Riverbourne 2yo Batch 2

Riverbourne 2yo Batch 2

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - New South Wales
Golden, hints of orange 
51% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, leather, peaches, limes, peat, orange juice, hints of pineapples, hints of sandalwood. With water, photocopy paper, olive brine, orange juice. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, expands, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Rye bread, photocopy paper, black pepper, smoke, pineapples, cloves, hints of sea salt. With water, rye bread, black pepper, sandalwood. 
Finish: Medium. Rye bread, sandalwood, cloves, orange juice, pineapples. 

Comments: 

Quite savoury, yet it’s fruity. It’s clearly been aged in a warmer climate, it’s got a lot of flavour for its age. It’s almost too savoury, the salt and rye are really evident and threaten to overwhelm the more delicate fruit.

Verdict:

I like this.

Corowa 4yo Batch 2

Corowa 4yo Batch 2

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - New South Wales
Amber
46.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, blueberry jam, honey, brown paper, cloves, cocoa nibs, hints of black pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Blueberry jam, honey, salt caramel, cocoa nibs, black pepper, hints of matches. 
Finish: Short. Matches, cocoa nibs, salt caramel, raisins. 

Comments: 

Sweet, clearly from a wine cask of some sort. Very jammy but there’s a little sulphur peeking through. It’s a little young, perhaps a little age would integrate the flavours more.

Verdict:

I like this.

Highwayman The Dark Side

Highwayman The Dark Side

Official bottling 
Single malt - New South Wales
Mahogany 
55% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, farmyard, honey, winter melon, white pepper, dark chocolate, hints of orange peel. With water, vanilla, cocoa nibs, raisins, hints of peanuts. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, expands, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Peanuts, honeycomb, peat, hay, fresh cut grass, raisins, dark chocolate, photocopy paper, hints of coffee. With water, raisins, peanuts, hints of coffee. 
Finish: Short. Black tea, honeycomb, raisins, peat. 

Comments: 

Really sweet, peated dram. The high proof is good, brings out some feinty notes that would otherwise be lost in the layers of flavour. I’ve not had anything from this distillery before, but the juice is nice and the branding attractive.

Verdict:

I like this.

Black Gate 3yo Batch 2

Black Gate 3yo Batch 2

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt 
Single malt - New South Wales
Amber gold
46.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, raisins, fig jam, five spice powder, fresh cut grass, dried orange peel, hints of Chinese angelica. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, cool, slightly tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Black tea, five spice powder, dark chocolate, raisins, fig jam, sea salt, Chinese angelica, hints of mint. 
Finish: Long. Raisins, orange peel, five spice powder, fresh cut grass, hints of Szechuan peppercorns, hints of mint. 

Comments: 

Utterly delicious, herbal, sweet and savoury at the same time. There’s a huge amount of spices in here, and there’s a lovely floral finish as well. Really amazing whisky for the age.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Riverbourne 3yo Batch 1

Riverbourne 3yo Batch 1

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - New South Wales 
Amber gold
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, cranberries, canned pears, raisins, orange peel, lychees, hints of liquorice. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, airy, cool, slightly tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Fresh baked bread, leather, canned pears, oats, lychees, orange peel, hints of kiwifruit. 
Finish: Long. Sea salt, oats, leather, liquorice, orange peel. 

Comments: 

Young but intense whisky. Lots of tropical fruit notes, along with a malty sweetness. It’s really quite highly sherried, and there is an underlying complexity that is quite cereally. Good stuff, this.

Verdict:

I like this.

Black Gate 3yo Batch 1

Black Gate 3yo Batch 1

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt 
Single malt - New South Wales
Amber, hints of red 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, honey, red grapes, peaches, dried pears, matcha, sandalwood, hints of black tea. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slightly tingly, slippery, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Red grapes, raisins, honey, matcha, sandalwood, peaches, hints of leather. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh baked bread, raisins, dried pears, honey. 

Comments: 

Lovely sherried Australian whisky. It has a herbal tang, as so many Aussie whiskies do, and in this case it is reminiscent of matcha powder. It’s quite tannic indeed. Despite the young age, it’s quite complex and slightly woody.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.