy peat, acetone (nail polish remover). Sweet & sour sauce, fresh barley, under-ripe tropical fruit. 

Texture: Light-medium, spirit-y. 

Taste: Slightly earthy peat, sweet malt, hint of smoke. Quite hot. 

Finish: Short-medium. More heat, earthy peat, hint of malt, tiny hint of smoke. 

Score: 2 out of 5.

Notes: Just too young, in my opinion. Lacking complexity and still quite hot. I wouldn't go so far as to call it rough, but too young suits it. But then, there are plenty of young-very young malts which absolutely smash this one (Kilchoman, and Bruichladdich's Octomore, for example). It did improve slightly during it's time in the glass, and it's not undrinkable by any means. Without that light peat influence though, that may have been a different story... 

Not the best introduction to a new distillery, and perhaps not the best example of the brand either, although it does have potential. I'm still glad to have tried it, by way of a sample purchased from Nippy Sweetie Whiskies. If I had bought a bottle though, I think I'd be quite disappointed. Price-wise, the Torfa is quite a bit more expensive than the entry-level peated malts from higher-profile distilleries. Even sister distillery Benriach offers their 10yo 'Curiositas' (review coming soon) for substantially less money. And I know which one I would rather take home...

Cheers!

Tasmanian Whisky Adventure, Pt 4: Sullivan's Cove (Tasmania Distillery)

Sullivan's Cove is certainly the most well-known of the Tasmanian whisky brands / distilleries, mostly thanks to it winning some high-profile awards from Jim Murray, and the World Whisky Awards. It's produced by Tasmania distillery, which was the last stop on my Tasmanian adventure before the trip home. And fittingly, this is also the final instalment of my Tasmanian mini-series!

The name 'Sullivan's Cove' relates to the original location of the distillery, in Hobart, and was also the name given to the original settlement which would eventually become Tasmania's capital city. Tasmania distillery was the second to open on the island, in 1995, after Lark distillery opened a few years earlier. The distillery had a tumultuous beginning, after the original owner was basically caught out using misleading and false advertising, while the distillery was in it's infancy.

The distillery moved in 2003, under new ownership, relocating to Cambridge, near Hobart international airport. While the shed is fairly nondescript from the outside, the actual visitor's centre / cellar door is very nicely decked out, and the warehouse smells delicious, thanks to the 900+ casks maturing quietly on-site.

Tasmania distillery is still quite a small operation. Not including the other spirits they're producing (which we're not interested in), they're only producing around 18,000 bottles of finished whisky each year, and that's after water is added. They only produce three expressions / bottling's of their whisky these days, although they've been in the press recently for offering a $10,000 bottle of whisky. No, that's not a typo...

Their main award-winner is the 'French Oak' expression, on the left in the above photo, which is matured in Australian Port casks, sourced mostly from McWilliam's. It's also very expensive, at $350 direct from the distillery. The 'American Oak' expression, centre in the above photo, is matured in bourbon barrels, sourced from Jim Beam, Heaven Hill or Jack Daniels, and is more reasonable at around $220. Both are bottled at 47.5%, and generally contain 12-15yo whisky. Those two are actually single-cask bottling's, while the third expression, 'Double Cask', on the right, is a mix of both cask-types (which didn't make the cut for the single cask bottlings), and is bottled at 40%, at an unknown age. Naturally it is the least expensive, at around $160.

Sullivan's Cove produces a little differently to the other distilleries I've seen so far, in that they buy in their wash (the rudimentary beer the whisky is distilled from), pre-made, from local a couple of local breweries. The majority is from from Cascade brewery, but they've also started buying from the smaller 'Moo Brew' brewery recently. Both are located in Hobart, and are using Tasmanian ingredients.

Their 21 year old still (pictured above left) is actually based on a French brandy still, hence it's unusual shape. The distillery utilises another unusual method for collection, using a system of pipes, taps and collection tanks to re-route the low wines back through the still, and then to separate the foreshots, heart, and feints. Essentially this clever system takes the place of a spirit safe, and I imagine it saves quite a bit of time and labour over the manual methods. For each 12,000 litres of wash bought in, they end up with around 1,000 litres of new-make spirit at around 68% abv. It's then watered down to the 63.4%, using filtered town water (which is very clean in Tasmania), before being filled into the waiting French or American oak casks.

Another interesting and unusual process (are you sensing a theme here?), is the way the distillery uses their settling / decanting tanks. The casks are emptied into large plastic tanks / vats, and are left for 1-2 weeks, until the whisky has settled. Or more specifically, until the floc (fats, oils and proteins in the whisky) has settled towards the bottom of the tank. The whisky is then pumped from the top of the tank, ready for bottling by hand. This is a slower method of course, but it avoids the need for any filtration.

So what happens to the leftovers at the bottom of these tanks? It's drained into the 20L casks pictured above, after barrier filtration (but not chill filtration) through paper filters. These casks are for sale, and are priced at $4250-4750 depending on your choice of whisky. They're matured for two years at the distillery, before being bottled at 47.5% and shipped to the owner, along with the empty cask. Each cask produces 25-30 bottles after the angel's have taken their share, and once watered down. So one of these casks can be quite the saving, or quite the investment, depending on your point of view!

I've chosen to review Sullivan's Coves' American Oak expression, because it's easier to find, and significantly cheaper, than the French Oak, which get's more attention. I couldn't get a sample or small bottle of any expression, so this one was tasted and reviewed at a bar in Brisbane (the Naked whisky bar).

Sullivan's Cove American Oak, 14yr old, 47.5%. Tasmania, Australia.

Tasmania distillery. Non-chill filtered, no added colouring. Cask HH032, distilled 5/2000, bottled 2/2015._

Colour: Gold.

Nose: Sweet vanilla syrup, slightly spicy, a little creamy oak. Honeyed malt. Roasted pineapple. 

Texture: Medium, with a little heat. 

