Thomson 5yo 2019/2025 (NZ Pinot Noir Cask)

Thomson 5yo 2019/2025 (NZ Pinot Noir Cask)

#19, The Heart Cut
Single malt - Auckland
Reddish pink
51.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Strawberry jam, figs, toast, blackcurrant cordial, damson jam, honey, butter, hints of new plastic. With water, strawberry jam, honey, figs. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, volatile, expands, turns airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Vanilla, honey, strawberry jam, figs, damson jam, toast, white pepper, cloves, nutmeg. With water, strawberry jam, red wine, nutmeg. 
Finish: Medium. Honey, damson jam, toast, white pepper, cloves. 

Comments: 

This is among the better red wine finishes I’ve had. Lots of sweet red fruit notes, with toast and spices. Water brings out more jammy notes and something even sweeter. Rather delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Thomson 5yo 2019/2025 (Bourbon Cask)

Thomson 5yo 2019/2025 (Bourbon Cask)

#18, The Heart Cut
Single malt - Auckland
Golden orange 
50.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Charcoal ash, tyre rubber, canned pineapples, lemon zest, sandalwood, honey, black pepper. With water, canned pineapples, honey, sandalwood, hints of apricots. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, oily, turns syrupy, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Charcoal ash, driftwood smoke, malted grains, tyre rubber, lemon zest, apricots, sandalwood. With water, lemon zest, vanilla, roast beef, soot. 
Finish: Medium. Charcoal ash, malted grains, driftwood smoke, soot. 

Comments: 

A very interesting nose, combined with a bitter ashy flavour on the tongue. It’s not intense smoke though, in fact it’s rather gentle, but the ashiness is quite pronounced. I do like canned pineapples, but this isn’t quite rhe barbecued pineapple, more heavily smoked in the tail end of a barbecue.

Verdict:

I like this.

Pokeno Winter Malt 02

Pokeno Winter Malt 02

Official bottling
Single malt - Waikato
Pale gold 

48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Walnuts, walnut skins, fresh baked bread, barley sugar, vanilla, honey, hints of roast chicken. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, turns syrupy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Walnut skins, damson jam, fresh baked bread, vanilla, honey, raisins, barley sugar, hints of toast. 
Finish: Short. Walnuts, damson jam, honey, barley sugar, hints of toast. 

Comments: 

Bitter and nutty, lots of deep cooked stone fruit notes, over a cereally core. Some savouriness appears, espresso on the nose and the finish. Quite an interesting malt, it’s my first from this distillery.

Verdict:

I like this.

Scapegrace Timbre Limited Release IV

Scapegrace Timbre Limited Release IV

Official bottling
Single malt - Otago 
Light amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Damson jam, honeycomb, cream, brown paper, plums, haw flakes, hints of redcurrant jelly. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, cool, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Malted grains, fresh baked bread, white pepper, damson jam, honeycomb, redcurrant jelly, hints of sea salt. 
Finish: Short. Damson jam, white pepper, fresh baked bread, haw flakes. 

Comments: 

Plummy and sweet, lots of damsons and redcurrants. There’s a fair bit of malt here, but it’s quite buried underneath the cask influence. Still, quite enjoyable.

Verdict:

I like this.

Cardrona Growing Wings 5yo 2016/2021 PX Finish Melody Whisky Bar Exclusive

Cardrona Growing Wings 5yo 2016/2021 PX Finish Melody Whisky Bar Exclusive

Official bottling
Single malt - Otago
Amber gold
63.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, hoppy beer, fresh baked bread, wheatgerm, honey, raspberry jam. With water, magic marker, pear drops, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, mouth coating, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Malted grains, honey, ink, raspberry jam, raisins, orange peel, wheatgerm, hints of black tea. With water, wet stones, malted grains, magic marker. 
Finish: Short. Orange peel, raisins, raspberry jam, Demerara sugar. 

