Whisky randomness

The 25 days of Aussie whisky

Posted by: Ted

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me… well actually that’s a bit of a lie. It was technically for my birthday, which is in November, but it is true that my lovely wife gave me an Australian whisky advent calendar* created by the good folks at White Possum for my 30th (ugh, yes, lower middle-age is now upon me).

So fellow Wafflers, load up the esky in the old rusty Holden ute, chuck a snag on the barbie for Uncle Bruce and join me for the next 25 days as I embark on a corker of an Aussie Christmas whisky adventure, opening little cardboard windows one at a time. Oh, and hopefully drinking some Aussie drams too

Merry Whiskymas folks.

*Pear tree and partridge not included

Adams Distillery: Go Big or Go Home

Posted by: Nick and Ted

Luckily we made an appointment.

Let’s face it, in terms of global whisky production Tasmania is teeny tiny, a mere speck in the great amber ocean. The term ‘craft’ is synonymous with our local industry and it is often joked that Scotland spills more in a year than Tasmania produces. However, one distillery in Northern Tasmania has ambitious plans for the future and intends on making a big splash in that ocean.

The story of Adams Distillery starts as any good fairy tale does – one Adam meets another Adam and together they hatch an excellent plan to make whisky. Actually, that’s just one beginning, we need to go further back to understand how things really started.

A few years ago Adam Pinkard, paramedic and champion power-lifter, went on a tour of Scotland with his father. While they were there they visited a bunch of distilleries, which was great because his father offered to be des. Whilst sipping on the wares offered at Benromach Distillery, a relatively small establishment Scotland-wise, Adam P thought to himself “I could do this… after all, this whole place is controlled by just two guys.”

Adam discusses the flavours of the whisky in Nick’s hand while our designated driver Harri looks on jealously

After Adam P returned to Tasmania, the idea kept ticking over in his mind. All he needed was a business partner, so he turned to his mate Adam Saunders, a builder by trade. Adam S was sceptical at first, but Adam P won him over with his vision and thus Adams’ Distillery was born.

The next challenge was to find a home to make their whisky. They initially thought that they had found a cosy location in the heart of Launceston, but were thwarted by a pernickety council and had to look further afield. The rejection, disheartening though it was at the time, actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise. They eventually found a suitable location at Glen Ireh Estate in the neighbouring town of Perth. The big advantage of the site was that it had plenty of room for expansion, which two years after the formation of their original distillery is exactly what the Adams’ are doing. Big time.

We were fortunate to hear the motto of Adams Distillery from the lips of Adam P himself: ‘Go big or go home’. We had made the pilgrimage to Glen Ireh to catch up with the lads and check out what they were creating at the estate. When we arrived, we had time to say a brief hello to Adam S before he got back to work building the Adams’ gigantic new visitor centre/bond store, leaving us in the capable care of Adam P, who quipped “it’s nice having a builder as a business partner.”

The new shed is just about big enough to fit the old one in twice over!

The Adams’ are rapidly becoming a big fish in the Tasmanian whisky pond, having recently upgraded the size of their stills massively, supplementing their already large shed with an even bigger one and drawing in a full time cooper to work on-site. Adam P mentioned an interesting view that he had come to, being that moving forward Tasmanian distilleries either need to be ultra-small-scale-boutique or the complete opposite. As we stood on the partly-constructed mezzanine and surveyed the Adams’ new empire, it was clear they are definitely taking the latter path.

As we all know, whisky making takes time, but the Adams have been patient for the last two years and will soon be taking their first release to market. To celebrate this milestone they will be holding a launch event in December at the newly completed visitor centre (no pressure Adam S). Tickets are available here, and considering how congenial and welcoming the Adams are it promises to be a great night.

The Wafflers with the Adams team. Disclaimer: the dog isn’t also called Adam.

While Adams’ expansion may currently seem like something of an outlier in the craft-scale Tasmanian scene, it could actually be a sign of what lies ahead for the industry as a whole in the future. Potentially many other distilleries will follow the lead of the Adams’ team and upscale their operations, making a long-awaited entrance onto the broader world stage. If they do, their path will have been partly paved by two blokes called Adam who bravely decided to ‘go big or go home’.