Taste: Syrup again, but less sweet than the nose. More oak, and more spice. Some heat there as well. Water brings out creamy vanilla, and some hay. 

Finish: Medium length, some heat again. Honeyed malt. 

Score: 3 out of 5. Dram reviewed at a bar.

Notes: Not mind-blowing for me, in fact I remember the American Oak we had at the distillery tasting left a better impression. But then that's the beauty, and the curse, of single cask whiskies: Each one is different.

I do prefer the French oak bottling to this one, like most people I have spoken to, but it's just too expensive, in my opinion. The distillery itself is selling it for $350 a bottle, and it is usually priced at around $400 elsewhere. The European oak casks are of course more expensive to buy than ex-bourbon American oak barrels, and the distillery has to take advantage of the world-wide acclaim the French Oak expression is enjoying. It is a business after all, and a relatively small one at that. 

The American Oak expression isn't cheap either, at around $220, and let's not forget these aren't available at cask strength. The 'double cask' is just overpriced at $160-ish, and that one is a 40%, NAS, 'marriage' of casks, which basically weren't up to par to be sold as single cask bottling's. At that sort of price point, it has some serious competition, and can't keep up. There are many factors involved in the pricing of course, from the small size of the distillery, to the huge demand for it's world-renowned whisky, and the ridiculous taxes and duty being charged by an over-active, narrow-minded, and just plain greedy government.

This is quite a small distillery though. You might even get away with calling it a craft distillery. Let's not forget they're making mostly single-cask whiskies, which are bottled and packed on-site, by hand, with no added colouring or chill filtration, at a reasonable strength. They're also producing a vodka, for an external company to market and sell. The distillery tour itself was very informative, catering for all levels of knowledge (and interest), and was quite well priced, considering the included tasting of all three Sullivan's Cove whiskies. 

So that's the last of my Tasmanian whisky adventure mini-series. I did also visit and tour Redland's Estate distillery (pictured above) but their first-release whisky was not yet ready, and has since sold for crazy money. They're one of the few distilleries in the world which are doing everything on-site, from 'paddock-to-bottle', including growing and malting their own barley. I did also taste their new-make spirit, albeit watered down to 50%, and it's very promising. Certainly one to look for when it starts appearing on the shelves.

Unfortunately I completely missed out on visiting Lark, Overeem (Old Hobart), William McHenry, and Belgrove distilleries, due to time constraints, and out of (a little) consideration for my non-whisky nerd travelling-companions. Plenty to do on the next trip, then...

I still stand by my earlier statement though, if you're looking for a bang-for-buck Tasmanian whisky, look to Heartwood. It's still not exactly cheap, and the bottles are smaller (which also helps with pricing), but you're getting excellent quality whisky, and crucially, you're getting it at it's true cask strength. All good (!).

Speaking of bang-for-buck, if you do visit Tasmania, I highly recommend visiting the Lark cellar door / bar in Hobart. They have a very good range of whisky, including some pretty rare stuff. You also have the option of buying those whiskies in half-nips, which is just a brilliant idea. I do wish more high-end whisky bars would follow suit. They'd only end up selling more of their high-end whisky, after all!

Overall, Tasmania is one amazing and beautiful island. My wife & I were both totally enamoured with the place, and could live there in a heart-beat. I highly recommend visiting, although perhaps not in the middle of winter. Then again, it is the ideal season for drinking plenty of whisky...

Cheers!

Tasmanian Whisky Adventure, Pt 3: Hellyer's Road Distillery

Hellyer's Road is one of the more well known Tasmanian distilleries, even more so in export markets, and is actually the largest single malt distillery in Australia. That said, you'll find it on top of a hill, down a driveway, in a residential street! It's located in Burnie, which is around 4.5 hours drive North-West from Hobart, through Launceston and Devonport. 

Their large size (by Australian / Tasmanian standards), and the fact that they are owned by Betta milk, a large Tasmanian dairy company, means that they can sell their whiskies at quite low prices. Their standard 10-year old bottling is around $80, which is very cheap for an Australian whisky. They're making their whisky from local Tasmanian barley, which is malted in nearby Devonport, and filtered town water, which is already very clean in Tasmania. All of their single malts are non-chill filtered, and are bottled on-site, at 46.2% or higher, without any added colouring.      

I must admit that I'm not a big fan of their 10 year-old or 'original' expressions. However, their 12-year old and peated bottling's, and their new port cask expression in particular, are enjoyable. The range is very keenly priced, with most coming in at under $100, making it some of the cheapest Australian single malt whisky you can buy. 

Hellyer's Road isn't what you would call a traditional distillery, by any means. Created as a diversifying venture for the aforementioned dairy company in 2003, you won't find any polished copper stills, malting floors or wooden wash backs here. In fact, the only copper you'll see is in the onion, lyne arm, and condenser on the (huge) stills, everything else is stainless steel. Yes, even the bodies of the stills. 

The distillery only has three full-time employees, thanks to the majority of the production process being computerised. It can even be controlled remotely! But then they're not trying to be traditional, they're trying to produce a keenly priced Australian single malt, which is what they're doing.

Until recently, the distillery had only been filling first-fill casks, of a variety of types. Their bourbon casks are sourced mostly from Jack Daniels, and you'll also find Tasmanian pinot-noir casks, Australian port casks, and some recently filled PX sherry casks sitting on the racks in their warehouse. However, they've tested using refill casks and apparently found minimal difference, so will be switching to those for some of their malts. Obviously this is a much cheaper way of doing things, so it'll be interesting to see how it goes.

It's important to note that while Hellyer's are one of the few distilleries in Tasmania that are currently selling peated whisky (the others are Lark & Belgrove), they're also the only one which is importing their peated barley from Scotland. This gives their peated malt a more familiar flavour than those made using Tasmanian peat, which is more delicate and floral than some may expect, particularly when compared to Islay. Hellyer's peated malt is actually lightly peated by ppm standards, but it's quite prominent in the finished whisky.

