Review: Stout cask finished Australian whiskies

Julian White -
Whisky Reviews
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On tasting: Starward Stout Cask 2018, Hobart Whisky ‘Beer Cask Series’ Imperial Stout Finish, Bakery Hill Blunderbuss 2022 Edition, Overeem Stout Cask Finish and Spirit Thief Distilling Co. Dark Mofo Winter Feast 2022 Cabernet & Stout Cask Finish

As winter starts to bite, the stout cask matured whisky market is in full swing. Beer producers are releasing their cask matured stouts as consumers look for richer, sweeter styles of beer. Whisky makers are now following suit.

Brewery reps constantly tell me ‘stout’ is the buzz word that sells dark beer. Porters and dark ales don’t sell, and breweries will often call their dark brews a stout to capture the interest of consumers.

Clearly, whisky makers are now moving on that trend as well. There’s dozens of ex-stout cask matured whiskies around, some top Australian expressions of which I’ve reviewed below.

I’m always interested in the design of these whiskies. Are producers intentionally filling spirit into wine, fortified or ex-Bourbon casks which they intend to mature in an ex-stout cask down the line? Or are they finding mature stocks that are a little lack lustre and trying to add an extra element to them?

Selecting a base whisky which has the flavour profile to complement the rich intensity of the stout is key. The best stout cask matured whiskies get this right. Pour out the corresponding beer next to a dram and you’ve got the perfect antidote to the winter chill.

