Having been closed for a number of years and finally re-opening in 2008, GlenDronach is enjoying a renaissance. Indeed, today there are perhaps only 2 distilleries that can truly be classified as ‘sherry maturation’ houses and only one where 100% of the single malt sold still enjoys its primary maturation exclusively in sherry casks. The distillery sources its water from the Dronac burn within the distillery grounds and conducts its own floor maltings.  In essence, this is a very distinct and traditional distiller who places great stock in time-honoured practices, to produce marvelous quality drams.

GlenDronach 12YO ‘Original’
This is the primary expression from GlenDronach. Having spent 12 years in Pedro Ximinez and Oloroso casks and finally finished in American oak, this whisky demonstrates GlenDronach’s expert capability with sherry cask maturation. Opening on the nose with sweet sherry salinity, this aroma quickly expands to vanilla fudge, muscovado sugar, red plumbs and morello cherries, even encompassing tobacco and a savoury meatiness. The nose is not overly sweet or fruity, with enough complexity to keep you intrigued. The medium bodied palate brings with it more dried plumbs, rye bread spices and dark chocolate covered oranges. The finish offers some drying wood tannins that sit neatly alongside burnt sugar, lavender and cola influences. The double maturation leaves this whisky with a luxurious feel and a generous charm. We can at once see the bare bones of this dram and as well enjoy the coziness of GlenDronach’s offering.

GlenDronach 15YO ‘Revival’
After recently coming under independent ownership, GlenDronach relaunched its core range in 2008 with decidedly more unique offerings. The 15Yo ‘Revival’ is a dynamic and forward dram for its age with some serious depth. It shows an immediately apparent concentration of aromas, bringing to the fore notes of treacle, toffee, cocoa powder and orange crystallised orange zest. On closer inspection the Oloroso sherry notes lead into balsamic vinegar, mushroom, walnut, beef stock, soy sauce, maraschino cherries and coal smoke elements. This is the sort of whisky which hours can be spent breaking down all the flavour nuances; there is that much on offer! The palate is akin to the nose yet less prolific, granting rich sherried characteristics of coffee, chocolate, dates, figs and clove. The mouthfeel is generous and viscous fleshing out the already broad flavour profile. This a dram that may do well with a few months opening up in the bottle. An outstanding value whisky!

GlenDronach 18YO ‘Allardice’
A more subdued style than the other GlenDronach expressions, the 18 year old was matured entirely in Oloroso casks. Named after the “exuberant and extroverted” man who founded the distillery in 1826, this whisky again exhibits its distiller’s prowess with sherry barrels.  The nose opens with evident sherry influence but restraint which keeps this aspect in check. In the glass, aromas develop reminiscent of cherry coke, old roses, crème brulee and Turkish delight. More serious tones of tobacco, mint and mocha sit just underneath the swathe of sherry scents, a slight bitter edge counterpointing the seemingly sweet fruit.  A rich palate offers kirsh cherries, walnut bread, fruit cake, all spice and a trace of ginger before the finish. Flavours of toffee, custard and that unmistakable glace cherry character linger in the mouth. A more heavily weighted dram that the other expressions with serious character to offer.

Click here for more information on the Masterclass being held on March 1st in our Cellar Room.

As mentioned over the last month or so we are starting a Craft Beer & Cider wall here at The Oak Barrel – affectionately known as ‘Craftys Wall’.

SEE THE FULL LIST HERE

New craftys over the next few weeks will include locals such as Badlands, Dalgety, Moo Brew (more), Murrays (more again) and Two Metre Tall (even more).

From the UK we’ll have some Blandford Fly Ale (ginger beer!!!!), Brakspear Triple Ale, Hopback Summer Lighting, Jennings Sneck Lifter and something from Wychwood Brewery.

Our NZ neighbours will be sending some Stonecutter Scotch Ale, 8 Wired Saison Sauvin, plus a treat from the Yeastie Boys.

And from the States in ‘Campaign Mode’ (boy do they go on and on and on….) we will be getting Victory Hop Devil & Golden Monkey.

On top of all those beers – let’s not forget the cider… With February being the month of The Cider Sessions we have from Sweden, Two Elk Cider, Green Goblin Oak Aged Cider (which even just sounds good!) from the UK as well as some glamourous French ‘Cidres’ in those top notch bottles.

But that’s not all. Stay tuned for more Yankee, Japanese and local craft products to follow throughout the month…

This aged single malt is double matured in two types of oak casks to create an outstanding whisky of unrivalled complexity and flavour – only available in France & Australia.