This being the first distillery visit during the trip, I also couldn't pass up buying a pretty special bottling of their whisky. Hellyer's Road offers what they call 'distiller's choice' casks at the distillery, which punters can bottle their own whisky from during the tour. They currently offer up a peated and an un-peated cask, at cask strength, and non-chill filtered & natural colour. You also taste both of these casks during the tour, then have the choice of buying & filling a bottle. Hellyer's is the only single malt distillery in Tasmania which is doing this, at least to my knowledge. The others should really get on board! 

Naturally I chose the peated 'distiller's choice' cask pictured above, which was an 11+ year old bourbon cask, at 64.3%. You also get to wax-seal the bottle yourself (over a plastic screw cap) and they give you a certificate, which may be a little gimmicky, but is still pretty cool. I should add that this special bottle came in at a bargain price of just $93, albeit only in a 500ml bottle. The un-peated cask was around 66% from memory, and was priced only a few dollars higher. Not bad at all.

I've chosen to review two different expressions of Hellyer's Road whisky, for your viewing pleasure. One is un-peated, their pinot noir finished bottling, made from local Tasmanian barley, and the other is their peated bottling, matured in bourbon casks, and is made from the imported peated Scottish barley. So this is a good comparison of something a little weird, and something a little more familiar.

Hellyer's Road Pinot Noir Finish, NAS, 46.2%. Tasmania, Australia.

Matured in first-fill ex-bourbon casks, finished in first-fill French oak casks, which previously held Tasmanian pinot noir, for an undisclosed period of time. Non-chill filtered, natural colour. 

Colour: Gold with pink tinge.

Nose: Waxy fruits - apple, banana, red grapes. Fresh barley. Sour, yeasty bread, floral soap. Mild tannins.

Texture: Decent weight / mouth-feel, but a little rough.

Taste: A fair bit of heat, still there with every sip. Dry oak & spice, mild tannins. Musty red grapes. 

Finish: Very short, slightly bitter, light malt. 

Score: 1.5 out of 5. Not undrinkable, but not diggin' it. 

Notes: Add this one to the list of Hellyer's I don't like (with the original and 10yo). The nose is quite different and interesting, and enjoyable. The taste, not so much. And the finish is basically not there. I should have reviewed the port expression instead of this one, but couldn't get a sample of it. I Tasted it at the distillery though, and was very impressed. Even their 12yo is a better representation than this one, I think.

Hellyer's Road Peated, NAS, 46.2%. Tasmania, Australia.

Supposedly around 8 years old, matured in ex-bourbon casks. Made using imported Scottish peated barley, sourced from Inverness (Baird's?). Non-chill filtered, natural colour.

Colour: Pale gold.

Nose: Sour, earthy peat, a little smoke and ash. Slightly soapy and rubbery. 

Texture: Similar to the pinot, but without most of the roughness. Pleasant. 

Taste: Peat again, but it's less sour than on the nose, and a little spicy now. Dry smoke, a touch of sweetness. Not much else. Enjoyable though, almost an Islay-style peat influence here. 

Finish: Medium. Dry earthy peat, some ash, then camp fire smoke. Slight hints of vanilla and buttery oak.

Score: 2.5 out of 5. 

Notes: Much better than the pinot, to my palate anyway. Lacking complexity though, the peat is the only strong player in this one. A nice, easy drinking peated malt, but despite being one of the cheapest Australian single malts you can buy, it's still more expensive than the great 'entry-level' Islay's. Compared to the likes of Ardbeg 10, Lagavulin 16, or Laphroaig 10yo / quarter cask, the Hellyer's just can't compete. At all. 

Conclusion: Obviously, I preferred the peated expression to the pinot, but I have to say I don't think either of these is a far representation of what Hellyer's Road Distillery is capable of. I tasted both of the 'distiller's choice' expressions at cask strength, and the port matured (matured, not finished) expression, at the distillery, and they were excellent malts. How about a cask strength release, guys?

The same goes for Tasmanian barley (in the pinot) vs. imported Scottish barley (in the peated). There are many excellent Tasmanian malts, all of which are representing the quality of the local ingredients. Not at this sort of price point, though. If you're looking for an Australian single malt at this sort of price, look towards the stars, with starward!

As for Hellyer's Road single malts which you can find on the shelves, I'd definitely recommend looking for the port cask bottling. It's bottled at a slightly higher strength (48.9%), and is fully matured in ex-Australian port casks. Unfortunately it's significantly more expensive than all the others, at around $160, and is also a little more rare. Only 430 bottles were made in this first batch, but it's well worth looking for. I'm hoping it becomes part of their permanent range, or at least hangs around for a few more batches. Fingers crossed!

Cheers.

Laphroaig-gasm! An epic evening with John Campbell.

It's not very often that a high-profile whisky celebrity visits Brisbane. But, largely thanks to champion brand ambassador Dan Woolley, we recently had a visit from John Campbell, manager of our beloved Laphroaig distillery, as part of his Australian tour.

I was lucky enough to attend two amazing Laphroaig tastings, hosted by John & Dan, and to interview John during his tour. And of course, I can't write about this complete & utter Laphroaig-gasm (the copyright is pending on that, by the way) without reviewing a very special Laphroaig!

This is quite a long post, but there's no filler here - it's all cream, if you ask me (and I hope you agree!). I learnt loads about Laphroaig over this time, John is basically a walking, talking Laphroaig encyclopaedia. So sit back, grab a dram of Laphroaig if you can, and settle in for the journey. 

Dan Woolley, Brand Ambassador (L), with John Campbell, Laphroaig's Distillery Manager.

John's quite a softly spoken guy, very relaxed and friendly, very genuine and modest. His love and passion for Laphroaig, and his native Islay, is palpable. Laphroaig is in his soul, and his soul is also in Laphroaig! He's been at the distillery for over 21 years, starting at the bottom, in the warehouse, and working his way up to distillery manager in 2006. It just so happens that he's the first Ileach (Islay native) to manage the distillery.