  • Starward Stout Cask 2018 Single Malt Whisky
    The Stats
    • ABV: 52%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled in 2018 at Starward distillery and initially matured in red wine and small format apera barrels. A marriage of these whiskies was then finished for 18 months in ex-Bourbon barrels formerly used for Brick Lane Brewing’s Trilogy of Fear imperial stout series. Released June 2023.
    • Location: Melbourne, VIC
    • Score: 84
    Nose
    There’s a mintiness at first which is quickly followed by whole black peppercorns. As it warms up, more of the classic Starward red fruit notes are evident. Ginger bread and biscuity oak, vanilla shortbread and a whiff of mocha.
    Palate
    A drier style of Starward from the get go. The apera elements, while giving viscosity to the overall package, aren’t contributing much to the mouthfeel. Lots of marmalade characters, with pithy orange rind and caramelised fruit. Homing in on the stout cask element isn’t easy, which is probably a virtue of careful management. When you find it, the stout cask influence gives a yeasty, bread-like funkiness.
    Finish
    Dry finish with little in the way of sweetness or fruit character. That funky yeastiness is still present, and if you’re expecting silky rich imperial stout vibes, think again.
    Comments
    Given the amount of oak and flavour that Starward already work into their whiskies on any given day, adding further cask influence via stout or ginger beer can become overkill. I think this probably has a few too many flavours crammed into it. I can see why the blenders have kept the stout cask influence quite minimal. The whisky underneath is good.
  • Hobart Whisky ‘Beer Cask Series’ Imperial Stout Finish Single Malt Whisky
    The Stats
    • ABV: 56.3%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled at Devil's Distillery (Hobart Whisky) and initially matured in a 40 litre ex-Bourbon cask for four years before being finished in another 40 litre ex-bourbon cask that had been barrel-aging a stout brewed by head distiller Ben James. Released April 2021. 89 bottles in total.
    • Location: Hobart, TAS
    • Score: 92
    Nose
    Invitingly sweet and decadent, just like an imperial stout. There’s plenty of rich caramels from both whisky and stout. Milk chocolate and freeze dried blueberries. Lots of creamy vanilla notes coupled with deeper chocolatey tones.
    Palate
    The decadence continues. There’s a hint of rose petals which really elevates and balances the richness of the malt profile. Texture like silk, and the spirit has all the right signatures to meet the imperial stout influence. Lashings of vanilla custard and black currant.
    Finish
    Continues with cashew butter, custard and blueberry pancakes dusted with cocoa. Most importantly, it never dries out.
    Comments
    This feels like it was planned out from the day the new make was filled into an ex-Bourbon cask. We expect sweetness, richness and yeasty dark fruit flavours from an ex-stout cask whisky and this delivers on all fronts. You still get the fruit in the spirit as well. Nailed it.
  • Bakery Hill Blunderbuss 2022 Edition Single Malt Whisky
    The Stats
    • ABV: 58%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled at Bakery Hill Distillery and matured in ex-Bourbon casks for six years and then finished in an ex-Hop Nation Kalash cask for a further two years. Released July 2022. 250 bottles in total.
    • Location: Melbourne, TAS
    • Score: 90
    Nose
    Lovely yeasty and funky elements to start. Bonox beef extract and over ripe tropical fruits. Lots of malty sweetness, vanilla and chocolate encased by a good amount of what smells like grippy oak.
    Palate
    Richer in texture than expected. Chewy and viscous consistency with loads of caramel layers. There’s a lot of complexity to this. Jaffas, roasted hazelnuts and Walkers Shortbread Ginger Royals.
    Finish
    The yeasty, Bonox, mousse-like finish carries and the oak is kept nicely in check. The famed Blunderbuss carry definitely on show.
    Comments
    The funky, tropical fruit aromas on this mark out its complexity. The spirit still takes centre stage and the stout cask complements it beautifully. The Blunderbuss has always been more robust, more challenging and less obvious than other stout cask matured whiskies around, but it still absolutely delivers on its promise.
  • Overeem Stout Cask Finish Single Malt Whisky
    The Stats
    • ABV: 61.2%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled for Overeem Whisky and initially matured for six years in a port cask and then finished for six months in an ex-stout cask supplied by The Spotty Dog Brewery. Released June 2022. 92 bottles in total.
    • Location: Hobart, TAS
    • Score: 91
    Nose
    Immediately attractive and rich. Grapey tawny fruit characters are beautifully integrated with the chocolatey stout cask aromas. Looking deeper, there’s a sweet vanilla cream element in the background which lifts this up above the darker port and stout notes.
    Palate
    Silky smooth and handles the booze really well. Luscious, sweet, rich and viscous. A tight package of flavour, and water really helped to bring out the finer elements in the spirit, even helped to open up tawny influence.
    Finish
    Chocolatey, and the most notable roasted grain character in the line-up. Most importantly though, not astringent.
    Comments
    This would have made a fantastic Overeem Port Cask release before it even saw the stout cask treatment, which is testament to a good approach. The finish has added the desired richness and layers of chocolatey goodness.
  • Spirit Thief Distilling Co. Dark Mofo Winter Feast 2022 Cabernet & Stout Cask Finish
    The Stats
    • ABV: 55%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled by Spirit Thief Distilling Co. and initially matured in an American oak ex-cabernet cask before being finished for 12 months in a peated imperial stout cask. Released for Dark Mofo Winter Feast 2022.
    • Location: Hobart, TAS
    • Score: 90
    Nose
    Wine cask upfront and a hint of cacao nibs. The stout and the smoke are subtle initially. Cherries and bright red fruits rule here with a solid backbone of caramel maltiness. Very pleasant overall but certainly leaning towards the wine cask influence more than the stout.
    Palate
    Bubblegum and bright red fruit. Slightly savoury elements from the stout cask and a delicious Berrychocs flavour. Plenty of richness and quite grape-driven. The spirit profile is somewhat buried but that’s the name of the game here.
    Finish
    Really hangs around, hinting at some elaborate oak casks being used. A good amount of that sweetness lingers on and is probably the moment where the stout cask is most evident.
    Comments
    Genuinely delicious. The wine cask still dominates but the spirit is intact and it's a good canvas for exhibiting cask profile. Rich and warming, does exactly as intended.
How We Score
Julian White
Julian White is the co-owner of Melbourne’s Whisky & Alement and the driving force behind its importing arm the Independent Whisky Company. When he’s not scouring the planet for old and obscure bottlings, and creating daring whisky and beer projects for Australia’s curious drinkers, he’s a panel chair at the Australian Distilled Spirits Awards and a presenter, whisky educator and consultant.