Abomination, The Crying of the Puma 54%

Reviewed by: Ted

Puma dram WW

Come on, if you stumble across a whisky called Abomination, The Crying of the Puma in a bar, there’s no way you’re not going to try it right? I was catching up with some friends at Melbourne whisky-scene stalwart Boilermaker House and we were checking out their new in-house whisky selection app (it’s pretty cool). Pretty much the first thing I clapped eyes on was the Abomination and I was like, you had me at weeping big cats, yes please.

The Abomination TCOTP is released by indie Californian outfit Lost Spirits Co., who import a blend of 12-18 month old heavily peated Islay-origin spirits then put them through their proprietary reactor technology together with shards of charred American oak soaked in late harvest Reisling… WTF? Apparently Australian Border Force were not exactly keen to let it into the country due to the odd nature of its creation and the fact that it’s kinda not really whisky. Like it’s Australian contemporary Deviant Distillery, it’s more of a malt spirit.

The colour of the Abomination TCOTP is super dark red, almost like the Puma is crying blood. The bottle claims no added colouring, so perhaps the ‘redonkulous’ colour is an artefact of the reactor process and the addition of the charred stave shards.

The nose is like a classic 1970’s Holden Sandman – leather, tobacco, salt, a sprinkling of pot pourri on the dash and killer heat rising off the seats. The heady mix is sweet, fruity and smoky, with raisins, apricots, candied orange, cashews, rose petals, an earthy peatiness and so much salt. Oh that sharp, bright salt.

The flavour is like eating raisins in a pool next to the beach in the tropics while a driftwood bonfire burns nearby. The palate is sweet and ashy, with dark honey, peaches and melon and a decent punch thanks to the 54% strength, although the mid-palate is somewhat lacking. The finish is looong and satisfying.

The sweet, peaty flavours are really interesting, and put me in mind of a combination of Ardbrg, Laphroaig, Bunnahabhain and Caol Ila (who knows, I could even be on the money). The Reisling is definitely an out there finishing choice and adds a quirky fruitiness into the mix.

Look, I know it ain’t really whisky and that it was made using dark, heathen technology, but the Abomination TCOTP is great! The rich, punchy flavours working with that salty peat are actually really satisfying, and you totally wouldn’t pick it as being so young straight off. Then again, we do always say that peat does good things with young whisky. If you want to try something that is crazy and different and has a name that sounds like a part of dark Aztec creation story, Abomination, The Crying of the Puma is definitely worth checking out.

★★★

Ted sniffer

Whisky Waffle Returns to the Motherland

Posted by: Nick and Ted

Comrade WHisky Waffle

Comrades! Join Whisky Waffle at the Chapel as they return to the Motherland and fight to seize the means of consumption! The Motherland, that is, of kilts, deep-fried everything and, of course, whisky: Scotland the Brave. Six Scottish single malt whiskies will be equally distributed amongst the workers and many tales of heroic revolution shared.

The Whisky Waffle lads have been away travelling the globe, both in body and in spirit; previous nights have covered Ireland, Europe and Australia, so it’s about time that we went back to our roots and shared some cheeky wee drams from the home of whisky.

Whisky Waffle: Return to the Motherland will take place on Saturday the 17th of November at 7.30pm and will include six drams and light nibbles. The cost will be $35 and you can buy tickets at:

https://www.trybooking.com/YYFW

As always, get in fast as tickets to the event will sell like oatcakes.

Collingwood Toasted Maplewood Stave Finish

Reviewed by: Nick

Collingwood Maple WW

We’ve all been there – at a bottleshop casually perusing the shelves with no intention to buy anything – until one peculiar bottle catches your eye and you end up leaving the shop with a bulging brown paper bag conspicuously tucked under your arm. Upon arriving home, you crack open the bottle, not expecting anything special, and then have your mind blown by this amazing but random whisky you’ve picked up.