He's also the public face of Laphroaig distillery, travelling to various parts of the world for 4-5 weeks each year, hosting tastings and masterclasses, appearing in YouTube videos and at whisky shows, and occasionally being interviewed by pesky whisky bloggers.

It's really quite surreal watching someone on YouTube one week, while they're on the other side of the world, and the next you're shaking their hand, in your home town. The power of the internet, I guess. Maybe this is how teenage girls feel when they see Miley Bieber, or whoever is 'in' this month?

The Interview!

This being my first official interview for Peated Perfection, and with John being such an icon of Islay whisky, I admit I was a little nervous to begin with, hoping that my questions would be up to scratch. But John was, and is, very relaxed, and was very forthcoming and attentive. Sharing an amazing Laphroaig (pictured above) with Dan & John, may have helped as well! But don't worry, more details are coming on that, further down...

John, why did you get in to the whisky industry, and which whisky was your 'gateway' dram?

I was a lobster fisherman, and was looking for a more steady income, so I could get a mortgage and settle down. My first dram was Laphroaig 10 year old. I wasn't even sure if I liked it or not, but I wanted to know more. I wanted to know why it tasted the way it did, and to understand it better.

During your career, what changes have you seen at Laphroaig?

It hasn't changed, it's still much the same. We're using the same cuts, running (the stills) at the same speed. The only thing that has changed is how we fill & empty the stills, which we call the waste processes, which is much faster now. The barley variety does change, but because we flavour with the peat before drying, it takes away some of the subtle changes you might get from that.

What separates Laphroaig from the other Islay distilleries, in terms of process?

In terms of the process, our floor-maltings, our water source, using our own peat, the size of the stills, the makers mark (wheat bourbon) barrels, and only maturing on the island.

You've mentioned that you flavour the floor-malted barley with peat smoke, and then dry it in a separate step. Could you explain how this works?

We cold smoke the malt. You can hold your hand over the peat, it's blue smoke, it's not hot at all. We flavour for 17 hours, then dry using heat recycled from our still house - this energy recovery process has cut our energy consumption by a third. Most distilleries flavour & dry at the same time, it's quicker that way.

What are the main differences between the floor-malted barley, and that sourced from Port Ellen?

The creosols and guiacols in our floor malted barley, and that cold smoking. It's all using Islay peat though. Our floor malted barley is around 60ppm, and the Port Ellen is around 35-40, and we average that out.

Laphroaig is famous for dividing opinions (opinions welcome), but what are your recommendations for the novice / first timer, and for the casual drinker? And which is your personal favourite?

Select cask is good for a beginner, to get used to the flavours. It's more subtle, it's breakfast whisky. For the casual drinker, quarter cask is good for bourbon drinkers, triple wood is good for wine drinkers. But then cask strength (10yo) can be a sink or swim moment, 'I'm not sure if I like it, but tell me more'. My personal favourite is the 10 year old, it's just rock solid whisky. It's the taste of Islay in a glass.

What are your thoughts on the Non-age statement (NAS) movement?

Quarter cask was the first NAS whisky (for Laphroaig). Consumers will decide if it works or not. NAS is for mixing ages, not for (selling) young whisky. We're very open with the ages and mixes, we have no problem telling anyone all about them.

Some expressions of Laphroaig state they are non-chill filtered, and some don't. You've mentioned that only the 10yo & 15yo are chill filtered. Do you feel it affects the finished whisky?

Our 48% and above malts are non-chill filtered. Generally it's 46, but we like it that bit higher. It doesn't make a big difference to Laphroaig, it makes more difference with un-peated malts. We do use lower-grade filters than some distilleries, but we don't make a big deal out of it. (see here for more information)

What is the process when creating a new expression? Is it a matter of picking casks from the current stock, or starting from scratch? 

It can be both, picked from stock or planned in advance. It's not a quick process, it takes around two years to create a new Laphroaig. All the departments come up with ideas, but I generally do Cairdeas (myself). We listen to the people, and try and give them what they want.

How receptive are you / is Laphroaig to customer feedback?

Absolutely (receptive), it's hugely important. The two-way communication is what makes Laphroaig different, it's why the Friends of Laphroaig is so important. Our philosophy is still the same (as always). Peat is hot at the moment, and Laphroaig is peatier than it was 30 years ago. And it's going to get peatier.

What does the future hold for Friends of Laphroaig, and the Cairdeas bottlings? Will there be more Cairdeas on the shelves in more countries?

It (F.O.L) will get bigger, the growth rate is increasing. We have millions of square feet of land, so there's plenty of land for the plots. Cairdeas will stay on-line only, we can't keep up with the demand. We're thinking about how Cairdeas is managed, we've bought in the ballot system, and the 21yo with the 350mL bottles is a trial for Cairdeas. We're trying to get liquid in as many hands as possible.

The 2015 Cairdeas was made using only floor-malted barley, and the smaller stills. Was this planned for the bicentennial when it was distilled, and will this be done more regularly?

No, it's a one off. It was planned for the bicentennial from the start, and it's been very popular.

What do you see as the challenges for Laphroaig, and how can they be overcome?

Growth and (keeping up with) demand is the big challenge. We will overcome this through continuing consumer engagement, and keeping the values of Laphroaig. That's what has made us successful. We're just holding the torch, ready to pass it on to the next guy.

Finally John, how would you describe Laphroaig, in one sentence, to someone who's never tried it?

My tag line from opinion's welcome: "A big, peaty slap in the face. Perfect."

That is perfect! Thanks John.

And on to the Tastings!