A scientist by training, Malt Master Brian Kinsman has a natural affinity for innovation. With this, his first Malt Master’s Edition, he marries different aged whisky in two types of oak cask, the first Glenfiddich to be double matured in two different casks. After maturing in traditional Oak casks for a number of years, it is transfered into Sherry Casks for the final years of maturation. Each batch is unique, delivering a rich whisky that is complex in flavours imparted from the different woods.

Nose
Distinct earthy notes and whisky-soaked oak intermingle beautifully with intense vanilla and the flash of smoky embers.

Taste
Fizzes with a sherbet tang at first taste, before transforming slowly into something spicier, full of summer plum and ripe cherry flavours, with hints of toasted almonds and wedding cake.

Finish
Silky and smooth.

 Buy ONLINE for only $100!

We’ve got some great new products at The Oak Barrel, some exclusive to us in Australia…

Bourbons:
Sazerac Rye 18 year old
Four Roses Single Barrel 50%

Japanese Whisky:
Suntory Hakushu Heavily Peated 48%
Yamazaki Sherry Cask 48%

Scottish Single Malts:
Laphroaig 1990 21 year old 55.9%
Longmorn 15 year old 45%
Lagavulin 12 year old 57.9%

+ some old favourites coming back in: Edradour 1997 13 year old, Moscatel Finish & the Edradour 2000 11 year old Port Finish…

Irish Whiskey:
Greenore 18 year old Single Grain 46%

Rum:
Havana Club 15 year old

Warning – the following information may shock you: Believe it or not, I wasn’t always the crazed whisky nut that I am today. (Joel our UK Whisky Ambassador)

On the Whisky Trail in Scotland

The 2^nd September 2009 was a memorable day. I had just started working at the Oak Barrel and Simon sent me off for my first encounter with single malts at an Islay whisky masterclass. That night my Facebook status read “Joel learnt about Whisky today. He learnt it tastes terrible”. But even though I spat every whisky out in disgust, the class did plant a seed of interest and I wondered how people could be so passionate about something so unpleasant. However, if you had told me that day that in just two years time I would be taking off on a whisky odyssey around Scotland and to Whisky Live Paris, I would have laughed a Laphroaig – smelling laugh in your face.

But my tastebuds have been bombarded with more whiskies than I can count in the last two years, and sure enough, this (Northern Hemisphere) summer I found myself standing at Glasgow Airport ready to kick off the whisky adventure. I hired a car with two female friends, neither of whom are whisky fans, so I had to cut them a deal – I didn’t care how many modern art galleries or shopping expeditions I would be forced to endure, as long as there was a good number of distilleries on the itinerary, and someone else did the driving, leaving me free to taste all the whisky I could get my hands on!

Deal accepted. Here we go:

The Oban Distillery overlooking the seaside

First stop was a visit to Oban Distillery*. Any town with a distillery right smack bang in the middle is alright by me. In fact, the distillery is older than the town itself, at 217 years old compared to Oban’s 200! The town sprung up around the distillery, originally as a working port town, but these days it is more of a tourist mecca with thousands of people filing through every day, lapping up the sea air and consuming vast amounts of fish and chips. Just don’t drop any of your chips or you will be instantly swarmed by freakishly huge seagulls that are surely the direct descendants of pterodactyls!

The tours of the distillery are great, with a couple of drams thrown in and a Glencairn glass to keep. Carol Bennett, the Brand Home Manager, gave me special permission to take a few photos and even starred in a great little video overview. Check it out below. I wish I could say that the annoying machinery sound in the background was the working still house, but it was actually an amateur tourist doing his best Austin Powers impression in the laneway adjacent to the distillery.

As for the whisky, the Oban 14 Year Old has always been one of my favourites, and I love the way Oban’s sea air contributes a great salty element to the whisky contrasting well with honey and citrus notes, all wrapped in wisps of peat smoke. I actually credit this whisky for giving me a taste for peat smoke and setting me on a path for Islay appreciation. I also had the chance to sample the Oban Distiller’s Edition, which undergoes a second maturation in Montilla fino sherry casks, ramping up the richness of the fruit and contributing nutty notes and an oaky dryness to the finish. The Oban seems to integrate well with the Fino character, making this bottling well worth a look for sherry fans.

That Talisker is how old?