This was emphatically NOT the case when I purchased the Collingwood Toasted Maplewood Stave Finish Blended Canadian Whisky (I’m officially NEVER referring to it by its full name ever again, you’ll be pleased to know). My story began in identical circumstances and continued in line with the above story, until the moment that it touched my lips. At this point my path diverged and I discovered I had purchased a bit of a clunker.

It’s a nice colour, I’ll give it that. This might be due to it’s finishing process which sees the spirit spend time in barrels (at least partially) made from not oak, but from Maplewood. Unfortunately, this is also the single biggest factor in the unpleasant flavours on display.

The nose is a hit of sweet rye, accompanied by hints of, you guessed it, maple syrup. The palate follows this path with a sickly sweet cinnamon flavour which is particularly unpleasant in a, dare I say it, Fireball sort of way. The finish is limp and lifeless with only the tangy syrup notes remaining.

I’m aware my tasting notes don’t read particularly well, but I have a feeling I’m being exceedingly scathing as this is far from my kind of whisky. However, eagle-eyed readers (as well as not-so-eagle-eyed readers, to be fair – it’s pretty obvious) will spot that my bottle is very nearly empty. I found a solution – while I didn’t go much on it as a sipper, I found it made a mean Old Fashioned. Handy tip that, people; if you ever buy a bottle on a whim and discover it’s actually a bit rubbish, then there’s always a cocktail out there to spare your blushes.

★

Scotland 2018: The Ultimate Whisky Adventure Part Two

Posted by: Nick

In July 2018 I realised the ultimate Waffler’s dream and spent nine days travelling whisky’s motherland. I did not waste a moment.

9 days: 20 distilleries.

Fiddlers WW

PART TWO: Highlands and Islands

Whoever said that Scotland is freezing, windswept and rain-lashed has obviously never been to Speyside in the summertime. I was a little sad to leave what was clearly a sunny paradise and head further north, so decided it was not possible to get too much of a good thing and called into two more distilleries on my way out – and boy, these two could not be more different.

Macallan have recently opened a new visitor centre in the heart of Speyside – and it is an architectural masterpiece. The walls were all glass, revealing vistas of the distillery beyond or encasing infamously rare and valuable bottles. All this was sealed beneath a dramatically curved green roof (although in the height of summer it was more of a… well… brown roof). The whole complex was breathtaking – and yet I didn’t like it. Not one bit. It lacked the soul and warmth I love about Scottish distilleries. It was stunning but cold; glamorous but unwelcoming.

Macallan Wall WW

The complete opposite was the case at my final Speyside stop: Glen Moray. While the buildings themselves were nowhere near as spectacular as what I’d just seen at Macallan, the staff (master-distillers wife Fay, champion drinks pourer Kier, and tour guide extraordinaire Caitlyn) were among the nicest and most welcoming in the whole of Scotland. And the whisky? Wow! If you considered the Glen Moray range to be cheap and cheerful, then a visit to the distillery would reveal a few stunners that have been left a little longer in barrels. A personal favourite was the 1988 port cask matured, however the 1998 PX cask was also exceptional. I’ve always had a soft spot for Glen Moray – and this visit just made it softer.

Glen Moray paddle WW

Just as I thought my Speyside journey had come to an end I spotted a sign for Benromach and duly turned off the main road. Though I had not booked a tour the kind staff showed me around and let me try some of the varied wares.

Sadly, though, this was all I could squeeze into my Speyside trip; it was time to travel to the opposite side of the country. A trip to Scotland would not be complete without the compulsory failure to spot Nessie on the shores of a certain Loch, so I called into Drumnadrochit on my way to the west coast. While there was no monster to be seen, I was able to stumble upon a Whisky Waffle favourite whisky bar: Fiddlers. While there I sampled some local drams: a 25 Year Old Tomatin (business class whisky – you can taste the extra legroom), an Edradour matured in ex-Port Ellen casks (who could resist such an intriguing combo?) and finally a Balblair so dark is could have been black (so sherried it was almost undrinkable – naturally I loved it).

No filter. That really is the colour.

Before leaving Fiddlers, owner Jon Beach arrived and called me over for a chat – whilst pouring me a dram of Port Ellen as casual as can be. Seriously, this bar – cannot recommend highly enough.