Cobbler's 'Laphroaig wall'

John was also hosting a number of tastings around the country during his tour of Australia, but Brisbane was his first stop. He was hosting a large tasting, with food pairings, at whisky mecca Cobbler, in West End, and a smaller tasting at the Nant whisky bar, in Brisbane's CBD. I was lucky enough to attend both tastings, where we tasted basically the entire range that is currently available in Australia - Laphroaig Select cask, the venerable 10yr old, Quarter Cask, Triple Wood, the limited 15yr old, and the popular 18yr old. For the Cobbler tasting, we also tasted the amazing 25yr old bottling, and one very special Laphroaig which John had bought with him from the distillery. But you'll just have to keep reading to find out about that one...

The tasting at the Nant bar was a very relaxed and casual affair, and aside from the six whiskies mentioned above, we were also treated to some phenomenal cheese boards - fresh oysters drizzled with Laphroaig, anyone? Or perhaps you'd prefer Laphroaig-cured beef jerky! Awesome stuff, and an absolute bargain at just $40 a head. Even more so when you consider who was hosting!

The tasting at Cobbler, the following day, was also relaxed and casual, but with a much bigger crowd. The event was completely sold out, and the place was absolutely packed! Dan had personally designed an amazing food-pairing menu for this one, with some incredible light finger food, prepared by Matt from Jahh Tiger. Let's have a closer look at the whisky, and the food, that we were treated to:

Not bad at all. But it got even better at the end!

- Laphroaig Select Cask, a marriage of many different casks at different ages. Paired with Laphroaig cured salami and spiced fig paste. This salami was amazing, it brought out a little more spice & peat in the malt. Select is a more subtle Laphroaig, maybe a beginner's Laphroaig. But there is still plenty of flavour, and it does make for a very good palate primer.

- 10yo, the original family recipe, and the heart of the brand. Paired with fresh oysters drizzled with more 10yo, and with Laphroaig-cured beef jerky crumbled over the top. This was absolutely mind blowing. The combination of the salty, briny oyster and dry, savoury jerky, plus a hint of Laphroaig peat and vanilla, was delicious. I don't normally go for many raw oysters personally, but I'll be fixing some of these Laphroaig-drizzled ones for myself, and soon.

- 15yo, the limited release for the bicentennial. Which as it turns out, is actually the exact same base whisky as the next one. It's just bottled at a lower strength, is chill filtered and has adding colouring, and that's because it's how the original 15yo was made. Paired with a seared Japanese scallop, with smoked honey & citrus dressing. The combination of the two bought out a slightly umami or mushroom flavour for me, plus the citrus (grapefruit) I always seem to get in the 15yo. Previously reviewed here.

- 18yo, which is the same actual liquid as the 15, but without the added colouring and chill filtration, and at the higher strength of 48%. I'm a big fan of this one, and I hope it doesn't go anywhere. Paired with a cold smoked peking duck pancake, which was just wonderful in every way. I could happily eat these, and only these, forever. Well, maybe with some Laphroaig-drizzled oysters on the side! I do prefer the 18yo to the 15yo in a head-to-head comparison, but they're quite different expressions. Previously reviewed here.

- Quarter Cask, which is an (and was the first for Laphroaig) NAS whisky, but is actually a mix of 5-11 year old first-fill bourbon-matured malt, married for 2-3 days (as are all batches prior to bottling), then finished for 7 months in the quarter casks. These quarter casks are also first-fill bourbon, but are re-coopered down from standard size. This was my favourite Laphroaig for quite some time, and it turns out it's the fourth biggest-selling Islay malt, and makes up around 20% of Laphroaig's sales by volume. It was paired with a slow roasted beef short rib, which just melted in the mouth, and balanced the sweetness in the quarter cask nicely.

- Triple wood, which was my least favourite Laphroaig expression, previously reviewed here, although it has since grown on me. This one is essentially quarter cask Laphroaig, which is then finished in first-fill Oloroso sherry, European oak casks. It's quite complex, but that sherry finish softens the Laphroaig character a little too much for me. Paired with our dessert, a dark chocolate tart-let topped with spiced jam. Dark chocolate & sherry are a fantastic match, as are peat & chocolate, so this was a flavour bomb when tasted together.

- 25yo, the 2013 release. This one has sat for 18 years in first-fill bourbon barrels, then for 7 years in second-fill, Oloroso sherry, European oak, hogsheads. It's bottled at cask strength (45.1%, for this release), not to be confused with the old 40% travel exclusive version. This one is so, so good. Soft and velvety, gentle peat & oak, fruity sweetness, and some coffee grounds in that lovely, long finish.

But don't worry, there's one more to come...

And now the review!   

I didn't actually taste this one during the tasting with everyone else. Instead, I decided to be slightly presumptuous, and asked for a sample bottle-shaped doggy-bag. Why? So I can share the love with yourselves, of course! And what a way to finish off the Laphroaig-gasm.

I must admit that I had already tasted it, though. John had personally selected this incredibly rare, and almost priceless, bottle of Laphroaig, to bring with him on his tour. And I was deeply honoured when he opened it during our interview, and poured himself, Dan and I a dram of this precious nectar. To share some of this amazing whisky, which it's highly unlikely I'll ever see again, with the man who made it, was just one awesome experience. Dan summed it up very well later in the evening: What a time to be alive!

What's that I hear? Shut up and show me the whisky? OK, OK, here it is:

Laphroaig Cairdeas, 2009 release, 12 years old, 57.5% cask strength.   

The second-ever Cairdeas bottling, after the initial 2008 release. 12yo, first-fill bourbon cask, mostly matured in dunnage warehouses. Non-chill filtered, no added colouring. 5,000 bottles, released 6 years ago, and now basically all gone! John Campbell bought this with him on his tour, from the distillery on Islay. Oh yes...

Colour: Pale yellow gold. 

Nose: Stunning, and so different. Loads of lightly oiled leather, slight soapy - carbolic soap. Sweet vanilla, slightly fruity, and lovely medicinal peat. Complex and very dynamic - constantly changing. After 10 mins, herbal and more earthy, wet stone. After another 5 minutes, vanilla ice cream, near a smouldering peat fire. 

