$119.00 inc. GST
Out of stock
A mixed bag of goodies this May! A diverse range of flavours from new and old Flavour Profiles, Heresy releases of recent with an emphasis on experimental cask fills. A great opportunity to try the two most recent Malts of the month, PLUS a legacy Vaults Collection bottling from Islay with an RRP of $1,399 — all for one fantastic price of $119!
Join the team plus a special guest on Tuesday, May 26, at 7pm AEST, and experience a slew of flavours and all the signature banter you all enjoy.
A visit to several cooperages in France inspired the Whisky Team to source calvados-seasoned STR barriques from our friends at Alter Oak. We entrusted the casks with a 15-year-old Speyside single malt, previously matured in ex-bourbon wood; the spirit absorbing earthy and apple cellar aromas as well as notes of rancio and tobacco. For the final result of combining bourbon-matured whisky with the calvados casks, think delectable apples and custard. We’re proud to present to you this elegant addition to our Heresy range. At first nose we marvelled at the array of dried apricots, toffee apples, and tarte tatin with custard laid out before us on a table covered in hay. Digging into this end-of-harvest buffet, flavours of overaged white wine and honey sponge cake mingled with stewed apples, mace and woodruff balanced the initial velvety texture carrying the weight of leaf mulch and tobacco. Imagine a stroll through a Highland forest on a dry autumn day. With a bit of water a metamorphosis took place, unearthing scents of lemon zest, cognac, stewed plums and cherries, as well as white chocolate madeleines made with orange-flavoured French brandy liqueur. To taste it was dark and fruity, with citrus, chipotle chilli, tobacco and cassia bark held in orbit around a tannic backbone. Enjoy this grown-up dram for your autumn forest meanderings and contemplative moments.
There we were, relaxing on comfortable sofas in a hookah lounge, unwinding while we smoked a shisha with lemon cake-seasoned tobacco and drank a cup of Japanese peach iced tea. The taste was more like a glass of picpoul wine from southern France, mouth-wateringly crisp and refreshing with flavours of citrus, green apple and acacia blossom. Following the addition of water, we prepared a lemon drop martini with vodka, triple sec, lemon juice and sugar syrup. A prawn and avocado platter with lime and chilli dressing followed before, in the finish, we tucked into a slice of baked limoncello cheesecake and chocolate-dipped kiwi slices.
On first nosing cherry berries, gummy bears, strawberries and apricots leapt to the forefront – a true tutti frutti welcome. This juicy introduction gave way to layers of wedding cake, delicate cherry blossom, sun-drenched orange groves and the gentle perfume of lavender fields. The palate introduced drier fruit characteristics, with the influence of oak becoming more apparent: notes of orange peel, dates, champagne truffles, burnt brown sugar, bourbon biscuits and a warming mix of charred cinnamon and nutmeg, all wrapped in dusty woodiness. With a wee splash of water the Panel uncovered jellied fruits, spicy peach iced tea, hints of rolling tobacco, cracked nut shells and a floral kick reminiscent of vermouth. After eight years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, this whisky was transferred to a second fill American oak PX hogshead for the remainder of its maturation.
We immediately braced for impact, finding stormy weather on the nose at first sniff, as savoury sea spray set up a coastal theme. A gigantic, smoky, herbal influence followed, as if thyme, rosemary, savory and marjoram had been thrown on hot coals, with burnt lime and Cumberland sausages still on the barbecue. As the storm surge hit our palates, tarry flavours of sweet molasses, smoke and black tea started things off, soon supported by treacle-cured ham and hickory-smoked salmon, and a mojo sauce of cumin, orange, lime, coriander and mint – for pork. After a splash of water, the aromas developed a fresher, holiday foodie character. Imagine washing your hair with tar shampoo before a meal of zingy lime bread toasted on hot coals, with pork chops in a hot pan and crushed cardamom. Then, on the palate, sip a smoky margarita made with agave syrup, with ashy slices of pear from the barbecue, and a lime juice, bay leaf and desiccated coconut dressing. It’s a feast of smouldering delights.
Like opening a hamper of succulent smoked shellfish, this is “the stuff that dreams are made of”, with a lot more smoke on the palate neat than expected from the nose. We found bananas smoked in cedar wood with chocolate and pistachios next to palm trees in flames and, in the finish, medicinal ointments. Following reduction, we were seated in the dining room of a historical tea clipper voyaging across the Atlantic, enjoying key lime-smoked mojitos while puffing on cigars. At 27 years of age, we split the content of one sherry butt into two barrels. In addition to this first fill ex-bourbon barrel we also filled an ex-rye barrel to create an intriguing duo of releases.