Jon Tweet WW

While the west highlands of Scotland are absolutely stunning, there is one region of the country which is even more spectacular: the Isle of Skye. And this island is home to Talisker Distillery – a Whisky Waffle favourite from our early days of whisky tasting. On my only previous visit to Scotland, I was prevented from visiting Talisker by a freak hiking accident (no whisky was involved) so I was in no way going to miss out this time around. My guide, David, was not only a whisky fan, but also a chef and shared his Talisker BBQ sauce recipe with us while we had a dram of the Amarosso finished Distillers Edition. It was a tasty drop – certainly a step us from the Talisker NAS releases and even pipped the 10 Year Old. I was also able to revisit an old favourite and get my palate roasted by the winter warmer that is the 57 Degrees North.

Talisker WW

Upon leaving the Isle of Skye I had a long drive ahead of me. And yet I couldn’t resist making it even longer by stopping into a beautiful town along the way – and it just happened to contain a distillery!

The town was Oban and I slotted onto a lunchtime tour to check out yet another stillroom. What struck me about Oban was its size – or lack thereof. Of course, it’s miles ahead of the Tassie distilleries I’m used to seeing, but compared to the rest of the Scottish establishments it was rather quaint. This is demonstrated in their cask usage – Oban are the masters of the refill cask – everything they use has been already used by one of Diageo’s other distilleries to mature whisky in for ten or more years. When it gets to Oban it is re-charred, repurposed and ready to go. This is partly why a whisky 14 years old was for so long this distillery’s staple – and partly why the Little Bay is pretty light on for flavour. The real x-factor for Oban is its coastal location imparting a delicate salty layer upon each bottle in their range.

Oban WW

The cherry on the top of my visit was one final dram – from under the bar came an unmarked bottle containing promisingly dark liquid. I was sure it had been aged for longer than most Oban whiskies – and sure enough, it was a 20 year old: straight from the cask. I was assured by the friendly Oban staff it would be unlike anything I’d tried so far on my trip – and they were right, it was absolutely phenomenal. Sadly, though, after concluding this warming and delicious tasting I had to leave Oban in a hurry. You see, I had a ferry to catch…

I wonder where this could be going….

Overeem Red Wine Cask Matured

Reviewed by: Nick

Overeem Red WW

Just when you think you know someone… they go and do this!

I love Overeem. It’s one of my favourite Tassie drops and one I would recommend to anyone trying Tasmanian whisky for the first time (especially the cask strength port cask – phwoar!). The thing is you see, over the years (and multiple tastings) I had come to know what to expect from each Overeem release: a hit of spice and oranges followed by oozing caramel – basically, whisky deliciousness. So upon discovering barrel OHD100 – Old Hobart Distillery’s hundredth cask filled – was fully matured in red wine casks, I expected a grapey take on a familiar flavour. And I could not have been more wrong.

“What is going on here?” I do believe I remarked to m’colleague Ted as I brought this within range of my nostrils. It was a big meaty nose with strawberries and cherries taking centre stage alongside leafy, forresty notes. My best description is simply: intriguing.

And the palate? Well it’s definitely a wine cask. I’m up and down with such maturation and this bottle showcases the good with the bad. It brings to mind mulled wine with oodles of cinnamon and orange notes but competing for space in the mix are sour vinegary elements. And it’s dry – man it’s dry! Oaky oaky tannins leave you with the impression you’ve been sucking on the armrest of an old rocking chair. The finish is long and a little sweet with flavours of black current and aniseed.

This whisky is in no way rough – though at the same time it’s not easy to drink. Its time in a little red wine barrel has smoothed off the coarse edges and packed it with flavour, flavour and more flavour. While the flavours may not always go perfectly together – think of a meal of Atlantic salmon, marshmallows and vegemite – it’s a fascinating mix. This is a whisky that needs talking about as much as it needs drinking! And Whisky Waffle are only too happy to oblige…

★★★

Scotland 2018: The Ultimate Whisky Adventure – Part One

Posted by: Nick

In July 2018 I realised the ultimate Waffler’s dream and spent nine days travelling whisky’s motherland. I did not waste a moment.