Texture: Oily and sumptuous. Velvety, and no heat whatsoever.

Taste: A big peaty punch, nice & intense, quite different to the nose. As John described it, 'a wolf in sheep's clothing' ! Ashy and flinty, some oak, and gun powder residue. With a little more time, creamy vanilla comes out, and the peat has softened slightly, now warm, earthy, and lovely. 

Finish: Long, peaty and ashy, well balanced, with a little sweetness & some liquorice behind the peat.

Score: 5 out of 5.

Notes: Just awesome. I'm trying not to be too subjective, but I love this stuff. And whisky is an emotional thing, after all! Like I said, to be able to drink this very special malt with the man who made it (John selects the Cairdeas bottling's himself, remember), is just awesome, and I'm very honoured. It helps that he's such a down-to-earth and relaxed guy, and of course that he has such a huge amount of knowledge and passion.

This one was quite different to all the other Laphroaig's, and Cairdeas' especially, that I've had so far (the 2012 'origins' and the 2014). It was the icing on top of one awesome evening. I just wish there was more of it! Just goes to show the huge difference that varied maturation can make to the same spirit. I shudder to think that at the time this drop was released, I was mostly drinking beer, and Bundaberg rum, god help me. Just think of all the brilliant whiskies I've missed out on which, like this one, are now un-obtainium.

So after two brilliant tastings and a good solid chat with John, I've learnt quite a bit more about this mainstay of peated whisky, as did the other tasting attendee's I imagine, and my love for this distillery has been strengthened even further. Now I just need to visit it on Islay myself!

A massive thanks to John Campbell, Dan Woolley, Nant Brisbane, Cobbler, Laphroaig, Beam Suntory, and CCA/The Exchange for making all this happen. Just to have John visit Australia at all is fantastic, but to have him stop in Brisbane, conduct two brilliant tastings, and put up with my questions, was incredible.

John was also good enough to sign my bottle of last year's Cairdeas, which was pretty special as is, but is now white-hot! Now I just need to resist opening it for a while. Or maybe I'll just get a second bottle...

Cheers!

Whisky Live Brisbane (2015), and speed whisky reviews!

It's that time of year again! Time for Brisbane's biggest (and this year, Brisbane's only) whisky show / expo, Whisky Live.

Last year's event was a little bigger, with a few new brands / expressions and plenty of old favourites. Unfortunately the exhibitors were fewer this year, with some very notable absences, largely down to a clash with Sydney's 'whisky fair', hosted by the Oak Barrel, being scheduled on the same weekend. But there were still a few interesting new brands in attendance, with some very different products on offer this time - whisky filtered through coffee grounds, anyone?

The event was held at a new venue this year, the Hotel Jen, whereas previous years' shows have been hosted by the QLD Irish Club. The room itself was a little smaller, and L-shaped, so despite the smaller afternoon crowd, it was still congested at times, although bearable. I can't imagine how the room would've coped at the night-time sessions, it would have to have been quite a bit worse. I also missed the ceiling of the Irish Club's function room, which is pretty much ceiling porn. Oh well, these things happen.

There were three separate sessions this year, over two consecutive days. I chose the Saturday afternoon session (as did many other enthusiasts), figuring it would be a little quieter than the other's, and hoping some of the 'non-enthusiasts' / heavy drinkers (read: booze hounds) would wait for the night-time session.

I'm getting on my soap box for a minute, because unfortunately I figured wrong. There were still a few drunken fools stumbling around & slurring their words, by 4 o'clock in the afternoon. I guess this sort of event accentuates the differences between your average whisky/spirits enthusiast, your average sensible punter, and the binge-drinking idiot who is only there to get plastered.

Maybe I'm just being a snob, or being naive. I didn't witness any actual aggression or violence, after all, and this sort of person is, thankfully, a small minority at this sort of event. But, unlike the afore-mentioned booze hounds, I empathise with the people manning the stands at these events. They aren't there to mindlessly fill that glass you're shoving in their face, they're there to tell you about their product, share their passion, or introduce you to new things. They've been on their feet for 3-4 hours at a time, over multiple sessions, and have fielded the same questions hundreds of times, from hundreds of people. They aren't being paid in helicopter flights or gold bullion, in fact many are their company's national brand ambassador, or head distiller, or even owner. And they've travelled to the event, on a weekend mind you, to spread the word.

So I empathise when they have to deal with someone who could not care less about what they're pouring, or what they're saying, and someone who is overly drunk, and is being disrespectful, or just plain rude. But can this even be avoided? RSA or no, it's near impossible for the presenters to individually manage the alcohol consumption of hundreds of people, in a small space, and if someone is refused a pour for these reasons, they're probably going to get upset, which could make the situation worse.

Increasing the price (it's now $99 a ticket) may turn this type of person away, but will also turn the genuine enthusiast and curious punter away. Restricting the number of pours (with a voucher system etc.) may help, but everyone else will suffer as well. So maybe there isn't much that can be done about it. Don't get me wrong, everyone's going to get tipsy or even drunk, and let their hear down, which is great, but some take it too far. After all, the pours are small, and there is plenty of food and water on offer, so everyone just needs to take their time and enjoy it. Anyway, that's enough ranting, let's get back to the good stuff.

Along with a decent selection of Scotch and bourbon, and a couple of Australian (Hellyer's road and Starward) and Japanese (Hibiki / Hakushu, and Kakubin) whiskies, there were some very interesting and very different new whiskies presented this year. The two that stood out as very different, for me, were 'Dry Fly' cask strength whiskey, made from wheat, and 'Kaffekask' from Appalachian Gap distillery, which was a corn & barley whiskey distilled through coffee grounds (don't ask me how, I have no idea). The former did remind me slightly of fly spray, and the latter reminded me of generic Chinese takeaway. Not necessarily in a bad way, but perhaps not in a good way either! Closer inspection required, maybe.