Comments: 

Fortuitous find! It’s fruity, and opens up nicely with water to become minerally and malty. It builds to a very sweet, and intensely sweet finish. A very pleasant dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Scapegrace Chorus Limited Release II

Scapegrace Chorus Limited Release II

Official bottling
Single malt - Otago
Amber 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Black pepper, cocoa nibs, dunnage, brass polish, damson jam, coal gas. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, oily, syrupy, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Sourdough bread, malted grains, vanilla, black pepper, damson jam, rye bread, hints of coal gas. 
Finish: Medium. Sourdough bread, black pepper, damson jam, cocoa nibs. 

Comments: 

Jammy and cereally, lots of sharp spicy rye wreaths a heavy, chewy whisky. There’s a sulphurous note that lingers a little on the tongue, and it’s more than a little funky. Interesting dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Scapegrace Ephemeral Cask RP9

Scapegrace Ephemeral Cask RP9

Official bottling
Single malt - Otago
Amber brown
57% ABV
Dram

Nose: Dark chocolate, brass polish, lemon zest, oatcakes, cooked rice, brown paper, raisins. With water, cooked rice, lemon zest, raisins, brass polish. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, volatile, tingly, mouth coating.
Tasting:  Sweet. Raisins, damson jam, malted grains, oatcakes, dark chocolate, brown paper, black pepper, rye bread. With water, cooked rice, black pepper, raisins, lemon zest. 
Finish: Long. Raisins, honey, damson jam, black pepper, oatcakes. 

Comments: 

Quite feinty, despite the wine cask finish. Lots of peppery notes, which offset the sweet notes quite well. Water brings in some cereal. There’s a little bit of non-malt in this, if I’m any judge.

Verdict:

I like this.

Cardrona Just Hatched Sherry and Bourbon Cask

Cardrona Just Hatched Sherry and Bourbon Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Otago
Amber
64.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange juice, honey, fresh cut grass, vanilla, cinnamon, vanilla sponge. With water, orange juice, limes, vanilla, white pepper, hints of honey. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slightly oily, loosens, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Orange juice, pears, fresh cut grass, honey, black tea, white pepper, vanilla. With water, honey, orange peel, black tea, fresh cut grass, limes. 
Finish: Medium. Orange juice, pears, fresh cut grass, black tea. 

Comments: 

Complex and robust dram, lots of citrus, honey, and pepper. It’s young, of course, but it’s matured compared to earlier versions. Very enjoyable indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Thomson Saison Cask (Whisky Exchange Exclusive)

Thomson Saison Cask (Whisky Exchange Exclusive)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Auckland
Red gold
53.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Roast chicken, raisins, red grapes, dried blueberries, leather, chillies, wet stones. With water, dark chocolate, cocoa nibs, raisins, white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, airy, hot, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Dark chocolate, red grapes, malted grains, foam shrimp, leather, dried blueberries. With water, dark chocolate, strawberry jam, white pepper, black tea. 
Finish: Medium. Chillies, foam shrimp, menthol, dark chocolate. 

Comments: 

Sweet and meaty, with a little flintiness that enhances the sweet notes, especially the chocolate. It loses some intensity with water, turning fruity and a little bit spicy. Still, for its age, it’s quite interesting.

Verdict:

I like this.

Scapegrace Rise Limited Release I

Scapegrace Rise Limited Release I

Official bottling 
Single malt - Otago
Amber gold 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, musk, vitamin C tablets, candied oranges, wet stones, kiwifruit, golden syrup. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, cool, astringent, expands. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Brown paper, vitamin C tablets, wet stones, candied oranges, black pepper, rubber bands, hints of rye bread. 
Finish: Long. Candied oranges, strawberry jam, black pepper, rubber bands. 

Comments: 

Quite minerally, even slightly chalky, with a big hit of sweet citrus. Interesting stuff, albeit a little bit unbalanced. It’s promising whisky, will keep an eye on this distillery.

Verdict:

I like this.