9 days: 20 distilleries.

PART ONE: Speyside

Signs of Speyside

The world is a big and exciting place full of incredible natural wilderness, mind blowing ancient structures and miraculous modern marvels. However, for a Waffler, there is no greater sight than a smoking pagoda, rising up over a craggy moor. For this view I needed to cross the entire planet, enduring four long flights (and a train ride with no wifi) to finally set foot in the motherland of whisky: Scotland.

So many distilleries, so little time. How could I possibly cover all I wanted to in nine days? The short answer is: I couldn’t – but I could give it my best shot. The first important decision to make was which direction to travel? I finally decided upon: anticlockwise. This catapulted me headfirst into the heart of whisky production in Scotland: Speyside.

While Speyside is known for light, smooth and elegant drams, it is also home to the world’s biggest sherry bombs. And it is with the latter in mind that I begun my journey with a tour booked for a favourite of mine: Glendronach.

Glendronach

I can thoroughly recommend being the only one on a distillery tour – even more so if your guide is the ex-general manager of the distillery. And I was lucky enough to experience exactly that at Glendronach; hearing a range of the best stories from Frank Massie – a wonderful ambassador for the distillery and a top bloke. It summed up my experience perfectly: there’s a lovely touch of the old school about Glendronach. From the big old kiln to the creaky old washbacks to the fact the tasting started with the 18 Year Old… and got better from there! It was a dream come true and did not disappoint.

Nick n Frank

I settled into my accommodation at Speydie’s whisky capital Dufftown, thrilled at the start to my travels and recalling the 25 Year Old cask strength I’d just consumed. It was a quiet night – as the next day was shaping up to be a big one.

Balvenie

It began with the tour of tours: Balvenie Distillery. This experience is widely recognised as a must for Wafflers everywhere and three hours in I could see why. It was the most detailed – and hands on – tour I’ve ever experienced. I risked a dose of monkey shoulder by turning the malting barley and visited the cooperage where a team were working hard to create barrels exactly to Balvenie’s specifications and finish in time for an early Friday knock off. And then I did the the tasting. Wow. How many tours conclude by pouring you a full nip of 30 year old whisky?

Monkey SHoulder

I had no time to dwell on it, however. I was out the door to visit Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, Glenfarclas and GlenCraggonmore. There was no time for a tour at these classic establishments but all came with tasty distillery exclusive drams. The highlight was Glenfarclas – not in the least because their stunning tasting room is the converted interior of an old Australian ship. The drams were superb as well – a 2004 distilled bottling which was like a refined version of the 105 and a port finish which was sweet and juicy and almost certainly all gone by the time you read this, sadly.

Glenfiddich

I finished my day by joining a tour at Aberlour Distillery. The tour itself was fairly standard and I was part of a large group of non-whisky drinkers talking over the top of our guide and asking questions about Johnnie Walker (possibly the most whisky-snobbish thing I’ve ever written – but come on… you know how annoying that would be!). The tasting, though, made it all worth it. After first trying a firey new make spirit, we sampled a straight bourbon cask and straight sherry cask Aberlour whisky – both unavailable as regular bottlings. I loved precisely neither of them; they tasted like ingredients – which is exactly what they were. It was when they combined together that the magic occurred. The 16 Year Old and the (brand new) Casg Annamh were both balanced, full bodied, complex and oh so drinkable. The tasting concluded with the A’bunadh – as classic a cask strength sherry bomb as you’ll find anywhere.

Aberlour

The A’bunadh kept me warm as I made it back to Dufftown for my second and final night in Speyside. The seemingly eternal summer sun cast an orange glow over the harvested barley fields and I could truly see: this place is the warm beating heart of Scottish whisky.

Whisky Waffle go on holiday

Posted by: Nick

Nick packs

You can’t help but smile when articles on (sometimes) serious whisky blogs have titles which sound like Famous Five novels. But the headline does succinctly sum up what’s going to happening across the next month or so.

The holiday has already begun for m’colleague Ted who is off in South America, checking out the Amazon, walking the Inca trail and saying hi to the wildlife on the Galapagos Islands.