While I'm not normally a bourbon fan, I was charmed into trying one which sounded very promising: Russell's Reserve single barrel. Russell's Reserve is actually a brand subsidiary of Wild Turkey, and their (slightly cheaper) 10 year old bottling is now joined by this new expression, which has some strong appeal. The single barrel bottled at roughly cask strength at 55%, it's not chill filtered (yay!), and it sells for just $75 in Australia. Russell's Reserve only use level 4 charring on their barrels, also known as an alligator char, which may help explain why it doesn't drink like a 55% bourbon. It drinks lower than that, and with a great level of flavour and texture. In fact I'd say this, personally, is the best bourbon I've tasted, especially accounting for the price. Normally I find bourbon a bit too sweet, but not in this case, it was very enjoyable. Just try and get a 55% Scotch, NAS or not, for $75. There's no such thing. Great stuff!

One great new idea they were doing this year were what they termed 'masterclasses', but were really 10-15 minute presentations, with a particular brand or distillery, in a separate room. While it could have been organised better (they announced the masterclass over a loudspeaker, and it's first-in, first-served), I look forward to what they do with it next year. There were three of these presentations during our session, and the one I chose to attend was for Starward / New World Distillery, actually presented by the owner himself, David Vitale, pictured above.

David actually worked for Bill & Lyn at Lark distillery, in Tasmania, for three years, before starting New World Distillery in 2007, in an aircraft hanger at Essendon airport, in Melbourne. His goal was to bring Australian whisky into more common usage, rather than it being saved for special occasions. Which means, he wanted to make it more affordable, and more approachable. And also to challenge the pre-conceptions regarding young non-age statement whiskies. He's certainly done that, with his original Starward (NAS, but matured for 2.5-3 years in Australian sherry / Apera casks) selling for around $80, and the wine cask expression (matured in Shiraz casks from South Australia) only a few dollars more.

We tasted both during the 'masterclass', and they're very approachable, easy drinking whiskies, but they're still good quality, they certainly don't taste that young. But that may be thanks to Starward whiskies being made using a massive solera vat, a system more commonly found in the Sherry bodegas of Spain. It basically means the vat is never emptied, and there's a mix of older and newer whisky in each cask.

David doesn't shy away from stating they aren't a traditional distillery, they're using technology where it helps, and are also not afraid of experimentation. For example, they've actually matured whisky in ginger beer casks, and the results were great (review coming soon). They've also matured a whisky in oak, and then filtered out the colour, just to screw with people's minds, I suspect! They also don't shave or re-char any casks, so there is still a little residual content in the barrel, and you're getting the full effect of the 'previous owner'. Not re-charring barrels also means they don't get the 'taming' / filtering effect that charring usually has on the spirit, but it doesn't seem to have mattered in the slightest. This is definitely one to watch.

The stand-out whiskies for me, though, came from the old & rare bar. After it's success last year, it was bigger and better this time around. For those not aware, the old & rare bar sells old / rare / expensive drams over & above the whisky live ticket price, and you keep the glass your dram is served in. They don't come cheap, but the prices are quite reasonable compared to what you might pay in a bar, for this sort of whisky. This year, we're talking 1978 Ardbeg (original bottling), 25yo cask strength Caol Ila & Bowmore, 50 year old North British grain whisky, Macallan cask strength (very rare), and 30yo Balvenie, to name a few. I had to try a few, and I took some quick notes on two of them, for your reading pleasure!

Ardbeg 20yo, 1978, original bottling, 43%. $52 per dram.
Nose: Soft, salty, some oak and tar, caramel sweetness.
Taste: Very soft, decent texture for 43% though. Salty, soft earthy peat, coffee grounds.
Finish: Quite long, spicy and earthy, creamy vanilla.
Notes: Very soft, to the point where some suspected it was over-oxidised from a bad cork. Still pretty damn good, and I'm glad I tried it. I have had the privilege of tasting a 1975 Ardbeg before, although that was a 22yo Gordon & MacPhail independent bottling, at 40%, and it was better than this original, in this particular case anyway. But, where are you going to even see an original bottling from that era, let alone be able to taste it!

Caol Ila Feis Ile 2013, 15yo, 56.5% cask strength. $39 per dram.
Nose: Sweet, grassy and meaty. BBQ spices, heavily smoked ham, light earthy peat.
Taste: Wonderful. Sweet and peaty, meaty, slight smoke and ash. Lovely velvety texture.
Finish: Quite long, and quite soft, a little spice and dry, earthy peat.
Notes: Just awesome. The second Diageo feis ile release I've tried, and another stunner. Not quite as good as the Lagavulin I tasted at the old & rare bar last year, if my memory serves me correctly, but still brilliant. Better even than the (more expensive) 25yo Caol Ila I also purchased, but that was still good. Moral of the story, Caol Ila is awesome, Diageo Feis Ile bottling's are awesome. Ding ding, we have a winner!


Yes, the Feis Ile won, big time. Another brilliant cask strength Caol Ila. I wish Diageo would take a page from Ardbeg & Laphroaig's book, and make these releases more widely available. But then, that might ruin the magic. Maybe, Mr. or Ms. Diageo, you could just send me a bottle every year, and it can be our little secret! Another old & rare of note was Macallan cask strength. I didn't buy one myself, but was generously given a sip from another drammer's glass, and holy hell was it good. A real sherry monster, and quite different to Macallan's current range, but also impossible to find, especially at a reasonable price. Sad face.

So, all in all it was another good event, and hopefully next year's will be even bigger & even better. I'd like to see a bit more involvement from Diageo's Scotch brands, and (as always) some sort of presence from Ardbeg & Glenmorangie (LVMH) is like a faint dream I've almost given up on. But you never know, perhaps next year if there isn't a calendar clash with another show, we'll get more presenters making the trip. On a personal note, it was great to catch up with some fellow whisky nerds, share a dram and a laugh and some knowledge, and just talk about whisky for a few hours. It's a great way to spend an afternoon.