A couple of days later and we pulled up to the Talisker Distillery on the Isle of Skye, a place of pilgrimage for many whisky fans around the world. So many in fact, that I only just managed to squeeze onto the last tour of the day, and just make it back to our accommodation before the dreaded midges attacked. With so many people around there was no time for any filming, and photography was strictly forbidden. Or so they told me…when the guide’s back was turned I did take a quick photo.

The whiskies from Talisker need little introduction: smoky, peppery, spicy, and mouth-wateringly delicious. I reckon the Tali 10 deserves a spot in any collection. Another bottling worth trying is the 57° North, which takes everything great about Talisker and beefs it up to a punchy 57% alcohol. But it holds the alcohol well and is surprisingly smooth, showing clear pepper and chilli flavours with waves of woodsmoke on the nose and palate. A drop of water will coax a touch of sweetness out of the glass. It’s the perfect warming dram for cold winter nights… or the cold summer nights they have on the Isle of Skye. These are casks from 1979, making them 31 years old. By now all the Talisker buffs are shouting “What’s going on!? The oldest expression is the 30 year old!”. Obviously the master blender has something special up his sleeve. Hopefully there will be some more news on that one soon.

One of my favourite things about Scotland is that all these great whiskies, that can be so hard to get a hold of in Australia, are standard fare in any local pub. And while I sit in these pubs doing my bit for the Scottish economy, it was hard not to think back to the 2nd of September, 2009 and laugh a Talisker – smelling laugh…

* To be totally accurate, first stop was actually Glasgow’s Botanical Gardens, but quite frankly, who cares?

The rumble of feet could be heard from around the corner, and the impatient banter from milling patrons….

The day had come and expectations were high.  No one was to be disappointed.

The 2011 Sydney Whisky Fair was a veritable whirlwind of activity, each punter vying for prime position to slurp on their favourite dram.  Over 250 people passed through the Sydney Whisky Fair, sampling over 100 whiskies, bourbons and rums from more than 16 countries.

Enjoying The Sydney Whisky Fair

For many, it was a great joy to see both novices and connoisseurs intermingling, sharing their knowledge with one another and simply enjoying the wealth of samples on offer. It was this freedom of expression and convivial atmosphere that seemed to characterize the Fair. Beginners found flavours and expressions in whiskies that experts had overlooked. Likewise, seasoned drinkers were encouraged to expand their palates with new wave styles and independent bottlings. Not one punter walked away from their session without having attained at least one pearl of knowledge or gained a further appreciation for the distiller’s art.

There were a number of star performers that captured the attention and palates of many. Amongst those leading the pack were the Australian distillers who, despite their boutique focus and small production, punched well above their weight. Popular examples were Bakery Hill and Sullivan’s Cove which in their own down to earth, Australian manner, won friends not merely patrons.

Another notable favourite was the unique Nikka from the Barrel (conveniently named for the Oak Barrel to import).  A clean and well composed Japanese, cask strength whisky. The unique and quirky packaging combined with finesse and smooth textures led to a clear Fair favourite.

However, it was not only the whiskies that gained well deserved kudos. The Diplomatico Gran Exclusiva was a seductive yet serious rum which surprised even the most stubborn whisky drinker. Indeed the El Dorado 12 year old was another unexpected hero of the Fair. This rum showed complexity as well as accessibility and offered a unique point of reference to the herbaceous Peruvian and Nicaraguan bottlings on offer.

Below are some notes on a tiny selection of spirits on offer:

Sullivans Cove Port Matured, Tasmania, 60% abv, Single cask (Barrel HH0144)
To create this exceptional whisky the distiller carefully selected the highest quality French Port Casks from which much of the flavour derives.  It is of note that each bottling comes from a single barrel and thereby variations can be both surprising and fascinating for a taster. It would seem that this is a point of difference to most other distillers as it offers satisfaction for its drinker not in consistency and predictability but in variation and exploration.

This cask strength whisky is surprisingly light in alcohol on the nose, displaying notes of raisins, roasted nuts, stewed plum, pepper and cinnamon. The texture on the palate is quite smooth and creamy despite the intense but not aggressive alcohol. On the palate it is firstly soft and thick which leads into a flavour explosion of hazelnut, dark fruit, honey and chocolate. It is not depth that is the most exciting part of this whisky, but rather its elegance and finesse.

For more information about Sullivan’s cove you can view this interview…

Bakery Hill Double Wood, Victoria, 46% abv
This example has been matured in American oak ex bourbon casks and finished in French oak, imparting a well-rounded complexity seen in few single barrel malts. The colour is a burnished bronze that offers a glimpse at the smooth yet deep nature of this whisky. A feminine style of whisky that is elegant and poised whilst still full and complete. It reveals a nose of dried apricots, coconut, golden syrup, fruitcake and a hint of cloves. There is an underlying sweetness to the palate which unveils orange marmalade and nougat nuances. The subtle oak influence compliments the dried fruit characters, drawing them into a long and lingering finish.