Thomson Whisky Manuka Smoke

Thomson Whisky Manuka Smoke

Official bottling 
Single malt - Auckland
Straw
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, honey, roast beef, lemon sweets, cucumbers, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Malted grains, smoke, honey, pears, white pepper, hints of lemon sweets. 
Finish: Medium. Smoke, cucumbers, pears, malted grains, honey, hints of cooked rice. 

Comments: 

Sweet and honeyed, but with a layer of gentle smoke. It’s not peaty earthy smoke either, but proper campfire smoke. A decent cereally sweet finish too. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Cardrona Growing Wings Bourbon & Sherry Cask

Cardrona Growing Wings Bourbon and Sherry Cask

Official bottling 
Single malt - Otago
Amber red
65.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Limes, coconut cream, raisins, pear drops, magic marker, rye bread. With water, coconut cream, lemon zest, limes, pear drops. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Raisins, limes, kumquats, pear drops, pomeloes, malted grains, makrut lime leaves. With water, kumquats, pear drops, pomeloes, grapefruit. 
Finish: Short. Makrut lime leaves, pear drops, vanilla, hints of coconut cream. 

Comments: 

Very citrusy and tropical, almost like a Thai curry, minus the ginger and the galangal. Lots of sweet notes abound too, with a little breadiness on the nose.

Verdict:

I like this.

Cardrona 4yo 2016/2021 Growing Wings Breckinridge Bourbon Cask

Cardrona 4yo 2016/2021 Growing Wings Breckinridge Bourbon Cask

Official bottling 
Single malt - Otago
Dark gold
65.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Fresh baked bread, coconut cream, figs, peaches, lemon zest, oats. With water, oats, sourdough, lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, hot, astringent, fiery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Coconut cream, oats, figs, tyre rubber, vanilla, hints of white grapes, hints of peaches. With water, oats, tyre rubber, cornflakes. 
Finish: Medium. White grapes, peaches, persimmons, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Breckinridge Bourbon Cask 111. Fruity, and fiery. The high ABV makes a difference, but I don’t know if it needed to be quite this high. Very young of course, and quite promising. On its own merits though, there’s a strange sort of rubbery, coconut note that jars against the nice cereal and fruit.

Verdict:

I like this.

New Zealand Double Wood Small Batch 18yo (TWE Exclusive)

New Zealand Double Wood Small Batch 18yo (TWE Exclusive)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Otago
Red, tinge of amber
57.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Creamed coconut, vanilla, raisins, raspberry jam, pruneaux, grape soda, cinnamon, hints of orange peel. With water, pear drops, damson jam, grapes soda. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, tingly, astringent.  
Tasting:  Sweet. Cinnamon, cloves, fresh baked bread, creamed coconut, raisins, dark chocolate, vanilla ice cream, hints of grape soda. With water, raisins, candied orange peel, damson jam. 
Finish: Medium. Black tea, raisins, cloves, dark chocolate, grape soda, vanilla ice cream.  

Comments: 

Hugely complex dram, much more brandy like than its older sibling, also from TWE. It was quite aromatic, maybe tasting as if it had a little grain whisky in it (although the label says single malt). Excellent whisky to see the new year in with. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Cardrona Just Hatched Pinot Noir Cask

Cardrona Just Hatched Pinot Noir Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Otago
Amber red
65.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, raisins, pine, rhubarb and custard sweets, hints of new plastic. With water, lemon zest, autumn leaves, hints of lohan fruit. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Pine, cumin, raisins, honey, lemon zest, hints of black pepper. With water, bitter, lohan fruit, raisins, lemon zest, hints of earthy mushrooms.
Finish: Long. Cocoa powder, coffee, honey, fresh baked bread, hints of pomeloes. 

Comments: 

With these young malts from a new distillery, you never know what to expect. Sometimes the cask finishing makes for an interesting dram, and so it proved for this one. It’s not too sweet, instead it’s rather earthy and even slightly bitter. Lots of interesting complexity, looking forward to more from these guys. 