Cheers!

Tasmanian Whisky Adventure, Pt 2: Nant Distillery!

From a cracking Tasmanian independent bottler in part 1, to a cracking Tasmanian distillery in part 2!

Nant distillery is situated on the beautiful and historic estate, of the same name, in Bothwell, around an hour North of Hobart. We were shown around this picturesque distillery by the head distiller, James, on a beautiful snowy day. In fact the road conditions almost prevented them from opening, but thankfully the weather cleared later in the day. It certainly made for some amazing photo opportunities!

The estate was actually built by convicts in the 1820's, and the original buildings have been preserved where possible, and restored where not, at the low cost of around 5 million dollars. The site was originally a grain mill on a massive property, and the current estate owners have restored the original water-powered mill (partly pictured below) back to working order, for use by the distillery. In fact the distillery uses the same pristine water source, fed by the river Clyde, in the production of their whisky, as they do to power the mill. The word 'Nant' is actually Welsh for 'stream', hence the name of the estate, which was given by the original Welsh settlers in the area.

Speaking of the estate, the distillery also produces around one third of it's barley requirements itself, on the grounds. There are future plans to increase that yield, along with on-site floor malting, plus installing two more sets of stills, and building an extra bond store. This will result in the distillery being almost entirely self-sufficient, and will enable them to increase production capacity dramatically. At the moment, they cannot keep up with demand, even in their home state. These changes will also bring about the possibility of using local peat to dry their barley, which is very exciting. 

This distillery is, by design, a very traditional one. Aside from the aforementioned historic mill and natural water source, Nant also had the only traditional wooden wash-back (fermentation vat) I saw during my 'adventure'. The rest were all stainless steel, which has a longer life, and is easier to clean. 

This desire to be traditional also shows in their product range. While many young whisky distilleries resort to producing un-aged spirits, such as gin or vodka, to ease financial strain while their whisky matures, Nant took a different approach. They offer an investment / buy-back program, where private investors essentially buy casks of whisky, which are stored on-site, and the distillery buys the casks back after 3-4 years, plus a return of 10% interest per year. This interesting idea has proven very successful, bringing millions of dollars into the distillery, and allowing them to focus solely on whisky. They have since also opened the popular Nant whisky bars in Melbourne, Brisbane and Hobart.  

The still room is housed in another original convict-built building, located between the mill room, and the excellent 'atrium' restaurant & bar. The lovely smell of a working malt distillery wafts through the door while you're having lunch, which means you can't resist ordering a dram or two! The stills themselves were custom-built for the distillery, with the wash still (foreground in the above photo) featuring a wide, squat neck for extra barley/malty character, and the spirit still (background in the above photo) featuring an 'onion' or 'boil ball' in the neck (pictured below), for more reflux during distillation, slowing the process, and giving a lighter character to the spirit. After nosing some of their new make spirit, I can say it definitely works.

Nant use a wide variety of casks to mature their whisky in their bond store (pictured above), ranging from Australian sherry (Apera), to Australian Port, to Pinot-Noir wine. The casks are mostly re-coopered down to a size of 100L, for faster maturation and greater wood / spirit interaction, and are selected for bottling after 3-4 years, without age statements, for obvious reasons. Aside from the recently-introduced 'Old Mill' and 'Homestead' (exclusive to Dan Murphy's) expressions, which are a mix of different casks, all Nant bottling's are actually single-cask releases, which have not been blended or 'vatted' with other casks. There have been some limited 63% bottling's in the past, but most releases are now bottled at 43%, after being cut back with that same local water. 

My review is based on a nip from a bar in Hobart, so my notes are a little shorter than usual. Unfortunately I couldn't find a small bottle in time to review properly, so this'll have to do.

Nant 'Sherry Wood', NAS, 43%, Tasmania, Australia.

Single cask, aged 3-4 years in American Oak 100L ex-Australian Sherry casks. No added colouring, but I can't find any official word on chill filtration, so I can't be sure. Tasted at a bar in Hobart. 

Colour: Amber.

Nose: Sweet syrup, rock-melon / cantaloupe. Slightly nutty, light fruity sherry, slight spice, fresh malted barley. 

Texture: Good for the low strength, slightly oily, easy drinking. 

Taste: Drier than the nose, and a little more spice. Fruity sherry, and juicy malted barley.

Finish: Short. A dab of chilli heat, some dry oak, drying barley. 

Score: 3.5 out of 5. Dram reviewed at a bar. 

Notes: These guys are doing great work. It's a shame I couldn't spend some more time with this dram, but I did taste it a few times during the 'adventure'. It's a solid whisky, as were the 'bourbon wood' and 'old mill' expressions we also tasted at the distillery. They all have a great texture for just 43%, and a nice juicy barley character thanks to those special stills, and quality local ingredients. The fact that the distillery is in a beautiful and historic location, and is committed to being as traditional and authentic as possible in their processes and equipment, is also a big help. 

If you're headed to Tasmania, don't go home without taking the drive to Nant, and going on a tour. Don't forget the camera! I'd recommend having a meal in their restaurant, which has brilliant views, and great local fresh food. I'd also recommend grabbing a bottle of their whisky BBQ sauce, which is very good!

I would love to try one of Nant's 63% bottling's, just to see the difference between the two strength's, but they're very rare, and extremely expensive. That's mostly thanks to some Scottish guy, who once wrote a book or something, and never seems to remove his panama hat...

Unfortunately even the 43% standard versions are still quite expensive, and are only sold in 500mL bottles, but then they are single cask bottling's, which are always more costly, and they are all in very short supply. Once the distillery has completed the aforementioned plans, dramatically increasing their production capacity, we should see a standard / entry-level / core expression become available, which should bring the prices down a bit, and make Nant's whisky more widely available. And of course, I can't wait for their peated expression...

Cheers!