Ted and a Fish

While tomorrow, I am off on an equally exciting holiday – and one that may be of interest to you, my fellow Wafflers. I’m going to be spending six weeks travelling through Europe – including nearly a fortnight visiting The Motherland. That’s right, people: I’m going to Scotland!

While I’m there I will be filling my days with multiple distillery visits, including but not limited to: Balvenie, Glendronach, Aberlour, Glenfarclas, Glen Moray, Talisker, Oban, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Kilchoman, Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg. Naturally my reactions to all visits will be revealed on the blog in due course, though possibly after I’ve returned home. However, if you keep an eye on a social media pages – in particular Instagram – then you’ll get a taste of what I’m up to. Just not literally, sadly.

Anyway loyal Wafflers, thanks for your support over the years. We’ll be a bit quiet on the blog for a while but will return as strongly (and as sloshed) as ever in August.

Keep on waffling,

Nick and Ted

An evening with Laphroaig’s Dan Woolley

Posted by: Nick

Laphroaig Dinner 1

Dan Woolley only drinks whisky. Not beer, not wine, not vodka. Not even crème de menthe. Some would say he’s obsessed – himself included. His wife made him choose between her and whisky. He’s happily single now.

There is one whisky, however, that he obsesses over above all others: Laphroaig. He is one of the top brand ambassadors for Islay’s peated behemoth and I count myself enormously lucky to have spent an evening in his company as he talked us through seven (yes! Seven!) different drams of Laphroaig. While the majority of guests were enamoured by the smoky sensations in their glasses, not everyone was convinced. This is a fact Laphroaig have not only come to terms with but embraced, forming the theme of the dinner: Opinions. As Dan said: “if we all liked the same thing we’d all be drinking vodka lime and soda and I’d have killed myself a long time ago.”

Laphroaig Dinner 2

The Central in Devonport put on a fabulous event with many amazing courses all created from local ingredients. In particular the natural Spring Bay oysters went down a treat – particularly with a dash of Laphroaig Select cask dribbled on top.

The Select Cask was up first – an entry level for sure – but while sipping it I learned about the fascinating range of casks that went into creating it. A Whisky Waffle favourite was up next, the Quarter Cask, a whisky which spends the final nine months of its gestation in 100L barrels like a chain smoking baby.

Laphroaig Dinner 3

It wouldn’t be a Laphroaig night without the highest selling peated whisky on the planet: the 10 Year Old. Made to an “old family recipe” it packed the required peaty punch and is the ever faithful “backbone” of the Laphroaig flavour. Next up was Dan’s favourite, the Triple Wood. It was sweeter and fruitier than those that went before thanks to two years spent in Spanish Oloroso barrels.

Dan then laid down the Lore, a dram he described as their most ambitious whisky yet. Distillery manager John Campbell attempted to create a bottle of Laphroaig that tasted like what was offered 200 years ago. I can’t vouch for its accuracy, but it was certainly one of the tastiest and smokiest of the night. In the words of Dan, “it makes Port Ellen taste like Johnny Walker Red”.

Laphroaig Dinner 4

The final two drops were particularly special – made even more so by the lack of availability worldwide. Drinking the 18 Year Old and 25 Year Old was a weird experience as by this end of the night my palate had stopped noticing the peat in each dram and I was discovering subtle and nuanced flavours underneath. The 18 was lighter and mysterious, like chasing a nymph through an enchanted wood. The 25 was a Laphroaig dessert whisky – strawberries, white chocolate, whipped cream and other naughty indulgences. The peat was hidden away at the back of the palate and made me wish I could repeat the tasting the next day but in reverse order.

The night concluded in a truly memorable fashion, as every participant in the dinner was presented with a customised Laphroaig bottle to take away. Mine was particularly appropriate considering the tasting notes found within this very article. Dan graciously added his signature to the unique bottle, along with this piece of wisdom: “Do you know what the best whisky in the world is? Free whisky.”

Laphroaig Dinner 5

It was an educational and enjoyable evening, capped with a rousing toast which I can’t help but repeat: “LONG LIVE LAPHROAIG!”