Nikka From the Barrel, Japan, 51.4% abv
This is no ordinary whisky, nor is it even an ordinary Japanese whisky. The first remarkable thing about this whisky is the seductive nose of vanilla, cedar, sweet spices, toast and white smoke (vaguely reminiscent of bourbon). The next is the luscious weight this dram has in your mouth. The oily texture seems to coat the inside of your mouth and give the impression of luxury and intensity. It is perhaps because of this mouth feel that the cask strength of 51.4% is barely perceptible and the palate is smooth while generous. It shows flavours of nuts, sweet malt and dried fruits, leaving you with a long and powerful finish.

Diplomatico Gran Exclusiva, Venezuela, 40% abv
This rum is copper pot stilled from 12 year old spirit that has been aged in small white oak barrels. The intense gold to amber coloured rum has a nose of banana, burnt toffee, molasses, vanilla and a hint of marzipan. The palate offers obvious caramel and butterscotch overtones with a matching viscosity that screams of luxury. Other flavours include butter, cinnamon and toast. This is a smooth and satisfying sipping rum which is dangerously easy drinking.

Thanks to all those involved that helped make this event happen, and to all of you who attended.  A special thank you to the reviewers and bloggers out there who were so positive in their praise.  We look forward to hosting the event again next year.

Last week I attended a Riesling tasting at the Tokonoma restaurant in Surry Hills, and while the wines weren’t anything to write home (or a blog!) about, it took one look over the bar at the whisky collection to know that the afternoon would be saved. The first bottle that caught my eye was a Port Ellen 25 year old, and while it is rare to see a bottle from this legendary distillery, I wasn’t quite drunk enough to outlay the $50+ asked for a dram, so a taste from the lost Islay distillery would have to wait.

I moved onto the range of Japanese malts, which included some great old Hibiki and

Yamazakis. But I had to try the Nikka From The Barrel, a heavy hitting blend that has been recommended to me time and time again by a number of our whisky fanatics at the shop. Weighing in at 51.4% abv I thought some water on the side would be a smart idea. The water was left untouched. The smoothness of the whisky at this alcohol amazed me. There is plenty of toasty oak on the nose, mixed with citrus peel, spices and over it all a lovely waft of smoke. Julian made mention that there was an element to the nose that reminded him of a bourbon. On the palate it has that viscous, oily texture that I love. Flavours of spice, nuts, sweet malt lead into fruity notes and a long, powerful and warming finish.

I reckon a cask strength of this quality and at this price is a steal. This great whisky is usually very difficult to find in Australia, so the good news is we’ve just imported another batch. But be warned, they never last long on our shelf so get in quick because there are only a dozen bottles available this time around. Actually…make that eleven. I’m buying one for myself. (JE)

High end whisky connoisseurs, boutique whisky distillers and industry leaders will descend upon Sydney this September for the launch of the Sydney Whisky Fair, a luxury tasting experience for avid whisky & spirit enthusiasts.

The Fair will be held at the Oak Barrel on the 2nd & 3rd September. Following the success of the Whisky World event last year, the Oak Barrel is stepping it up & launching a more luxurious experience. The Fair offers whisky drinkers an exciting opportunity to taste rare drams & engage with distillers from around the world. Guests can expect to see over 100 whiskies and spirits on show, including exclusive products not normally available for tasting as well as some that are fresh to the market. Master classes will also be held over the two days with limited tickets being released for each session.

Tickets to each session are $60 or $50 for members and include entry, a tasting glass & light snack. To purchase tickets and for more information The Sydney Whisky Fair.

I’ve been a little confused about Irish Whiskey distilleries, so after doing a little research I thought I would share my findings with you.

Ireland has only four distilleries, although some of them produce multiple whiskey brands. This is where I was a little confused as I new there was a only a few distilleries but there seems to be many more whiskey brands…

Currently the distilleries operating in Ireland are:

New Midleton Distillery which makes Jameson*, Midleton*, Redbreast* and a few others, owned by Pernod Ricard.

Then there is Old Bushmills Distillery which makes all the Bushmills* range and is owned by Diageo.

The third distillery is Cooley, which today is the only independent Irish-owned whiskey distillery left in Ireland. It has three brands – Connemara*, Greenore* and Tyrconnell*.