Verdict:

I like this.

New Zealand 29yo 1988/2017 (TWE Exclusive)

New Zealand 29yo 1988/2017 (TWE Exclusive)

Official bottling
Single malt - Otago
Amber
55.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Ink, dried pears, milk chocolate, honey, walnuts, red grapes, hints of marmalade. With water, red grapes, raisins, damson jam. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Black tea, walnuts, milk chocolate, condensed milk, honey, hints of red grapes. With water, sweeter, raisins, honey, vanilla, damson jam. 
Finish: Long. Black tea, milk chocolate, marmalade, hints of coffee. 

Comments: 

There's nothing like old whisky, especially old sherry bombs. This one is chocolatey, full of dried fruit and some metallic iron notes. With water, it turns jammy, tasting of autumnal damsons, and becomes wonderfully sweet.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Cardrona Single Malt Just Hatched Solera

Cardrona Single Malt Just Hatched Solera

Official bottling
Single malt - Otago
Golden
64.4% ABV
Tiny taste 

Nose: Lemon zest, malted grains, vanilla, jasmine tea, hints of pomeloes, hints of soy sauce. With water, lemon juice, raisins, jasmine, hints of orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, warm, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sour. Lemon zest, rolled oats, jasmine tea, vanilla, cornflakes, hints of fresh baked bread. With water, bitter sweet, lemon juice, honey, orange peel, hints of carrot juice, hints of raisins. 
Finish: Medium. Vanilla, apples, fresh baked bread, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

3 years old, from a country that doesn't produce a lot of whisky. This youngling is citrusy and cereally, with some nice floral fragrances as well. With water, it sweetens up, with a vegetal hint in the background. There's a lot of promise here, and I'd love to taste more of this, but I'd probably let it age a bit more. Thanks Katie for the taste.

Verdict:

I like this.

Willowbank 17yo Batch 1

Willowbank 17yo Batch 1

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - Otago
Red wine
53.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pear drops, red wine, red grapes, honey, brown paper, hints of green apples. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, astringent, slightly airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Red wine, pear drops, red grapes, cream, brown paper, vanilla, hints of plums. 
Finish: Long. Lemons, brown paper, pear drops, black tea. 

Comments: 

A 17yo bottling, released this year, 2018, from a distillery that closed in 1997! It must have been stored in glass or plastic then filled into a red wine cask. It's clearly been in there for a long time, as this is basically red wine at whisky strength. It's intense and fruity, huge pear drop and grape notes. Lovely stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Dunedin Doublewood 15 yo

Dunedin Doublewood 15 yo

Official bottling
Single blend - Otago
Amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Mint, raisins, coffee, dark chocolate, dried strawberries, hints of cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thick, sticky, oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Raisins, cream, dried strawberries, chocolate, red grapes, sandalwood. 
Finish: Long. Cream, mint, coffee, red grapes. 

Comments: 

Willowbank whisky! Surprisingly salty, with a nice unctuous mouthfeel. Very sweet nevertheless, but also complex and fragrant. Nice minty notes on the nose and the finish. Very enjoyable indeed. Good whisky from a closed distillery.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

New Zealand Doublewood 10 yo

New Zealand Doublewood 10 yo

Official bottling
Single blend - Otago
Dark amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sugar cane, figs, red grapes, condensed milk, vanilla, oak. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, loose, turns watery. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Orange peel, red grapes, condensed milk, prunes, sugar cane, hints of coconut candy. 
Finish: Medium. Condensed milk, prunes, sugar cane, coconut candy, hints of bananas. 

Comments: 

New Zealand is remote enough such that the grain whisky in the blend needs to come from the same distillery! This one has been aged in new American oak casks then a French red wine cask. It may have been overdiluted, as it is pretty watery on the tongue. The depth of flavour is quite reasonably though, and very sweet. Lots of sugar cane and condensed milk, along with the jammy fruit notes one would expect.

Verdict:

I like this.