And finally, there is the recently re-opened Kilbeggan Distillery. Although the whiskey now in production at Kilbeggan will not be ready for sale until 2014, the three brands associated with the distillery—Kilbeggan, Locke’s Blend and Locke’s Malt have, for many years, been made at the Cooley Distillery.

As a general rule the distinct difference between Irish and Scottish whiskies is that they are normally distilled three times, the exception to the rule is Cooley Distillery who double distill. Apparently the reason for the different spelling is that in the late 19th century when Ireland had many distilleries, the Scots where making a lot of bad whisky. In order to differentiate their prodcut from the inferior (at the time) Scottish product, Irish and American whiskey producers added an ‘e’, as in whiskey. In addtion to the 4 distilleries, you will also find that there are a number of independently owned Irish whiskey brands, such as Tullamore Dew and The Irishman. They are made under contract at the Irish distileries, for example, Tullamore Dew is made at Midletons.

I hope this gives you a little bit more of an understanding of the Irish Whiskey distilleries. (SC)

* The Oak Barrel has whiskies from these distilleries available for purchase.

Japanese Whisky seems to have finally broken the ice with Scotch drinkers. While the country has been producing whisky commercially since 1924 it took until the turn of the century for Japanese distillers to convert all their skill and hard work into truly world-class whiskies.

Critics quickly recognised that there was something special about these latest bottlings and it seems whisky enthusiasts around the world are finally coming around as well. Our latest imports include a number of competition conquering and hard-to-find bottlings that we are very excited about.

Nikka Distillery

Among the distilleries leading the charge in the quality revolution is Nikka, established by industry legend Masataka Taketsuru (pictured right). Taketsuru had learned his trade in Scotland and brought his whisky making knowledge and passion back to Japan in the early 1920s to help establish Yamazaki, the country’s first commercial distillery. Leaving Yamazaki 10 years later, he established his own distilling company – Nikka – in 1934 and built the Yoichi Distillery in a part of the country he considered ideal for whisky making. The distillery continues to operate to this day, adhering to the techniques established by Taketsuru, such as the use of coal-fired pot stills, producing outstanding single malts at a number of different ages. Across the range the malts are characterised by a gentle peatiness and a richness on the silky smooth palate

Nikka Single Malt “Yoichi” 10 Year Old 45%
A lightly peated nose and palate, with rounded vanilla and tobacco coming from the oak casks. Finishes with light fruits.

Nikka Single Malt “Yoichi” 12 Year Old 45%
Characterized by the aroma of aged casks tinged with gentle peat and a rich and long-lasting taste.

In Japan it is traditionally not acceptable for rival companies to interact, and as such the swapping of casks to create blends is a rare occurance. It is up to each distilling company to produce a number of diverse whisky styles from which to create their in-house blends. Nikka honours Taketsuru’s legacy with the Taketsuru Pure Malt series – vatted malts produced from the whiskies of Yoichi and Nikka’s other distillery, Miyagikyou. We have chosen to bring in the 21 Year Old, a rich and complex whisky with unique Japanese character, which beat out all the Scotch competition to win the World’s Best Blended Malt Whisky at the 2010 World Whisky Awards.

Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt 21 Year Old 43%
Heavy malt presence, with slight honeyed pallet. Serious whisky for the serious whisky drinker!

We’ve also received more stock of our perennial favourite cask strength, the Nikka From The Barrel.

Nikka Whisky From The Barrel 51.4%
A cask strength at a bargain price. There is plenty of toasty oak, mixed with citrus peel, spices and over it all a lovely waft of smoke.

Other Oak Barrel Imports:

Hibiki 12 Year Old
Lots of vanilla, with spices and lightly sugared oaks imparted from the part-matured plum liqueur casks that the whisky is matured in.

Hibiki 17 Year Old 43%
The highly regarded 17 year old has rich honey flavours, with oak on the nose and molasses half way through. The palate is clean with citrus and sweet dried fruits.

Yamazaki 18 Year Old Single Malt
Dates, walnuts and raisins with a touch of smoke. Very smooth, a fine example of Japanese whisky!

We also carry in-store:

Yamazaki 12 Year Old Single Malt
A great introduction to Japanese malts, with a very clean character, juicy fruit and barley flavours.Kampai!

To order any of these exclusive imports, call us on 02 9264 3022 or contact us by email at sales@oakbarrel.com.au. Alternatively, you can place your online via our WebStore.